456 CENTLIVRE. inexperience, induced her to comply with his proposal, and she accompanied him to Cambridge, where, having equipped her in boy's elothes, he introduced her to his college intimates as a relation who was come down to see the university, and to pass some time with him. Under this disguise, an amorous intercourse was carried on be- tween them for some months, but, at length, being pro- bably apprehensive that the affair would become known in the university, he persuaded her to go to London, which she agreed to, and he generously presented her with a considerable sum of money, and recominended her, by letter, to a lady in town with whom he was well acquaint- ed, assuring her, at the same time, that he would speedily follow her; this promise appears, however, not to have been performed, yet, notwithstanding her unfavourable introduction into life, she was married, in her sixteenth year, to a nephew of Sir Stephen Fox, who did not live more than a twelvemonth after their marriage; but, she possessing both wit and personal attractions, soon ob- tained the consolation of another husband, whose name was Carrol. He was an officer in the army, and was unfortunately killed in a duel, about a year and a half after their marriage, and she became a second time a widow. She is represented as having had a sincere attach- ment for Mr. Carrol, and, consequently, as baving felt his loss as a severe affliction. It was at this period of her life that she presented her- self before the public as a dramatie authoress, to which she was, probably, in some degree induced by the narrow- ness of her circumstances. Some of her earlier pieces were published under the name of Carrol.2 Her first at- tempt was a tragedy, entitled " The Perjured Husband, which was performed at Drory Lane theatre, in 1700, and published in 4to. the same year. In 1703, she produced a comedy, called "The Beau's Duel; or, a Soldier for the Ladies;" and "Love's Contrivance," which is chiefly a translation from Molière, and the following year another comedy, entitled "The Stolen Heiress; or, the Salamanca
