ſome hard cenſures for ſtaying at home, than by going to the camp to leave his dear Deidamia diſconſolate.—Theſe kind aſſurances of her huſband gave her that ſatiſaction which ſoon ſhewed itſelf in a chearful countenance; and the endearing expreſſions ſhe gave the Count on that occaſion, made him conclude they were both happy in each other's love.
But behold the inconſtancy of worldly happinefs, and how little we can promiſe ourſelves of it here! we may indeed, both purpoſe and reſolve, but we cannot fecure ourſelves from diſappointments: the footſteps of Divine Providence are often hard to trace. Hence it is that we are told by the inſpired penman, 'That the ways of God are in the deep, and his paths in the great waters, and his footſteps are not known.' And we ſee often, whatever pleaſing proſpect of felicity we have in view, ſome unforſeen occaſion, or ſudden turn of providence, deſtroys it, and in a moment deprives us of that happinefs which we had promiſed to ourſelves for many years: and yet theſe changes, to thoſe that fear the Lord, are ſo diſpoſed and ordered by God's providence, that in the end, they evidently work together for their good. And thus it fell out in the inſtance before us; for whilſt Alanſon and his Deidamia, delighted in each other, and were both happy in their conjugal affection, an accident fell out, that put him under a neceſſity of going to the camp, which was, that a colonel's place in the regiment of Picardy being vacant, a relation of Alanſon's, at court, out of a too officious kindneſs, put the king in mind of the good ſervices of Alanſon, and deſired his Majeſty to bellow that vacancy upon him: to which his Majeſty (being ſenſible of his former
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