WELL Thurfday night. WELL, Jane, it is over.-Merсу on me! what an unmerciful lecture has your poor Laura been fated to bear!-but take it as it paffed. I left you, to take leave of Mrs. Maynard and her friends.-Julia, too, is gone with them,-and Ellen is ftill confined to her chamber.- ❘ After their departure, Merioneth requested my company for a walk.— Mrs. Merioneth was prefent. "I am going (faid 1) to finish a letter to mifs Lumly." "Do that to-morrow," faid my "I had rather finish it to-night," faid I. "Then, my fweet coufin, (taking my hand with an air of tenderness) you will not oblige me?" "I do not intend to walk this evening-I want to go and chat a little with poor Ellen :-fhe has nobody to comfort her, now Julia is gone." "I will go to mifs Rutland," faid aunt Merioneth. "That is very good of you, my dear mama (a term you may recollect I frequently ufe when the good" lady pleafes me); and I will go finish my letter." Albert importuned; I rejected his folicitations at length he feigned anger, and left the room.-Then burst the form. Aunt Merioneth was prodigious angry:-I trifled, she said, with their hopes, and acted very wrong,-very wrong indeed. I, of course, contended that I had given no hopes-that I had uniformly declared I would not rereive the addreffes of Merioneth:-and, if trifling was to be imputed to either party, it belonged to them; for they madly perfifted in a fyftem to which I had frequently declared my diflike: and I now, once for all, requested that the fubject might drop for ever. Impoffible! (fhe cried) what will your uncle think of your conduct?" "It is very indifferent to me. madam, what he thinks of it:-I have only to request he may be informed of it.” She made no answer, but left the room.-I fat down, took up a book, and endeavoured to read, but without effect. A fervant foon after informed me my company was requested in the library-On my entrance I beheld the heads of our noble house all affembled in council,-intent, no doubt, on the important fubje&t of tranfmitting uncontaminated to pofterity the right honourable breed. On my entrance the earl arofe, and, with all poffible dignity, conducted me to a feat.-I faw difpleafure lurking in his eye; but he is fo much of the courtier that he can easily reprefs the appearance of refentment :fo, after a few hems and a little relaxation of his mufcles, he began to lament the fatal fhock I had just given to the hopes of my friends, which his fifter had, with great reluctance, been obliged to communicate. I replied, I was forry my friends fhould have placed their hopes on fo precarious a foundation. "I never confidered it, lady Laura, as a precarious foundation,always taking it for granted that, in thefe cafes, young ladies were governed by the better judgment of their friends; and, as there can be no reafonable objection made to the alliance, and as you have frequently declared that Albert is honoured with your good opinion, why will you not give him time to improve that fentiment to a tenderer "At prefent (rifing to retire) it is a fubject you must excufe me on,” "One thing, at least, I have a right to afk (faid the earl) :-are you under any actual engagements?" "No, upon my honour." "Is the gentleman a man of fa "Really, I never asked." interest?at least, revoke the re-mily?" asked Mrs. Merioneth. "I have, my lord, (faid I) well "Perhaps you may think Albert in this affair acting only by any commands: but I affure you it is far otherwife; for my regard for your many excellencies is only exceeded by his admiration of them; and the first wifh of my heart is to concentrate our family by fo defirable a union." "Truly fenfible (faid I) of your lordship's kindnefs, and grateful for the good intentions of my friends, muit again repeat, I cannot, in this cafe, profit by them.-Lord Merioneth has too much merit to be fecond in any woman's heart whom he honours with his choice; and mine has lung acknowledged a predilection for another.” “I am answered :-but why was the declaration not made before ?" "It was never before neceffary, my lord." "And is it poffible (turning to Mrs. Merioneth) that you, madam, were unacquainted with this circumftance?" "This is the first time, my lord, I ever heard it named,→-and surprise almost prevents me from alking Laura the motives of her fecrecy; for fure, you cannot (addreffing herfelf to me) have made a choice which needs to be concealed," VOL. XXVII. "Is he a man of fortune ?" faid the countefs. Upon my honour, I do not know." Surely, Laura, (faid aunt Merioneth) you are diverting yourfelf at the expenfe of your friends." "Indeed, madam, you wrong me extremely I was never more ferious in my life." "To convince me of it, name the man you honour with your approbátion." "There you must pofitively excufe me." I then attempted to efcape, but without effect,-for his lordship again attacked me; and I was violently importuned to name my favourite. At laft I was obliged to fay, that, though I was grateful for their kindnefs, I could on no account admit their authority to interfere with the independence of my own mind." My loved and lamented father (faid I) left me, my lord, uncontrouled miftrefs of myfelf and fortune; and I will never refign to any other perfon a power he thought me worthy of poffeffing myfelf." My lord bowed,-hoped he had not offended,--and begged I would confider him as pleading for a jewel which was too valuable to be easily relinquithed. I thanked him for his compliment; and the council broke up. At fupper we were all mighty ftately.-The dejection of Merioneth, proceeding from the indifpo fition of Ellen, paffed with the 'family, I believe, for the effects of difappointment. We retired early, Z z and and I took the opportunity of writing thus far. tion on indifferent fubjects.-She really poffeffes an excellent underftanding-Merioneth joined us.Clifford and the baronet were gone for a ride, and Severn is quite penferofo fince the departure of Julia. I expect my aunt will now be for leaving the Priory; and, I must say, I have no wish to continue here.I fhall therefore propofe returning to Twickenham, and leave my noble-We walked till dinner. uncle to recover his difappointment; which he will foon do, if he can prevail on his fon to addrefs the next woman of good fortune who falls in I have wrote till my hand akes,and Morpheus claims his right.Adieu! All the elders as yet very stately, and very forry to hear our intention of leaving the Priory fo early in the feafon. My aunt answered that the had received letters from Twickenham, which it would be neceffary for her to answer in perfon. This ended the difcourfe,-when lord Derwent condescended to ob ferve that he expected to be in London, with his family, early in the next feafon, and hoped we should meet again at his houfe. My aunt "flattered herself we should always continue to meet with pleasure." After dinner we adjourned to the drawing-room, and Merioneth read to us till tea After that repast, a Friday, noon. My aunt has anticipated my affented.-A little twinge of the walk was propofed; and we readily wifles of quitting the Priory-gout kept my uncle at home, and She fummoned me, this morning, to her dreffing-room,-and informed me that the thought, after what had paffed, we could not, with any propriety, continue here. I made no objection to her plan; and lady Derwent is to be informed the two elder ladies ftaid to accompany him. We had scarce reached the garden, when fir John (who was of our party) rudely feized Ellen, and wore the fhould run a race.—She him. Clifford interfered. "Here is no mask now in the cafe (faid the brute) :-I know I am right. - I don't want to hurt ber:a little race will do her good." that we leave the Priory next week.ruggled, but in vain, to get from I am inclined to think the good lady has a fufpicion of my penchant for Clifford, and that this is the true reafon for her wishing to depart.Be that as it may, I fhall very gladly leave this place.-Clifford, however, goes next week: a circumftance, 1 believe, my aunt is unacquainted with. Mifs Rutland requests me to walk with her.It is the firft day he has left her room fince the ball.-I know you will excufe me for laying down my pen to attend her. Friday night. I HAD a very agreeable walk with Ellen, and a great deal of converfa In vain fhe entreated him to free her:-he continued forcibly to drag refcue her; and, at the fame time, her along. Clifford advanced to Albert (who had been detained in flushed in his manly face, when he the houfe) appeared.--Indignation beheld the agitation of Ellen. "Sir John! (faid he, with firmnefs) in my prefence, mifs Rutland fhall not be infulted.-I infist on your releafing her:-you must not intrude on her time." "There! "There! (faid, the brute, throwing her with violence from him) go to your champion.-Damme! what with one fighting fpark or another, if one dares look at a woman in this place!" So faying, he reeled off.-Severn placed himself on one fide Ellen, and Merioneth on the other; and, by a fudden turn in the walk, we loft fight of them. I mended my fpeed to overtake them; which was ob. ferved by Clifford,-who (looking earneftly in my face) afked me, if I fhould deem him an intruder if he endeavoured, for that evening, to monopolife my converfation. "No (faid I); that I fhall never think you." "Generous Laura! (faid he) Clifford will endeavour to deferve fuch condefcending kindnefs.-In my ardent withes for your happiness, every selfish idea fhall be abforbed, every ambitious hope annihilated." I trembled, yet hoped he would proceed; and, fcarcely knowing what I did, I fat down on a bank, but was filent. "You are not angry, lady Laura? No, that fweet fmile tells me you are not. But will my fair friend forgive my prefumption,, if I venture to ask her-" "What?" faid I. "Whether, after your departure from this place, I am ever more likely to behold lady Laura Merioneth ?" "Really, I do not comprehend you." "Not comprehend me, madam? -Good God!-Are you not going to leave this place?-Have you not rejected the addresses of Merioneth? -And are you not going to the happy partner of your heart?And perhaps, fhortly, this hand may be the envied property of fome more favoured mortal." "How strangely you talk! (faid I) It is true I am not inclined to marry Merioneth:-it is equally true that we are going from hence; but it does not follow that I am going to the happy mortal you allude to." "Is there then (faid he, with earneftnefs) no accepted lover,-no particular favourite?" "I did not say that there may not be one higher in my eftimation than all the rest of his fex; and yet it does not follow that he is either a declared or an accepted lover.Perhaps he may not even think of the preference he has obtained." "Not know if he was favoured with your approbation! (faid he, contemptuoufly) can fuch a man -one fo infenfible of his own happinefs-be worthy of your efteem?" "Go! (faid I, fmiling) you are too fevere on him.-How would your fagacity difcover a lady's fentiments for you?" "Were the (fighing deeply) one I dared afpire to (looking anxiously in my face), I would trace them in her charming countenance, and find them in her fpeaking eyes.-In pity tell me, deareft! lovelieft of women! does Clifford know the envied object of your choice?" "I believe you do."-I spoke with hesitation. "Do I really know him?-Forgive my prefumption (finking on his knee before me) :-might I hope that foftened look,-that animating blush" I was filent, "Will you not speak to me? (he continued)-I fee I have offended you-only tell your devoted Clifford that you will endeavour to forget his folly." "I will tell you nothing, in that pofture," faid I, extending my hand. He took it, and kiffed it with fervor. I arofe. We had before been fitting.-He fprung from his fupplicating posture,-caught me to his heart, called me his charming, his adorable Laura,-fealed his pardon on my lips, and prevailed on me to fit down again. And it was then, Zzz Jane, Jane, after a long and interefting converfation, that I confeffed (what doubtlefs Clifford had before difcovered) that it was for his fake only that I had rejected Merioneth.-I cannot repeat half his acknowledgments for what he termed my condefcenfion. "I have much to fay to you (faid he); but I am now too happy to enter into fober matter-of fact converfation. When may I hope for another opportunity of explaining to you my prefent fituation and future profpects?—I leave this place (he continued) in a few days, to enter on a new fcene of action :-only tell me you with me fuccefs.-Say you are not indifferent to my concerns." I fatisfied his doubts on that head, -received his thanks, and promifed to walk with him to-morrow morning before breakfaft.-Shortly after, our friends appeared :-we joined them. - Merioneth looked inquifitive, and faucily hoped Clifford had been good company. lift filled with the merits of his an ceftors,-muft I, think you, in compliment to mine, (who, I am told, were right honourable from time immemorable) reject a worthy man, poffeffed of every qualification to infure domeftic happiness,because he cannot come clothed in a full fuit of heraldry?-Mercy on me!Sure, of all the vanities which ever entered the head or occupied the heart of man, the pride of birth is the moft ridiculous!-Can we, by any chemical procefs, extract merit from skeletons, or virtue from duft? No. Then what ufelefs pride is the pride of ancestry!-I am forry to remark that, the further we recede from the blunt honefty of our forefathers, and neglect the exercise of their ftubborn virtues (if the phrase is admiffible), we bend with more profound veneration to their follies. Surely, it is but just, that if we neglect their precepts, we fhould likewife throw afide their prejudices. I am come to the end of my paper "Tolerable (aid 1):-I hope-fo good-night. you have endeavoured to entertain mifs Rutland." "I never lofe fight (faid he) of my wifles to entertain this lady (turning to Ellen); though I fear I frequently fail in the accomplishment of thofe wishes." Ellen's looks contradicted his af. fertion; and he interpreted them to his own advantage, for he looked as if he could have faid a million of tender things We returned to the house all in good humour; and let me confefs that it was the happieft evening I ever fpent in my life.-At fupper, Clifford placed himfelf by me:he contended for the feat.-Mrs. Merioneth looked difpleafed,-and lord Derwent furprised:-I believe they begin to fufpect who is the hero of my heart. Alas! Jane, if this charming fellow, now, fhould be of city extraction, and not able to give in a long Auguft the 17th. Saturday morning, fix o'clock. I WONDER what Clifford cam have to fay to me.-Oh, there he goes! He turns to look for nie. You must excufe me, Jane, for leav ing you fo abruptly: - after breakfaft, I will give you the particulars of our morning's converfation, Eleven o chek. On entering the garden, Clifford advanced to meet me. He drew my hand through his arm, and led the way to the fhrubbery. "I have requested, (faid he) lady Laura, this interview, to explain my fituation:-a few words will do it When I had firft the honour of feeing your ladyship—” "Hold! (faid I, interrupting him) not fo much ladyfhip, if you value my favour." |