To our CORRESPONDENTS.

T. C.'s Communication has been received, but must undergo confiderable correction.

T. L.'s Effay fhall be inferted.

The Tale by W. P. is under confideration,

Received-Thoughts on Homicide.-Lines on a recent marriage.

Verfes by Sophia K

fable. Cupid turned Phyfician. The Contrast,

THE

Lady's Magazine;

For

FEBRUARY,

1796.

The DETECTION.

A TALE.

(Embellished with an elegant Enan elegant Engraving.)

might be poffeffed of every polite accomplishment: and in this refpe&t few young ladies exceeded her. She danced with peculiar grace; in mufic her fkill was excellent, and the had made a great proficiency in drawing, and the more elegant kinds of needle-work. But the effect of thefe acquired accomplish ments was not a little diminished by mifs Evelyn's appearing on every occafion too fenfible that fhe pof feffed them. She appeared likewife too fenfible that her perfon was agreeable: and, to complete the lift

RAUDULENT artifice is frequently defeated in its defigns by accidents apparently the most trivial and unexpected; the cunning of the knave, how much foever he may pride himself in it, often proving to incautious, efpecially when fuccefs appears certain, as to lead to the detection of his best concert-of her fenfibilities, he was more ed schemes of deceit.

over fenfible that her uncle had left her a fortune of twenty thou fand pounds, which would be at her own difpofal when fhe arrived at the age required by law.

Mr. Evelyn was a plain honeft country gentleman, who refided within a few miles of Bath, where he led a quiet and happy life, alike unacquainted with the luxuries, That all these endowments and vices, and tricks of the capital, and advantages fhould infpire a councontented with the enjoyment of a try girl with fome degree of thoughtmoderate fortune and a good con- lefs giddiness, and what cenforious science. At his table was ftill pre- cynics may call vanity, will not ferved the hofpitality of ancient certainly appear incredible to our times; for his manners were open beft-bred town readers. Mifs Le and liberal, and prudence alone titia Evelyn, however, though the prescribed bounds to his generofity. might be fomewhat vain, was His family confifted of one daugh-aftranger to infolent pride and con ter, whofe mother died while the temptuous arrogance; the poffeffed was very young. Of her he was good nature, and affability to her tenderly fond, and fpared no ex-inferiors: her head might be a little penfe in her education, that he intoxicated with the contemplation

of her own attrations; but her heart had been well formed by na

ture.

retired from the world to be perpe◄ tually fufpicious of fraud, the manners of Mr. Hartington were always While the was meditating on difagreeable to him, and he daily whom the fhould bestow her inva- grew more and more diffatisfied with luable accomplishments, and her them. However, as he entertained no ftill more invaluable felf, a major doubt of his being a perfon of very Hartington appeared at Bath, a great property, he was inclined to young man, tall and well propor- endure what he did not much aptioned, who fwore frequently and prove, and would not interfere loudly, ftared the ladies out of with his daughter's choice. The countenance, and who was, accord-marriage, therefore, was foon coning to the fuccinct and undeniable fented to by all parties. account which he gave of himself, a man of the first fashion and fortune, being poffeffed of a large eftate in the West Indies, whence he had just arrived.

on

This accomplished gentleman and warrior having, as it pleafed Fortune, met with mifs Evelyn at the affembly, obtained her for his, partner, and thence waited her home, and received permiffion to repeat his vifits; her father, though be perceived the manners of his wifiter not to be perfectly congenial to his own, not being able to treat with indifference a man of the major's figure and fortune, or to doubt the truth of the account he gave of himself. Mifs Letitia, for her part, appeared particularly gratified with the major's company, his wit, his humour, his repartee, and his almoft miraculous adventures. But when the major proceeded to make love, as he foon did,

Among the friends of Mr. Evelyn who frequently vifited at his houfe, was a Mr. Rigby,-a man of plain manners, fincerity, found fenfe, and a much greater knowledge of the world, than Mr. Evelyn, who had always lived a very retired life, could be expected to poffefs. This gentleman had met with the major at Mr. Evelyn's, and foon conceived very great fufpicions of his charac ter. He thought he dinctly perceived fymptoms of rather too grofs vulgarity and ignorance in his converfation and manner, to admit of his being what he pretended to be; and he advifed Mr. Evelyn to proceed with caution, and to endeavour to procure undeniable proof of the real character and property of his propofed fon-in-law.

At this conjuncture, fo important to the future fortune of our adventurer, it chanced that John his valet, who officiated on all occafions as his confidential fervant, having rode out, either on business or plea fure, as he was returning, was overtaken by a violent ftorm of rain and hail near the houfe of an honeft miller, named Ralph Giles, who lived in that part of the country. The miller no fooner perceived the diftrefs of the traveller who was endeavouring to fhelter himself under fome trees, than he

when he vowed that to obtain her was the most ardent with of his enamoured foul-good heavens! what a difference did the difcover between the elegant paffion of a man of fashionable gallantry who has conceived a tendre for an accomplishes lady, and the unpolished courtship of a common country fquire! It was no longer in her power to play the coquette: her eves, and her whole behaviour, afcivilly invited him into his house, fured her fuitor of his victory.

t

But with Mr. Evelyn his fuccefs was not fo complete. Though that worthy gentleman had led a life too

took his horie into the ftable, and having feated his guest near the fire to dry and warm himself, called his wife to bring a jug of their

beft