ing Matilda; simply because, as already mentioned, no second party in existence had any idea of the place she occupied in my affections. It so happened, therefore, that, notwithstanding the deep interest I felt in Matilda, I did not hear a single syllable in reference to her, during the long period-more than seven years—I had been in a far distant land. About this time, however, I received a letter from my parents, in which, after mentioning several other matters of local intelligence, they stated, "Your old acquaintance, Miss Matilda Gordon, is well, and still unmarried." Those only who have felt the operations of a love, at once ardent and honourable, can form any conception of the supreme gratification which this laconic sentence administered to my mind. It had to me a power, an eloquence, and a charm, such as no other piece of human composition I had ever before met with, possessed. Frequent indeed were the perusals I gave it. I could not, in fact, withdraw my eyes from it; and every fresh perusal of it added a cubit to my happiness. Never before did I experience-never since have I experi

enced and I feel an immovable conviction pressing on my mind that I never shall in future experience, I mean so long as in this world, the felicity I then enjoyed. I had not, before I first gazed on the words which constitute the short sentence in question, any idea of how much bliss human nature, notwithstanding all the imperfections and infirmities which attach to it, is susceptible in this world.

A short time prior to the date at which I received the letter alluded to, my employers had made proposals to me, to enter into partnership with them, after the lapse of six months from the time at which these proposals were made. From the extremely liberal terms on which it was proposed that I should be admitted to a share of my employers' business, I could not but accept of the offer; stipulating, however, which was readily agreed to, that before I entered into the concern, I should be allowed to visit my native country, and spend a few weeks with my relatives and friends.

The receipt of the letter already referred to, from my parents, made me engage with addi

tional activity in preparing for my intended journey; for I had fully resolved to marry Matilda, if no obstacles should be interposed by her to a consummation so devoutly wished for by me. In a fortnight afterwards, I set out, not for Scotland in the first instance, but for Ireland; in one of the districts of which I had some business of importance to transact for my employers. I arrived at Dublin in eight weeks from the date of my leaving the place of my residence in America.

After three days' stay in the Irish metropolis, I left it on one of the stage coaches, for the county of Limerick; at one of the towns of which I arrived in due course, and remained in it, principally engaged in business, for twentyfour hours. One of my most intimate friends in America had forwarded by me a letter to his relations, who resided about six miles from this place; extorting from me a promise, when setting out on my journey, that, as I was to be in the town of Rathmore, I should do him the favour of delivering his letter in propria persona. With the view of fulfilling the promise I had

made my friend, I left Rathmore at six o'clock in the evening for the residence of his parents and relations. As the weather was extremely fine it was towards the end of August—and I had got directions which I thought would render it in the highest degree improbable I should mistake the way to the place to which I was going, I set out on foot by myself; being desirous of enjoying the pleasures of a walk in the open country, after so long a sea voyage. Part of my way lay through a rather unfrequented path; and just at the very moment at which I was in the most lonesome portion of it, the sky, which, but a few minutes before, was as bright and beautiful as ever mortal eye gazed on, all at once assumed a most louring aspect; an aspect which proved but too portentous of the dreadful storm which the heavens were about to discharge on that portion of our earth. I looked above and around me, and, when I beheld the frowning appearance which nature had so suddenly assumed, I felt an emotion of terror come over me, such as I had never before experienced. With that instinctive desire of self-preservation, which

is the last as well as the first law of nature, and which man feels in every situation, however perilous, in which he can be placed, I paused for a moment to consider in my own mind how I might best escape from the impending storm. Adjacent to a little wood, and situated by itself, I observed a small hut or cabin, about half-amile distant. As it was the only human habitation at this critical moment within the reach of my eye, I resolved on directing my steps to it. Just as I left the foot-path to cross a moor which intervened between me and the wretched-looking hovel, a vivid blaze of the electric fluid flashed across my eyes, and in a moment it was succeeded by a peal of thunder, loud and longcontinued; the reverberations of which, in very truth, resembled the tremendous noise which one would imagine would accompany the crash of worlds. Then the rain descended in mighty torrents; as if, in fact, the canopy of the heavens above me had been one vast waterspout. Another and another flash of lightning broke on my vision, as if the whole horizon had been an immense sheet of fire; and another and another