Page images
PDF
EPUB

From sphere to sphere, from world to world,

I rush;

And, soaring far beyond Creation's fields,
Amid his depths of light behold, adore,
The mighty Father of a thousand worlds.'

My humbler untaught mind can but gaze in admiration and astonishment; inwardly ejaculating,

silence,. I trust I shall find forgiveness for an omission that has not deprived you of entertainment. You country ladies are apt to imagine that we London ones must always dotes, and that it is in our power, have a vast stock of news and anecwhenever we please, to entertain a

These are thy glorious works, Parent of whole village with town wonders;

good.'

I began to approach my home. A

distant church clock struck eleven as I was passing a few scattered cottages, whose tenants my mind pictured as enjoying the sweetest repose

that can attend on mankind.

While oppression's gloomy slave,
Though on bed of down reclin'd,
Feels the horrors of the grave

Creeping o'er his guilty mind;
Here, unmix'd with earthly woes,
Jocund visions light as air,
Joyous thoughts and calm repose,

Innocence and candour share.'

My humble home now met my
sight; I entered it, and in a few
minutes resigned myself, after a
short prayer to the Fountain of all
happiness, into the arms of sleep,

Whose mandates can controul
The bitter throes,
The goading woes,

That rend the writhing soul.'

HARRIET VERNON;

OR,

whilst, in return, you promise to give
shady groves, and pastoral lovers.
us descriptions of purling streams,

Take the following account of the
the last winter, and then candidly
manner my sister and I have spent
judge if I have been to blame in not
committing the account to paper for
the criticism of you country girls.
In January last we removed from a
very inconvenient house in Moor-
fields to the one we now occupy in
Lombard-street. This street, famed"
for its wealthy inhabitants, is situ-
ated in the heart of the city, and,
change, is peculiarly convenient to
from its vicinity to the Royal Ex-
stock-broker, a line of business I by
our brother, who is what they call a
no means comprehend, nor is it ma-
terial that I should: sufficient for us
is it, that he supports us in all the
necessaries of life; but the strong
tincture of avarice and parsimony
that marks his character cannot but
tend to abate that esteem and grate-
ful affection we should otherwise en-
tertain for him. A difference nearly

CHARACTERS FROM REAL LIFE. of twenty years in our ages pre

A NOVEL,

In a Series of Letters.

BY A LADY.

LETTER I.

Miss Harriet Vernon to Miss Susan
West.

London.

IT is a long time since I wrote.to my dear Susan; but as want of subject has been the only cause for my VOL. XXXVIII.

cludes, in some degree, that pleasing freedom and familiarity that should mark the fraternal conduct. I believe he loves us better than any thing on earth, his darling money excepted that he regards that in a superlative degree is a notorious fact, and were you to witness our manner of living, you would consider us as labouring under the inconveniences of a narrow income; but the world speaks him a man of very large fortune, and he does not contradict the

E

report but by his actions, which
though in general the criterion to
judge by, must in this instance be
excepted. We have only one ser-
vant, and the old worthy Dorcas,
whom you have frequently heard
me speak of with esteem and affec-
tion;
she nursed my sister and me,
and has lived in the family more
than thirty years. I believe our bro-
ther looks on her as a fixture, which
it has never entered his head as yet
to part with. As company is ex-
pensive, we never receive any visits,
but live as recluse in this great city
as if we were a hundred miles out of
it. I petitioned last year to attend
the lord mayor's ball, but it would
not do. I have subscribed to a cir-
culating library, and have set myself
down to study novels. This was
much against the approbation of
Maria, whose superior prudence I
From this
have ever acknowledged.
kind of reading I have imbibed a
romantic idea of love; and unless a
swain will die for me, I believe I shall
never think him worthy my concern.
I know nothing of the world, or of
love; but if the descriptions given in
these books are just it must be the
most charming thing in nature to
see the world, and obtain admirers.
I think I will read no more of them,
for I begin to be very discontented
with my lot. I look forward to the
next winter with a good degree of
pleasure, as we are permitted to in-
vite you. Brother says, you are a
good sort of girl, as girls go; and

your

mother. is a notable woman, that knows what's what: he means, I suppose, that she has a saving knowledge of the cash, for that knowledge alone does he (poor soul!) hold in any estimation.

But I intended to give you a brief account of our passing our time; and in the transactions of one day you may read a hundred, with very little

variation, I assure you. We break-
fast about eight, dine at four, sup at
nine, and fill up our time in working
and reading: about six o'clock bro-
ther goes to his club; Charles Went-
worth leaves the counting-house and
joins us, reads to us whilst we work,
or entertains us with his conversation,
which is always agreeable. At nine
brother arrives, when we sit down
to supper on simple bread and
cheese; after which brother and I
generally play cribbage for a penny
a game, when if he wins, he goes to
bed in very good humour at eleven
o'clock.

Having mentioned Charles Went-
worth, I am tempted to entrust you
with a secret I think I have lately
discovered, which is an attachment
to him on Maria's part; but, with
all my penetration, I cannot deter-
mine whether she holds an equal
place in his affections. He behaves
to us both with that easy polite at-
tention which, whilst it pleases both,
distinguishes neither. I sometimes
think it impossible that a young
man of the least sensibility can live
an inmate with Maria, and not feel
the effects of her charms; but my
partiality to my sister, added to my
ignorance of the other sex as to the
charms that usually attract them,
may mislead my judgment on this
subject.

You may depend on my writing as often as any thing occurs worth your notice, and I know the kind interest you take in our affairs will induce you to peruse with pleasure the most trivial transactions, wholly unentertaining to any one else. With most affectionate respects to your good mother, and love to all the village girls of our acquaintance, in which Maria joins, I remain, dear Susan, HARRIET VERNON. your sincere and affectionate friend,

[blocks in formation]

He informed me that

you was a wealthy stock-broker in in the city of London, and he be

Colonel Ambrose to George Vernon, lieved a bachelor. I immediately

DEAR SIR,

Esq.

Portsmouth.

Ir is impossible to express the sensations of a man who having been absent from his native country twenty years, returns to it impressed with the same warm sentiments of affection to all those he left behind as he felton quitting it. In proportion to the pleasure he took in these connections is the pain he experiences on being informed that some of them are dissolved by death, and others lost to his friendship by a train of incidents tedious to enumerate, and painful to recollect. In this situation is your friend Ambrose, whom you parted from twenty-one years since, a lieutenant in the army, embarking for the East Indies. Fired with a

sat down to write to you; and having thus briefly informed you of the state of my affairs, will defer particulars till I have the pleasure of an interview, which I hope to enjoy as soon as you can appoint a convenient time when I may spend a week at your house. You see by my proposal I have presumed on a continuance of your friendship: if I am mistaken, a line from you will undeceive me; but, at all events, I hope the favour of an answer to this letter: and in the full confidence I shall not meet an old friend with a new face, I subscribe myself yours most sincerely,

CHARLES AMBROSE.

LETTER III.

Ambrose.

DEAR SIR,

London.

youthful ambition, I distinguished George Vernon (in answer) to Colonel myself in the service, and was raised to the rank of a colonel, which I now hold. I was not, however, to be satisfied with honour alone; I formed some considerable connexions with the commercial men of the country, and have been so far successful, as to find myself in possession of wealth sufficient to satisfy my utmost wishes. The desire I always entertained of ending my days in my native country redoubled. I found no difficulty in closing my affairs in India, and embarked for old England, where I have been arrived ten days. I am at an inn in this place, the master of which I well knew previous to my departure; but he is dead, and a son of his, who was then a chubby-faced lad, has now succeeded to the same inn. Finding my host very intelligent, I made en quiries after some of my old acquaintance who were known to his father; and amongst the rest I men

I RECEIVED yours dated the 27th ultimo, which should have replied to before, but waited the opportunity of a free conveyance, not being willing to put you to the expence of postage. Take care of the pence, and the pounds will take care of themselves, is a maxim I have always abided by, and I have found my account in it too. Your letter gave me more pleasure than any event that could have happened, except the rise of stocks, or the fall of lottery tickets: the former have been very low some time, and the latter so high, that I have given over all thoughts of purchasing. But to proceed-I shall be very glad to see you at my house in Lombard-street; but I must premise that you bring no servant with you, and that I

never give any thing more for dinner than one plain joint of meat and a pudding. You will excuse this freedom; it is fit we should understand one another, you know, and you India gentlemen cannot sometimes relish plain food. I have two sisters by my father's side, who live with me. He left them very young: a foolish man, to marry so late in life, unless he could have provided for them! They are quite dependant on me. I had thoughts of apprenticeing them to milliners or mantua-makers; but they ask such high premiums, and I must have found them in clothes the time, so I e'en determined to keep them at home, as perhaps they might get husbands, as they are likely young women to look at, and; as the world goes, very prudent. But I begin to think I was out in my conjectures; for, as the old song says, "There is no body comes to woo!' As I seldom write letters, and have much business on my hands, I hope you'll excuse more at present. I shall be glad, as I before said, to see you when you please, if you can conform to my rules. In the mean time rest your friend and humble servant,

GEORGE VERNON.

LETTER IV.

[ocr errors]

here is a man with a carpet, which he says master has ordered for the front parlour, and that he is to put it down directly.' Friend,' said Maria to the man, 'I think you must be mistaken in the name.' The man persisting he was right, she permitted him to lay it down. When it was done, and we were talking over the circumstance, another man brought a stove-grate, with the same message, that he was to fix it to the chimney. Maria made less scruple to receive this, as it was evidently a second-hand one. It, however, fitted very well; and we were glad to see the room so far furnished. We sat ourselves to conjecture the meaning of these strange

events.

He is going to bring home a wife,' said I.

Alas! what then will become of us?' replied Maria.

You conclude then,' said I, 'that she must be as strange a being as himself; now I will not view every thing in the worst light. She may be a worthy good creature, and if so, it may be the best thing that can happen; as she may either make our present situation more comfortable, or prevail on him to put us in some way to do comfortably for ourselves.'

You are right, Harriet,' said she; and I am very wrong to look only

Miss Harriet Vernon to Miss Susan on the dark side.'

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[merged small][ocr errors]

Why then my visitor is a man of large fortune, just returned from India; an old friend of mine, and, for ought I know, may fall in love with one of you."

. The dinner coming in, put an end to the discourse: but not a morsel could I eat; the latter part of my brother's speech had taken my appetite away. As for Maria, she was as composed as ever, and I verily believe would be so if the gentleman were actually to make good my brother's words.

After dinner I began to make further enquiries, and then learned that the expected visitor was a colonel.

A still greater recommendation,' observed Mr. Wentworth. 'You can⚫ not resist the attractions of a red

coat, miss Harriet. Pray is his coat red or blue, Mr. Vernon?'

Mr. Vernon had now leaned back in his chair, and was in a profound doze; so that the important question could not be resolved.

Maria and Charles then went into a serious dissertation on the influence the military men are supposed to have over the ladies; while I was conning in my mind the contents of my wardrobe, and determined to ask my brother, when he awoke, for a new beaver hat. So totally lost was I in this reverie, that it was some time before I discovered Charles and my sister were laughing at my expence. Really,' observed the latter, if the sight of this colonel take the same effect as the thought

of him, I shall wish him in India. again. Half ashamed at the ridi-, culous figure I cut, I left the room to scribble to you. As the colonel is expected every day, I will not send this till I can accompany it with my opinion of him.

(In continuation.)

Well, my dear, the colonel is arrived, and I know you like particulars: I will describe him minute-. ly. About twelve o'clock this day a very handsome chariot stopped at the door. Here he is!' cried I, running as, fast as possible down stairs to Maria, who was in the parlour. For goodness sake,' said she, don't be so agitated: one would think, to look at you, the king himself was at the door."

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Well, I am a fool; but I can't help it: however, you, with all your composure, have a most charming glow on your face.'

By this time my brother and the colonel were congeeing in the hall, and in a moment both entered.'My two sisters,' said my brother, I mentioned in my letter.' We made our curtseys, I thought, with a very good grace: the colonel took a hand of each, and put them to his lips in a very gallant manner. ‘I hope,' said he, in a short time to entitle myself to this freedom by an intimate acquaintance.'

But before I proceed, I must give you a description of his person; the most material part, you know, of a naval hero. I shall not particularise his features, but inform you that he is a tall genteel man, about fortyfive, with a countenance very prepossessing, though much sun-burnt. He wears his hair' very becoming, and a blue uniform turned up with white. His air and manner are extremely elegant, and there is an aniu-ation and softness in his ad

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »