THE Lady's Magazine; OR, Entertaining Companion for the FAIR SEX, appropriated folely to their Ufe and Amufement. For JULY, 1796. This Number is embellished with the following Copper-Plates, viz. 1. A new Pattern for a Gown or Apron, &c.-2. A Profile of the Duke of Wirtenburg-3. A View of Trim Cattle, in Ireland; and, 4. Jeffcy. A Song. Mufic by R. Hudfon. LONDON, Printed for G. G: and J. Robinfon, No. 25, Paternofter Row, where Favours from Correfpondents will be received. To our CORRESPONDENTS. Eugenia's Effay fhall have a place. J. F.'s Hints and Maxims are received. Sophronia's Tale is under confideration. T. C.'s production might be greatly improved by revifion and tion. The Continuation of De Courville Castle in our next. corice. We are much obliged to the Native of Frankfort for his communication. He will find his letter inferted. Received, Verfes to Olivia.-The Rural Fête.-J. S.'s contributions.— Ode to Venus.-The Gift.-Lines addressed to Mifs C -y, &c. THE Lady's Magazine; For JULY, 1796. The PLEASING SURPRISE. A TALE. (Concluded from p. 246.) HEN I left you, my deareft Maria, (faid Mr. Courtenay) I mounted my horfe; and, proceeding by bye-ways, with all the fearful precautions of a fugitive, left town by one of its moft unfrequented roads, fcarcely knowing whither I went. I only knew it was neceffary to go to fome place remote from all I held dear. "The morning was fine, and the beauty of the scenery around me occafionally arrested my attention, and frequently, for fome moments, diverted my thoughts from their principal object,-the fituation in which I found myself, and that in which I had left you and my children. Hope, however, the comforter of the wretched, never forfook me; and, as I was confcious to myfelf of no bafe intention, of no act of selfish fraud, I cherished the flattering idea that fome events unforeseen and unexpected might yet occur, which fhould restore me to the home I fo unwillingly left. "At the conclufion of a day which I had paffed in much agitation of mind, from the conflicting ftruggles of hope and defpair,-of feeble hope, apparently without foundation, and violent despair, too probably irremediable,-I reached a Imall inn, nearly forty miles from London, in which, as it was growing dark, and threatened a storm, I determined to pass the night. "After I had taken a light fupper, for which I had no extraordinary appetite, the landlord of the houfe came to me, to inform me that there was a gentleman in an adjoining room, intending, like myself, to pafs the night there, who had inquired what company there was in the houfe; and, on the defcription he had given of me, had fent his compliments, and requested that I would do him the favour, if agreeable to me, to drink a bottle of wine with him, for the fake of fociability and converfation. "Though, in the fituation in which I was, it was natural for me to exercife caution, and indulge fufpicion,-on mature confideration I could find no reafon to fear any danger here. I therefore accepted the invitation; but when I entered the room in which the ftranger was, -judge my astonishment-it was my uncle! "For a few moments we gazed on each other, wondering what ftrange Pp2 accident as foon as he could, without appearing too abrupt, complained of fatigue and drowfinefs, and, withing me, very ceremonioufly, a good night, retired to rest. "I retired alfo, but not to reft: my uneafy reflections kept me long waking. It feemed as if my evil fate had determined to point out to me, in the nroft unequivocal manner, the defperate nature of my fituation, and the folly of hope. I had met with, as if by miracle, the only perfon from whom I could flatter myfelf to receive any effectual fupport; but no fign appeared of his relent more inveterate against me. There was a coldness in his manner I had never before witneffed, and he fcarcely condefcended to speak to but as a ftranger introduced to him by accident. "Atlaft-So, Frederic, (faid he) your fcheme, I own, feems pretty well planned; but it will not fucceed.ing: he even feemed to have become I will not fuffer you to mislead yourfelf with falfe hopes for one moment; my refolution has long been taken, and I feel no inclination to alter it. You have defpifed all my inftruc-me tions and maxims; and I will now leave you to feel their truth. Perhaps your prefent fituation may convince you of it better than any reafoning of mine. At any rate, you have chofen your own road through the world, difdaining to journey by that which I have travelled, and along which I would have accompanied you; and you must now be contented with fuch accommodations as you find in the way you have preferred. You ought to be prepared for them; for I warned you long ago what you must expect.' "In the morning, when I rofe, I found my uncle had fet out on his journey about half an hour before. He was alone, and without a fervant, as he frequently travelled, efpecially when he had any bufinefs, fuch as the prefent, in which he rather wifhed fecrefy "I took a hafty breakfaft, and departed,-continuing my journey along the fame road, haraffed by fill more uneafy reflections, in confequence of this interview, even than thofe which had been my irkfome This frank declaration ftunned companions the day before. Someme too much for me to make any times I blamed myself that I had reply. We fat for fome time filent, not thrown myfeif at his feet, and till, at laft, a kind of languid conver- folicited, with tears, and every exfation, on indifferent fubjects, took preffion of wretchedness, to be replace; from which I difcovered that ftored to his favour: at other times my uncle was on the point of purchat- I blamed my thought effefs, in not ing a confiderable eftate, and that herifing in time to fee him before he was now going to make fome private left the inn. He might conftrue fuch inquiries concerning it on the fpot; neglect into pride, or want of fenfibut evening coming on, and findingbility to my situation. himfelf fatigued, he had ftopped to pafs the night at this inn. * Ourfituation was too'aukward for either of us to wish to protract the conference: my uncle, therefore, I "A prey to thefe thoughts, I proceeded onwards for fome hours, when, as I turned an angle of the road, I difcovered an elderly gentleman lying motionlefs on the ground, and and his horfe grazing by the fide of the road, at a little distance. attorney be procured, and another inftrument prepared; you shall be my general heir and executor. Lec the utmoft difpatch be used: I am convinced my time is fhort.' "I went to him, and found,equally to my furprife and alarm, he was any unele. He appeared to me, at first, to be quite dead; but, For fome time no attorney on more attentive examination, I could be found; which being told to discovered fome faint figns of life. Mr. Mordaunt, he faid, with a lan"With the affittance of fome la-guid fmile, What! Surely this is bourers who were at werk in: an not a civilifed country! Perhaps, adjoining field, conveyed him to ton, the favages know nothing of the next town, where I procured jails and gibbets. At length, howfuch medical affistance as was to be ever, a profeffor of the law was dif found; and, by its aid, he fo far covered, the inftrument drawn up, recovered as to be restored to his and legally witneffed and figned. fenfe and fpeech. "When he opened his eyes, and faw me neat him, he, to my great furprife, instead of turning from me with an expreffion of enmity, feized and preffed my hand. Frederic, (faid he) ́I am convinced that I have done you wrong. I have been, to my fhame, your inflexible enemy, becaufe you would not embrace, and act according to, a fyftem, which during my life procured me no true happinefs, and dreadfully embitters thefe my last moments; for, that death approaches, too certainly feel. Mr. Mordaunt lived nearly two days after he had figned his will; but during the last day he was nearly infenfible. Thus, my dearest Maria, (conchided Mr. Courtenay)-thus has Providence interfered to fave us from want and wretchedness. As we have been relieved by the bounty of heaven, we will be liberal we will love and practife virtue, we will be happy in each other, and in our fmiling offspring." SIR, Hany, MAGAZINE. Amid the full tide of the gratifica- To the EDITOR of the LADY'S tion of vanity and ambition, I could' not have conceived that the hour of death, an hour which all know must unavoidably arrive, would have pro-TTAVING read, in your mifcelduced fo entire a reverfion of every lany, for June 1796, a defcripidea. I will now do you juftice. tion of the city of Frankfort, which I was incenfed against you, becaufe is incorrect in fome particulars, I you had not endeavoured to promote have taken the liberty to point out your intereft by falfehood, flattery, the mistakes which appear to me and all the bafe arts of the men of the moft material. the world. At this moment, I You fay, "The papifts are allow efteem you much more for one afted to celebrate their fervice in the of difinterested generofity (and I cathedral."-Now this leads one to remember many you have perform-fuppofe that they have no other ed), than I should, had you raifed churches, or, if they have, that they yourself to a dukedom by the me- are not permitted to celebrate their thods I recommended. I have car- fervice in them. But the catholics ried my bafe revenge fo far as ex- have fix churches of their own, beprefsly to declare, in the will I have fides the cathedral, in which they made, that you fhall not receive one may celebrate their fervice whenfingle farthing of my property.-ever they pleafe; and the magiftrate I will repair this injuftice: let andare not and cannot make any law that |