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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

"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 wo-earneftnefs) no accepted lover,-no man in this place!" particular favourite?"

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 obferved by Clifford,-who (looking earnestly 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 kindness.-In my ardent wishes for your happiness, every felfifh idea fhall be abforbed, every ambitious hope annihilated." I trembled, yet hoped he would proceed; and, fcarcely knowing what I did, 1 fat down on a bank, but was filent.

"You are not angry, lady Laura? No, that sweet 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."

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"Not comprehend me, madam? -Good God! Are you not going to leave this place?-Have you not rejected the addreffes 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 ftrangely you talk! (faid I) It is true I am not inclined to marry Merioneth:- it is equally true that

"I did not fay that there may not be one higher in my eftimation than all the reft 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 hap pinefs-be worthy of your esteem?"

"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 anxioufly 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! dees 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 fpeak 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 trom his fupplicating pofture,-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,

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 say 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 scene of action :-only tell me you with me fuccefs.-Say you are not indifferent to my concerns.'

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I fatisfied his doubts on that head, -received his thanks, and promifed to walk with him to-morrow morning before breakfast.-Shortly after, our friends appeared:-we joined them.- Merioneth looked in. quifitive, and faucily hoped Clifford had been good company.

lift filled with the merits of his an
cestors,-muft I, think you, in com-
pliment to mine, (who, I am told,
were right honourable from time
immemorable) reject a worthy man,
poffeffed of every qualification to
infure domestic 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 process, extract merit
from skeletons, or virtue from duft?
No.-Then what useless pride is the
pride of ancestry!-I am forry to
remark that, the further we recede
from the blunt honefty of our fore-
fathers, and neglect the exercife of
their ftubborn virtues (if the phrase
is admiffible), we bend with more.
profound veneration to their follies.
Surely, it is but juft, that if we
neglect their precepts, we should
likewife throw afide their prejudices.
I am come to the end of my paper
good-night.

"Tolerable (faid 1):-I hope-fo you have endeavoured to entertain mifs Rutland."

"I never lofe fight (faid he) of my wishes to entertain this lady (turning to Ellen); though I fear I frequently fail in the accomplishment

of thofe wifhes."

Ellen's looks contradicted his affertion; and he interpreted them to his own advantage, for he looked as if he could have faid a million of tender things.

Auguft the 17th. Saturday morning, fix o'clock.

I WONDER what Clifford can

have to fay to me.-Oh, there he goes! He turns to look for me.— You must excufe me, Jane, for leaving you fo abruptly: after breakfaft, I will give you the particulars of our morning's converfation.

Eleven o clock.

On entering the garden, Clifford advanced to meet me. He drew my hand through his arm, and led the way to the fhrubbery.

We returned to the house all in good humour; and let me confefs that it was the happiest evening I ever spent in my life.-At fupper, Clifford placed himself by me:"I have requested, (said he) lady he contended for the feat.-Mrs. Merioneth looked difpleased,-and-Laura, this interview, to explain my Ford Derwent furprifed.-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

:-a few words will do it. fituation:When I had firft the honour of feeing your ladyfhip"

Hold! (faid I, interrupting him) not fo much ladyship, if you value my favour."

"My

"My charming Laura, then." "Aye, that is a great deal better: -proceed with your fubject."

At that time (faid he) I was mourning the lofs of an amiable, a lamented parent.-There was a chafm in my heart, which neither reflection nor amufement could close. -I faw you, my fweet Laura ; your image filled up the mighty void, it became my divinity,-and was interwoven with my existence. This (continued he, taking a miniature from his bofom, and preffing it to his lips) this has been my folace, my companion, and my friend."

"And pray (faid I) whofe portrait is that?"

Judge my furprife, when he prefented my own likenefs, very well executed.

"For heaven's fake, how came you by that?"

"Oh, very innocently!-Cupid affifted me:-but, do you recollect permitting Fanny to come to my cottage?"

"Perfectly."

"She had been there a few evenings before, without your knowledge. I found her a fenfible girl, and afked, as a particular favour, if the could procure me for an hour a miniature of her lady. She paufed a little while; but, at my renewing my requeft, the agreed to afk leave to come one evening, before you left Malvern, and, if poffible, to bring Mrs Merioneth's bracelet, on which was your likeness. She performed her promife.-I sketched the features with fuccefs.-How could I fail, when the original was in my heart?-From Fanny I heard that you were inftantly to leave Malvern.-Ah! with what regret did I hear that!-From her too I learned alfo that your refufal of notorious gamefter had been thought the ground-work of the infult you received from the ruffian.-I madly rushed into your prefence:-you for

gave me. You left Malvern,-and I refolved to follow you.-I fold my cottage, and once more returned to the bufy fcenes of London.-I placed my old fervant with a friend of my late mother's, and speedily proceeded to Twickenham, to make inquiries after my fair enflaver.-There I heard you were gone to Bristol.I followed to that place, but without fuccefs. I was there informed that the earl was gone to the continent, to drink the waters of Aix."

"It was a mistake (faid I); for we never quitted the neighbourhood of Briftol. Once, indeed, that my father might have the more frequent attendance of a phyfician he valued, we had lodgings at Bath (it must be at that period that you miffed us). There was fome talk of our going to Aix; but the fituation of the continent prevented it from being carried into execution."

"I travelled to Aix (he continued) without moleftation,-but without fuccefs.-I had always had a great defire to vifit Italy, the feat of ancient grandeur and modern arts,and this was an inviting opportunity. I had hopes, too, that I might there find my Laura.-I purfued my journey.-At Florence it was my good fortune to meet with Merioneth:-we travelled together.His ftrong refemblance to your mi niature made him dear to me.I once mentioned you to him; faid I had heard you spoken of as a charming woman.1 do not know (faid he); we have never met fince we were children.-Laura was a fine girl; but I do not know what kind of woman fhe is.'-The difcourfe dropped.-Shortly after, difpatches came, announcing your lofs, and his father's elevation to the title; and, foon after, he returned home.-İ continued fome months longer in Italy.- Merioneth frequently wrote to me, and gave a very pretting invitation to spend a fummer here.I complied.-My pleafure and fur.

prife

breakfaft-I entered alone.-Clifford foon after followed; and I believe no one fufpected our morning ramble.

During breakfast, the earl receiv→

ing them to Clifford, wifhed him joy of an appointment to a good place, with a genteel falary.-Clifford received them with proper acknowledgments; and they foon retired together.

I haftened to communicate these particulars to you, but muft now leave my pen, to drefs for dinner.

prife at meeting you here were beyond | defeription; but they were foon changed into regret, when I found you were the deftined, wife of my friend. Thanks to my generous Laura, that blow is averted!-Toed letters, which he read; and, givoblige Merioneth (who has much importuned me on the fubject), 1 have confented to ftand candidate at an election fhortly to come on at ***** :—the carl is to fupport my intereft; he is likewi.e, at this time, foliciting an appointment for me in a civil department under government; and I flatter myself that, if I am fuccefsful in thefe undertakings, I may be fanétioned by your approbation, and publicly afpire to the honour of your hand.-My humble circumftances (he continued) would now only meet their scorir; and how could I expect a woman, rich, young, beautiful, and well-born, to yield her hand to a man, whofe whole fortune does not amount to three thousand pounds,-who has no connections to make up the deficiencies of fortune, and whofe only boaft is an honeft heart ?"

He paufed for my reply.

I told him, that I'feared he would find an honeft heart a very troublefome companion to the altar of greatnefs." Fortune (faid I) should not be named between us :-ours is not a money-bargain."

"My difinterefted Laura, (exclaimed he) I muft court Fortune. -I cannot meanly quarter myfelf on the property of another."

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Cur walk was long, and our converfation interefting.-I have promifed to receive his vifits on our return to Twickenham; an event which I must prepare Mrs. Merioneth for. I expect a great deal of oppofition,--but they will not eafily put Clifford out of my head.

He leaves this place on Monday, and fets out for London, by the defire of the earl..

When we returned to the house, we found the family preparing for

Saturday night.

CLIFFORD has left us :-thiole letters demanded his prefence in London. He followed me this afternoon to Jenkinson's:- Ellen was with me.-He explained the reafons for his fudden departure; and we wifhed him fuccefs.Our plan of correfpondence was fettled before we returned to the boufe; and in the evening he departed.

-

'On Tuesday we begin our journey. Julia is returned, but without Mrs. Maynard :—that high-fpirited, lady has taken wing for Brigh ton.-I do not intend writing again till our return to Twickenham.-The fweet plaintive Ellen has promifed mether correfpondence, and I expect much pleature from her letters.

I fall now conclude, and di fpatch this enormous packet -I. hope you mean to write foon to Your affectionate LAURA MERIONETH. (To be continued.)

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woman-fervant) I fet out for Ge

required no one was found to appear against us on the day of trial;noa, where, according to appointment, I was to meet the author of all my miferies. Our journey was neceffarily flow, on account of the ill health of my Caffandra, who had fuffered fo fevere a fhock from our

the greatest alarm for her life.

and the fame night I embraced my wife and daughter in my own houfe. "But my joy at the event was confiderably damped by the general behaviour of my acquaintance, who feemed to fhun both myfelf and falate misfortunes that I was under mily-in fhort, it was plain that the method I had taken to evade public inveftigation, was in fome degree known; and (as I had before conceived) it was, in the common opinion, a confirmation of my confcious guilt. This, at leaft, reconciled me to one circumftance, which I was bound to perform,-that of leaving Spain immediately.

"After fome little time we arrived at the place of our temporary destination, and applying to a perfon to whom I had a recommendation, he informed me, count d'Ollifont had been waiting for me two days, and that I might fee him that night at a certain place to which he would conduct me. It is not publicly known (faidhe) that he is in this country, confiquently fecrecy is required

"At my return to the inn, I found my wife had been taken more violently ill than ufual, infomuch that Lucretia had tent for a phyfician, who had juft entered the

"Alas! this country (where I had fpent years of felicity, where I had been univerfally refpected and efteemed by every rank of people) was now become hateful to me; fince almost every countenance feemed to look towards me with a gloomy eye of fufpicion, even where I had before been welcomed, when-houfe-I afked his opinion on leav ever I appeared, with fimiles of friendship and confidence. My God! what were my fenfations!Senfible of my own innocence, ten thoufand deaths (could I myself alone have fuffered) would have been lefs torturing to me than the prefent ignominy.-But when I faw Lucretia bow to a young lady in the ftreet where we lived, as the penfively fat in the window, between myfelf and wife,-and faw the falute contemptuously fmiled at, and paffed without being returned, (while fhe and her mother would burst into tears, and move from the fpot)then would I utter to my felf

exe

ing the chamber:-he declared her diforder to be a total decling,---but did not then apprehend any danger. Towards the latter part of the day he grew better: but I refolved not to mention my intended vifit; and I contrived an excufe, therefore, for my departure at the hour I had fixed.

"It was fome time after the close of the evening, and nearly dark, when I met the man whom I had before feen in the morning. - He told me to follow him.-I rather hefitated. You have no reason for alarm,' faid he, obferving me attentively.

"I had a brace of pistols in my pocket; and, after a few moments of confideration, did as he defired.

Better had I feen my child cuted with me, in the view of a gazing multitude, declaring my innocence, than thus to be doomed He firft led me down a paffage, to Chrink under the wounds of of confiderable length, at the bottom blafted fame, and fuppofed infamy.' of which he halted.-Having proMy affairs were very foon fet-duced a large key, he opened a tmall tled; and, with my wife and daugh- door, which difcovered a gloomy ter, (attended by one man and a Gothic hall, lighted by a lamp,

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