titude! When I expected to behold this young man embracing the feet of his merciful judges with grateful rapture, I heard him, with astonishment, venture to expoftulate with his benefactors upon his utter inability to pay fo great a fine. He mentioned the fituation of his parents; faid they depended upon his labour for fupport; and that, fhould his place. The other was a pundit, learned in the law; called, in the Janguage of thefe people, an attorney. No fooner did the witneffes of my friend's guilty deed prefent the unhappy culprit before them, producing at the fame time the murdered birds, and the deftructive engine of their diffolution, than the murmur of indignation arofe; the cause in which they were then hearing evi-judges perfevere in inflicting the paydence was inftantly difmiffed: it was, indeed, only concerning a man who was faid to have beaten his wife almoft to death: a trifling crime, in the eyes of thefe magiftrates, when compared to the murder of feven partridges! The fon of the foldier attempted to speak in his own defence, but was prevented by the firft judge, who declared that the 'proof was fufficient for his condemnation, and that he never would hear any thing in favour of a poacher: (a name given by this fect to the enemies of their idolatry.) From the tone of wrath with which he pronounced these words, I faw that the young man's fate was determined; and when, after fome confultation between themfelves, the younger judge arose to pronounce his fentence, I expect ed, with forrow, to have heard the irrevocable mandate of immediate death; and knowing how vindictive the priests of all religions ufually are toward those who have treated with contempt the objects of their fuperftitibus veneration, I fhould have been well pleased to have compounded for his fimple death, unattended by the tortures which I feared might be inflicted on him, for a crime which, I plainly faw, was thought of by his judges with horror. Judge then with what a mixture of aftonifhment and delight, I heard the mild and merciful fentence uttered by the pundit, which pronounced no other Intence of punishment, but that of paying a fum of money! How univerfal is the fin of ingra ment of fo large a fum upon him, it muft deprive them of his affiftance; or, by robbing them of the little favings of their induftry, reduce their young ones to penury, and caufe them to eat the bread of bitterness in their old age. "Let pity for my aged parents induce you to foften the rigour of my fentence (cried the ungrateful youth); and, though a thoufand partridges were to flart up before me, I fwear I fhall never injure one feather of their wings." Alas! his eloquence was loft. The judges remained inexorable: till at length, being touched with the forrow of the young man, I refolved to address them in the best English I was master of. "Mild, upright, and merciful judges, (cried I) believe not that I fpeak to excufe the crime of which this young man has been guilty. No. 1 have ever beentaught to pay respect to the Dewtahs of whatever country I was in. With the Perfic Magi I have bent in folemn adoration of the folar orb; while, with other equally enlightened nations of the east, I have demonstrated my refpect for the crocodile, the jackall, and the monkey. Since fate has brought me into this renowned kingdom, I have, in the great capital, attended, with due folemnity, the poojah of cards: and now, that I am made acquainted with the religion of the rajahs of the provinces, I judge of your feelings, moft venerable magiftrates, upon the prefent occafion, by what my own would have been, had any bafe-born Sooder dared to lift his impious impious hands against one of the conduct of lord Severn may occafion facred cows who range the flow- her difquietude. The baronet is still ery meads of Burrampooter. But here; and I am forry to add that his fince, in the overflowing of your boisterous addreffes to me feem faclemency, you have condefcended to voured by the family.-The earl' is limit the deferved punishment of indifpofed with the gout, and, I think, this audacious youth to the payment more haughty than ever (forgive the of a fine, I hope you will extend the remark,-you bid me write from fhadow of your goodnefs fo far, as to my heart), and fo jealous of every accept the money from a ftranger." attention paid me that I am miferaThey ftared at one another, aftonish-ble in his prefence, and nothing but ed, no doubt, at the boldness of my the dread of offending his excellent fpeech; but, nevertheless, were fo lady detains me in his house.— kind as graciously to accept of the Julia, dear girl, is all the dares be. gold I offered them, and to fuffer my companion to depart with me in peace. DERWENT PRIORY; (Continued from p. 358.) LETTER X. Mifs Rutland to Lady Laura. I am fummoned to attend lady Derwent, and muft haften to conclude my letter,-entreating your ladyship to believe that you have not a more fincere friend than Your highly honoured ELLEN RUTLAND, P. S. Your penfioners at the cottages are all well, as are the Dawfons:-we faw them yesterday. LETTER XI. Lady Laura to Mifs Rutland. Twickenham, Sept. 3, 179— The Priory, THANK you, my sweet girl, for Monday, Auguft the 26th. your agreeable favour.-I flatter my felf our correfpondence will be ONOURED by the offer of happy and durable. To me your H your ladyfhip's correfpond- friendfhip is highly valuable; for I ence, Ellen, doubtful of her abilities loved you from the first moment I faw to pleafe, fearfully affumes her pen. you, and foon difcovered what you -Yet the well-known confideration fo carefully endeavour to conceal.-of lady Laura induces her to lay afide Oh, Ellen! I know the lord of all her apprehenfions, and to affure her, your fondeft hopes:-but, have conthat, though the defpairs of being anfidence in me,-I will never betray entertaining, the will at leaft endeayour fecret. vour to be a punctual correfpondent. Commiffioned by lady Derwent and the whole of this family, I prefent their united refpects to your ladyship and Mrs. Merioneth. How changed is our late cheerful fociety! We mifs you every where. -Lord Severn is ftill the fhadow of Julia; but I hear of no propofals made to the earl.-Lady Derwent appears thoughtful and uneafy; and I fometimes think the equivocal So you have great confidence in my, confideration! - Did you ever difcover any of my good qualities before I rejected Merioneth?-Ah, that confcious blush!-Why I fee you at this very moment.-But, a truce to raillery, I am seriously concerned at what you tell me of the knight.-For God's fake, rigidly and refolutely reject him,-nor be tamely facrificed to a brute, to forward the ambitious projects of my plotting " plotting uncle, who cannot be blind You will fee my affinity to lord Severn, a circumftance he is unacquainted with; as lord Derwent, on his arrival here, gave a general direction that nothing concerning me per-fhould ever be mentioned to him.Perhaps it was intended to fave me a mortification:-for who knows but he might reject me, as the offspring of difhonour?-Ah! how different is the conduct of Merioneth! - Ever kind and attentive, he values not the misfortune of my birth.-Chance, this morning, brought him to Julia's dreffing-room.-I was there, waiting her approach. She was not up. He eagerly feized that moment to renew a fubject he has often before repeated.-I had been weeping:-he would know what had occafioned my uneafinefs:-I was at last obliged to confefs that I was made uncomfortable by the behaviour of the baronet. I have accidentally met with a' clue to Severn's taciturnity.-1 had ever fuppofed his fortune very good; but I am informed (from undoubted authority) that it is far otherwife, that long, and expenfive law-fuits have greatly impaired the eftate,that the prefent lord came young into the fociety of a fet who live by the inexperience of others, and fuffered greatly. He prudently fled from the gay world; and is endeavouring, by the ftrictest economy, to repair his fortune.-His partiality for her is very obvious; and I have no doubt but he will make propo-, fals as foon as he can do it with con. fiftency. I am happy to inform you that Mrs. Merioneth is quite recovered from the fatigue of her journey, as is Your affectionate LAURA MERIONETH. P. S.. I am glad my poor folks are well.-Mr. Clifford called on us yesterday. I pray, make proper compliments to the family. LETTER XII. Mifs Rutland to Lady Laura. "There is, (faid he) my dear Ellen, but one way of ending all thefe ills. Be mine, my love; give me a legal right to protect you,— and refign (with the name of Rutland) every recollection of unmerited mortification.-Confent, my dear Ellen, to the ardent wishes of your devoted Albert; and let him blefs the day which gives him unlimited permiffion to foften all your for rows." He replied, with an air of difappointment, "If you loved me, Ellen, you would have lefs prudence." "Ah! (faid I) Merioneth, for what would you blefs that day?— For uniting your fate to a woman difliked by your father, for alienatThe Priery, Sept. 1othing you from your family, and YOUR obliging favour, my va- deftroying your fortune?? lued lady Laura, merits my warmeft acknowledgments. - Long before you rejected Merioneth, your many excellencies imprinted fentiments of "It is affection, my dear Merefpect on the heart of Ellen.-Your rioneth, which gives me forefight: defire of my confidence is highly-I tremble for the confequences flattering, and I embrace it with which might refult from the union pleasure.- Much, indeed, do I want propofed." an advifer; and often have I wished to relate the particulars I now inclofe; but feared my temerity might offend you. "I cannot (faid he) see so much danger as you apprehend.-My allowance is genteel; we muft live frugal; our establishment must ac cord cord with our circumstances, till the earl can be prevailed on to enlarge my income." "Ah! my lord, that is at beft but an uncertainty; for myself, having no pretenfions to greatnefs, I have no wish for it. But your lordship, born in affluence, and educated in fplendor,-what a change muft you experience, fhould the income you now poffefs be hereafter with-held! -In that cafe, who will venture to affure me that lord Merioneth will not execrate that day which bound his fate with mine ?" He was offended at the fuppofition, and propofed (would I give him' a legal right to act for me) making inftant application to my grandfather in my behalf, whofe refentment for the conduct of his daughter, he thought, muft, by this time, be foftened into pity for her child.. I hefitated: but, let me proudly fay, it was only the hesitation of a moment; and I replied, with all the compofure I could command,—— that, however fafcinating his propofals, I could on no account confent to them; fince they were incompatible with my obligations to lady Derwent, and at variance with every principle of duty, every fentiment of gratitude. Wednesday night, DURING breakfast, there was only her ladyfhip, Julia, and myself, prefent. She defired my attention to a fubject of the utmost import- ance.-Almoft gafping for breath, I could only bow; and her ladyfhip proceeded— "You need not, my dear Ellen, be reminded that I have ever regarded you as my own child:-I have been happy in affifting to adorn the many graces nature has bestowed on you; yet, with all your endowments, think me not fevere in ob ferving that your unfortunate birth, and confined fortune, are greatly dif advantageous to your future profpects.-I am not going to elucidate the cruelty or illiberality of those farcafms fo frequently beftowed on illegitimate birth; I will content myself with remarking, that, however unjuft fuch prejudices may be thought, they are generally deep and lafting.' She paufed.I entreated' fhe would be explicit. Fortunately for you, an offer now prefents itfelf which nothing can juftify you in refufing; as it will be the only method of introducing you to fir Felix; an object I have never loft fight of.-As the daughter of lord Severn, he might reject all offers of accommodation; but, as the wife of fir John Bateman, The immediate entrance of Julia prevented a reply.-J haftily retired, and found my boafted. heroism was in a moment fled.-From my win-he will, no doubt, receive you. dow, I foon after faw Merioneth on the lawn, pale and agitated.-I burit into tears; and they relieved me. I even fuffered myfelf to fuppofe that fir Felix could not fee my difinterested Albert without rewarding him for his conduct." He has it amply in his power (faid I) :-he will receive us; and we fhall yet be happy."-Julia entered, and roufed me from my reverie.-I followed her to the breakfaft-room; and was greatly relieved to find that Me-it rioneth breakfafted with his father in the library. I am interrupted. 8 What fays my Ellen?-Shall I acquaint the earl that you acquiefce in our united wishes, and introduce fir John as your accepted lover?" No, madam, (faid I, rifing from my feat) I cannot receive fir John in the manner you propofe; nor is it by bearing his name that I can make any application to fir Felix, or repay the debt of gratitude I owe your ladyship." You can in no other way repay (retorted lady Derwent), and, if you perfilt in refufing this advantageous offer, I fall be inclined to think think your refufal proceeds from mifplaced affection."" Ah! my friend, could I refute the charge? It was impoffible; for my rebel heart, even, ar that moment, told me it could only beat for Albert. I entreated, her ladyship to acquaint fir John that I had declined his propofals. "Hear him, at leaft, mifs Rutland; I infift on it.--Offers like his fhould not be idly fported with." "Nor meanly accepted, madam, when the heart is at variance with them." "Nor ridiculously thrown away, (faid her ladyfhip) for ideal expectations which can never be gratified." "Indeed, lady Derwent, I cannot receive the offers of fir John.It is not from ambitious hopes, or ideal expectations, that I reject him; but from an innate conviction that thofe fentiments which give permanence to married happinefs, can never, in this cafe, govern my conduct." "Mere fubterfuge (faid fhe): but I muft inform lord Derwent of your ftrange behaviour. However, take notice, Ellen, the point is not given up." Saying this, fhe was leaving the room, when he was met at the door by Albert. She paused a moment, and angrily demanded why he was not preparing for his journey.-He replied, that he had every thing, he believed, in readiness; and fhould fet out in a few hours. Lady Derwent left the room. Not having heard before of any intended journey, I dare fay my looks teftified my furprife.-Julia was equally unacquainted with it. "For heaven's fake! brother, where are you going, and how long fhall you be abfent?" "But go, it feems, I muft.-I and likewife commiffioned to do bufinefs for my father in London; and of courfe fhall take that opportunity of paying my refpects to our friends at Twickenham.-1 fuppofe I fhall be abfent a fortnight." "How long (faid she) have you been apprifed of this journey?" About three quarters of an hour," he replied. "So now, I fuppofe, you are going to give us a farewell kifs; and we are to wish you a good jour ney." "Oh! a kifs by all means (encircling an arm round each):-but I do not commence my journey till the evening, if I can help it.-In the mean time, my sweet Ellen, will you favour me with your company in the garden for half an hour?" I hesitated. "Julia, (faid he) do you walk on with mifs Rutland, and I will follow in a few minutes." "Indeed, (faid I) you must excufe me; I am not well." He looked difpleafed, but made. no answer. I haftily retired here, and took up my pen.-From my window I foon after faw them alone in the garden. - From Julia he doubtlefs will learn the converfation which paffed at breakfast.-Ah! lady Laura, there needs no great penetration to difcover why he is ordered to ****. It draws near the hour for dining, and I must prepare for my appearance; but first I will end this letter, that you may, as foon as poffible, perufe the inclofed manufcript,which I, after various entreaties, procured from lady Derwent. Continue to me, I beseech you, your friendship; and favour me, as "To your firft queftion (he an- frequently as poflible, with your fwered) of where I am going?'-advice; for never was it more wantto ****, to affist at Clifford's elec-ed than at this time, by tion." "A very unneceffary journey; for he is fure of every vote in the place." Your devoted |