Listen to me, my beloved daughter.

this contrast have resulted those poignant || der a spouse, or a parent too jealous of her sorrows that lead me to the grave. I shall claims? here recount all my former and present reflections, without either accusing or justify- I was sixteen years of age, and still went ing myself. To you, my child, I address by the name of Julia; I was as yet igno, the present narrative. If you should ever rant of that of my family, and the caution become a wife, may you live in a time when with which I was treated in that respect the laws conspire not with the passions to prevented me, notwithstanding my curi break asunder an association wherein youosity, to ask any questions of Madamé shall have brought youth, beauty, and for- || Depreval, with whom I lived, and who I tune; and at the dissolution of which all that is restored to you will perhaps be only money! Alas! my dearest daughter, how much I have suffered!

You have a sister whom you are unacquainted with. I have ever kept her at a distance from me: she is no daughter of mine, she is your father's child: she bears his name, the same as you do yourself; and yet you were already born, and I was still alive, when she came into the world. This very idea to me is dreadful. Shall I be reproached with having treated her with rigour and coldness? She is a stranger to me: she is the daughter of my rival, of a woman who has ravished from me the sacred title of a wife. My dear child, on my death-bed I recommend her to your care; watch over her-but from afar. The laws have decreed her your sister; and, if my presentiments deceive me not, she has but a small share of happiness to expect from her to whom she is indebted for existence.

called my aunt. This lady was not yet forty years of age: she possessed beauty, mildness of temper, and great piety. She lived a retired life, which agreed with her weak constitution and an habitual melan. choly that gave inexpressible charms to her actions and to her conversation.

Our household was composed of four servants, two males and two females: one of these latter was particularly attached to my service. From my earliest infancy I had always seen the same domestics, the same connections, and the same friends; every family transaction was always gone through at regular hours: the summer brought back the same amusements, and winter the same occupations; and as Madame Depreval was fond of taking an airing over the fields only, she kept no carriage. Never was a more sweet mode of life better regulated; every thing was provided for want and convenience, luxury or dissipation was entirely out of the question. For sixteen years I never heard a cry in the Judge not of your father from his beha- house except those that were uttered against viour towards me: I know but too well myself; for although I was not a wicked what pangs that conduct occasions him: child, my great vivacity and obstinacy were however, he has annulled a union which || carried to an excess. These defects, howconstituted my happiness. I have forgiven ever, vanished before I had attained the all. Reason, indeed, forgives; but the age of fourteen, owing to premature reflecheart can never forget. It is not in my tion; I only retained that firmness and power to restore him any right to the for- steadiness of disposition which prompted tune which I leave you, and my recital will me never to form a resolution without some inform you wherefore your father is not motive, and never to relinquish it when appointed your guardian. 1 leave him at formed. I have oftentimes been accused of your disposal, as your discretion may sug- being proud; alas! the reason why is, that gest if it be a wrong, you may dispense my heart is too feeling not to revolt at redress. I am aware how sacred you hold whatever hurts it, yet none more yielding your duties you will discharge them all. when used with proper management. Cast He has taught me that he could fail to fulfil your eyes, my child, over all the mothers his: am I to be blamed because the recol-whom you may be acquainted with, and lection haunts me? When love, jealousy, and the purity of my sentiments will cause my death, who would presume to reproach me in my tomb with having been too ten

tell which other than myself you would have chosen, if heaven had left you the arbitrator of your own destiny.

Ever since I had been sixteen, I had re

he must make it also susceptible of grief, || that the lady beloved should believe herself

and know how to turn each feeling to his advantage. Two or three sighs, seasonably breathed, may be more effectual than all the sonnets in the world.

“I. A multitude of mistresses are not to be endured, for even he who has two has not any at all.

“ 11. Whoever would banish constancy out of the empire of love, destroys love itself; for no sooner does it enter into the imagination of man that the time may come when he shall love no more, than he ceases to love at that very instant: the greatest satisfaction of the tender passion is to believe an eternity in love.

"III. No doubt but a man ought to study to please and divert, but not by way of raillery. Every lover ought to accommodate himself to the humours of the person beloved.

"IV. Whoever can conceal from his mistress his dearest secrets has not given her his heart; for it is utterly impossible to conceal any thing from those we love. A man deprives himself of all delicate pleasure, if he does not repay the candour of his mistress by mutual confidence. Those trifling secrets which he may please to invent signify nothing, and such inventions only belong to those who never knew love but by name.

"V. Von Torrens says, · a man should do all in his power to please his mistress, without, however, ruining himself.' As to excessive magnificence in entertainments given to the fair, it certainly ought to be avoided; yet love renders that splendour excusable, and love was certainly the sole inventor of such entertainments. Yet extravagance in our retinue or clothes ought to be dispensed with; and a lover should|| endeavour at gaining the heart of his mistress by more intrinsic qualifications.

inspired with a mutual passion; but this persuasion ought to proceed from the great merit of the gentleman, and not from his insinuations that another may be glad to accept the heart she thinks proper to reject.

"VII. In regard to the gallant customs of the place he lives in, a man who is really in love cannot so easily adopt them: a sincere man takes his resources from that affection which pervades his whole heart, and that teaches him sufficiently the whole art of love.

" VIII. I agree with Von Torrens that a man ought to pay universal homage to beauty: when he loves but one, however, this will degenerate into mere compliment, and even that adulation must be well tem→ pered, lest it should wound the peace of the only object of his real affections.

“IX. I disapprove much of that artifice proposed by the Baron in regard to raillery, or that provoking kind of insinuation which renders a mistress as satirical as himself against a formidable rival: such a talent, he may depend upon it, will rather excite fear than love in the breast of his mistress.

"X. As to obedience, if you deprive love of that, you take away his empire: he who cannot yield implicit obedience to the person he affects to love, loves her not in reality, and should be banished from her society.

"XI. For the last article,-that man who expects to be always prosperous in love is either a fool or a madman; but this passion being involuntary, the torments which attend it are the same. All that remains, || therefore, to be said on the maxims of the Baron von Torrens, is, that he knows very well how to be a man of gallantry, but never yet knew what it was to really

" VI. It is certainly no small advantage || love."

THE DIVORCE.-A TALE.

RELATED BY A MOTHER TO HER DAUGHTER.

I HAVE been exposed to, and have la- | birth to that of my death, the laws of my boured under very severe calamities: although I dare not affirm that it was not through my own fault, yet my conscience upbraids me not. From the period of my

country have undergone a great alteration; but I have ever retained my former sentiments, neither has there been any change in my manner of viewing matters: from

Listen to me, my beloved daughter.

this contrast have resulted those poignant || der a spouse, or a parent too jealous of her sorrows that lead me to the grave. I shall claims ? here recount all my former and present reflections, without either accusing or justify- I was sixteen years of age, and still went ing myself. To you, my child, I address by the name of Julia; I was as yet igno, the present narrative. If you should ever rant of that of my family, and the caution become a wife, may you live in a time when with which I was treated in that respect the laws conspire not with the passions to prevented me, notwithstanding my curibreak asunder an association wherein you | osity, to ask any questions of Madamé shall have brought youth, beauty, and for- || Depreval, with whom I lived, and who I tune; and at the dissolution of which all || called my aunt. This lady was not yet that is restored to you will perhaps be only forty years of age: she possessed beauty, money! Alas! my dearest daughter, how mildness of temper, and great piety. She much I have suffered! lived a retired life, which agreed with her weak constitution and an habitual melan. choly that gave inexpressible charms to her actions and to her conversation.

You have a sister whom you are unacquainted with. I have ever kept her at a distance from me: she is no daughter of mine, she is your father's child: she bears his name, the same as you do yourself; and yet you were already born, and I was still alive, when she came into the world. This very idea to me is dreadful. Shall I be reproached with having treated her with rigour and coldness? She is a stranger to me: she is the daughter of my rival, of a woman who has ravished from me the sacred title of a wife. My dear child, on my death-bed I recommend her to your care; watch over her-but from afar. The laws have decreed her your sister; and, if my presentiments deceive me not, she has but a small share of happiness to expect from her to whom she is indebted for exist

ence.

Our household was composed of four servants, two males and two females: one of these latter was particularly attached to my service. From my earliest infancy I had always seen the same domestics, the same connections, and the same friends; every family transaction was always gone through at regular hours: the summer brought back the same amusements, and winter the same occupations; and as Madame Depreval was fond of taking an airing over the fields only, she kept no carriage. Never was a more sweet mode of life better regulated; every thing was provided for want and convenience, luxury or dissipation was entirely out of the question. For sixteen years I never heard a cry in the

myself; for although I was not a wicked child, my great vivacity and obstinacy were carried to an excess. These defects, however, vanished before I had attained the age of fourteen, owing to premature reflection; I only retained that firmness and steadiness of disposition which prompted me never to form a resolution without some motive, and never to relinquish it when formed. I have oftentimes been accused of

Judge not of your father from his beha-house except those that were uttered against viour towards me: I know but too well what pangs that conduct occasions him: || however, he has annulled a union which constituted my happiness. I have forgiven all. Reason, indeed, forgives; but the heart can never forget. It is not in my power to restore him any right to the fortune which I leave you, and my recital will inform you wherefore your father is not appointed your guardian. 1 leave him at your disposal, as your discretion may sug-being proud; alas! the reason why is, that gest if it be a wrong, you may dispense redress. I am aware how sacred you hold your duties you will discharge them all. He has taught me that he could fail to fulfil his: am I to be blamed because the recol-whom you may be acquainted with, and lection haunts me? When love, jealousy, and the purity of my sentiments will cause my death, who would presume to reproach me in my tomb with having been too ten

my heart is too feeling not to revolt at whatever hurts it, yet none more yielding when used with proper management. Cast your eyes, my child, over all the mothers

tell which other than myself you would have chosen, if heaven had left you the arbitrator of your own destiny.

Ever since I had been sixteen, I had re

flected much on the obscurity in which my of the highest rank, who took particular birth was enveloped; I never heard my care I should receive a good education, and parents mentioned, neither did Madame who always shewed me the affection of a Depreval speak of her relatives. Her mother. Nature most unfortunately had only visitors were a few gentlemen, 'more endowed me with beauty, and the son of distinguished on account of their wit or my benefactress soon became but too sentalents than of their rank; she neither re- sible of it. Young, violent, accustomed to ceived nor paid visits to any of her own pleasure, he forgot that I was under the sex, at least when I was in company with protection of his mother, and thought it no her. I made a thousand conjectures, but || difficult matter to rank me among his nunever dared to venture one single question. merous conquests. His wonted levity seLong since I had observed that some few cured me, no doubt, against the misfortune words which I uttered at random produced of loving a man to whom I could not be a disagreeable effect upon Madame Depre- united; but also perhaps he was the only val, and without occasioning her the least one whom I could ever love, for I must ill humour, nevertheless increased her ha- affirm, that, with the exception of some bitual sadness. I had made it a law to act looks which involuntarily cast upon with the utmost discretion, before I could || the Prince prior to his having spoken to me surmise from what motive I was bound to of his love, no other man ever fixed my be discreet. attention.

As soon as I attained the age of sixteen, Madame Depreval seemed to repose greater confidence in me; I could perceive that she wished to treat me as a friend, and entrust me with a secret that laid heavy on her mind. I was sensible of her anxiety, and made it a duty to conceal from her how anxious I felt myself of hearing what she might have to say. I could also discover easily that her health suffered in conse quence of her perplexed mind.

"Whether through whim and fancy, or that my resistance had given rise to sincere love within the breast of the youth, he continually followed me, persecuted me, and finally made me the proffer of his hand. I deemed it indispensable to inform my benefactress of what I had hitherto taken care to conceal from her, and we agreed together that I should set off for Paris with one of her sisters who was very partial to

me.

The Prince, being apprized of this One morning, as we were conversing plan, became enraged; never did we meet together in a most friendly manner, both but he shot at me most tremendous looks; our hearts experienced sympathising emoand once that we happened to pass at a tions in consequence of some caresses which time through the same walk, he told me, she bestowed upon me, and that I repaid in an agony of despair, that since I was from the bottom of my soul. She then determined to make him miserable, he likeclasped me in her arms, and exclaimed,wise would make me wretched. His looks, "Let there be an end to all secrets, my Julia; times to come are uncertain, I must seize the present opportunity, and make your destiny known to you."

Then hastening to proceed, as if apprehensive of not being able to summon fortitude enough at a future period, she added, "You are my daughter, my dear Julia, and long since, no doubt, your heart has anticipated this avowal. Ask me no questions respecting your father; I have promised never to name him, and though I were to break my promise, you should derive no benefit therefrom.

"I am not a Frenchwoman, but was born in Russia. An orphan from my earliest infancy, I was brought up by a person

the tone of his voice, are still present to my recollection-methinks I still see and hear him. Merciful heaven! was that the expression of love? I had occasionally beheld him more submissive, and of course much more dangerous, more to be dreaded.

"Notwithstanding my regret at leaving my benefactress, under a certainty that one or two years at most would bring me back to her, I wished to basten the day of my departure, which however was postponed on account of a most shocking occurrence. Suffice it for you to know, my dear Julia, that an avaricious hand delivered up to the Prince the key of my apartment; and that I awoke the victim of the passion of a man, who, guilty of a crime, begged of

me, in the name of love, to forgive him.- || child; and when I embraced you for the Cruel man! He ran away for fear I should first time, I felt that a new career was expire in sight of him. opening before me, and I engaged henceforth to live for you alone.

My benefactress's sister asked me what were my intentions, assuring me that she

To

"My cries had brought several of the domestics into my apartment; some asked what I wanted, others waited in silence for my commands, but I could not utter a syl- || had been ordered to gratify them all. lable, so confused were my ideas. My || her question I replied, that I wished to benefactress, in the mean time, having for- continue in Paris, there to live a retired tunately been apprized of my being indisposed, had the goodness to come to me; I requested she would dismiss all that were present, and then my tears and despair informed her of the crime of her son.

life. To this determination she opposed no objection. A fortnight after I was conducted to this house, that had been pur|| chased in my name, and here I found the same domestics that you see at the present moment. On the day of her departure my companion delivered a pocket-book into my hands, and said, 'If you accept of it, my sister will be assured that you consent to fulfil the only condition which she pre

right to expect from her. With regard to myself, I can only advise you to accept, and to entrust Mr. Dormeuil with the whole.'

"So violent an agitation brought on a fever; I was confined to my bed. Pursuant to the entreaties of my benefactress, I imparted to no one the occasion of my grief: alas! I found it not difficult to obey her; I would have wished to conceal it from my-scribes to the indemnification you have a self. I was not yet recovered, when the Prince was ordered to travel, and he was gone to Spain. Released from the apprehension of meeting him, I felt strength enough to leave my apartment; I endeavoured to resume my former occupations, but my mental contamination, and even the caresses of my benefactress, were painful to me. Six weeks only had elapsed, when 1 was made acquainted that a transaction of which I was the victim, although no guilt attached to me, should influence the re-tropolis, I thought but of you, my dear mainder of my days.

"I was less anxious to ascertain the contents of the pocket-book, than to know upon what terms the gift was granted; I was informed that I must engage never to mention the name of my child's father, a promise which I made without the least reluctance.

"Left, as it were, alone in a foreign me

Julia; I was even forgetful of opening the "My benefactress, disconsolate as she pocket-book, to know the amount of my was, would have given up the whole of her fortune; indeed, although I had looked property to comfort me; but what can into it, I could not have formed a true idea riches remedy the diseases of the mind? of how much I was worth: I was equally She offered to fulfil all the wishes I might || unacquainted with the value of the differform, except one; for she had entered into ent coins, and with the extent of my exan engagement with regard to her son, pences. I was afraid of going to Mr. Dorwhich her ambitious views would not allow meuil's; but his lady had the goodness to her to break. You will be astonished at come and pay me a visit. me, perhaps, my dear Julia, when I shall tell

you that I should have preferred death to the hand of a man whose conduct I abhorred; I only requested to be allowed to

nest, and obliging.

"Mr. Dormeuil was at that time an opulent banker, upon whom the sister of my benefactress had taken letters of credit; I had seen him several times already, and leave Russia for ever, and it was accord-had always found him equally polite, hoingly settled that I should set off with my benefactress's sister, to whom the circumstance of my misfortune was made known. "In company with that lady I reached Paris, under the name of Depreval, a widow. I could speak French well enough not to be obliged to tell what country I was born in. You came into the world, my dear

"Mrs. Dormeuil one day reproached me with neglecting her: she confessed to me her being informed of my situation; neither did she conceal from me that to her care I was obliged for having procured me a house, my servants, in short, all the ac. commodations which I was so pleased with.