not difplay a brilliant understanding, discover a good heart. Sufceptible of the most tender impreffions, and alive to all the feelings of refined sensibility, the natural cheerfulness of her difpofition often gave way to pathetic contemplation; and she is not lefs communicative of her thoughts than of her conduct.

The regard Charlotte expreffes for the English language, in which she was converfant, and for English authors, must naturally be pleafing to an English reader. She quotes our poets, as we quote the ancients; and it was natural she should do fo: fentiments acquired through the medium of another language make the strongest impressions on the mind.

It

It afforded me no small pleasure to find, that in the letters of Charlotte there was nothing to fupprefs. I give them at large; and wish I could do the fame by her fair friend, of whom one cannot but conceive a high opinion, from the confidence reposed in her by Charlotte, and the great regard fhe expreffes for her correfpondence.

I ought to apologize for the length of this Preface; but as apology would only add to prolixity, I forbear. Regardless of my fate as an Editor, I folicit protection and indulgence only for CHARLOTTE.

CHARLOTTE, &c.

T

LETTER I.*

HE elegant description of

your retirement charms me;

but you always fketch with a flattering pencil, and the most captivating colours. You think, I can have no objection to fo delightful

a fpot; and indeed I have but one—

VOL. I.

B

it

*As the dates of thefe letters only specified the week-days on which they were written, it was thought needless to notice them.

it is too far from Walheim.

As I

fincerely regret your abfence, do not neglect, my dear girl, to give me the only confolation in your power-the confolation of your en chanting correfpondence. To you it will afford fome amusement; to me it will communicate real happinefs.

Why, you are as abfolutely buried as if you were in a convent; but though you are thus devoted to Solitude, and are become one of her best beloved disciples, you must by no means take the veil. We cannot difpenfe with your occafional vifits. Walheim, believe me, fuffers confiderably

fiderably by your absence. Our converfations are become dull, for want of your fprightliness; our evenings long; our dances languid. -Adolphus Ferdinand very justly, and very prettily, called you the Euphrofyne of Walheim.

Your raillery, my fweet friend, is out of time. Albert is not here. A melancholy event hath called him hence the grave receives his father. Albert, overwhelmed with filial grief, pays the last fad duties of filial love; and for a time forgets his Charlotte.

I cannot but lament the death of this good old man. In him Albert found

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