.

thinks, faith fhe, "fuch fcenes as thefe | couple, who, they were fenfible, would

rather wish to be by themselves. Tho’ their connection was, previous to this intercourfe, entirely unknown to the parent of Matilda, yet fhe now began to fufpect an attachment, which, indeed, the did not difapprove of.

Horatio now embraced the opportunity of opening his mind fully to the

have a peculiar tendency to invigorate the fpirits, and hufh the tumultuous paffions. They infpire exhilarating thoughts: they throw the mind into a pleafing tranfport of admiration, and feem at the fame time to raise the most amiable and exalted ideas of the great, incomprehenfible,all glorious Creator." The fifter of Horatio exactly coin-object of his defires.--" Oh! best of cided in her opinion. "Ah!" faith women!" faid he, preffing her hand at fhe, " my dear Matilda you are cer- the fame time," permit me to reveal tainly right agree with you entirely my paffion, my feelings!-Permit me with regard to the pleafures of the to tell you that I have the fincerest afcountry, they are undoubtedly fupe fection for you, and fhall ever love and rior to the vain and frivolous amufe- adore you !-Indeed the ardour of my ments we enjoy in the city. Here paffion cannot be expreffed!-You are have I been charmed fince I have been fuperior to every woman on earth, and in the country! fo many elegant views your charms, my dear Matilda, have and beautiful rural feenes which open wounded me fo deeply, that you are before us on every fide, have quite en- always in my mind, and I am ever ungaged my attention, and ftole my af- happy but in your prefence. Suffer fections. The contemplation of na- me to hope for a return; give me fome ture, 1 affure you, has fo ftruck, fo encouragement, fome proof of your apoperated on my mind, that it has gi probation of my propofal. My views, ven me a difguft to what is called high I affure you, are honourable: you life, and its folemn fopperies. When know my circumftances and my chawe left Bath last week, in order to vifit racter-I call heaven to witnefs that I this delightful retreat, I was greatly will be faithful, that I will not deceive ftruck with the fine views and the gay you-Suffer me to hope--[Here the profpects which appeared around us tears burst into his eyes]--I will alwhilft on the road: my ideas feemed to ways love, honour, and adore you!— brighten at fight of the various objects My fole ambition fhall be to pleafewhich difplayed themfelves to the eye, to increafe your happiness!" and I felt the moit fublime pleasure and fatisfaction from them, infinitely tranfcending that tranfient and fhortlived joy which we experience from the follies of a treacherous and alluring world. Indeed I am now quite averfe to the fashionable trifles of the age, and fhall no longer relish the gaudy affemblies of the ball, nor the foolish amusements of the play-house."

At this inftant the matron appeared, and interrupted them. She was come herfelf to inform them that fupper was on the table, as the fervant the fent returned, after a long search, and could not find them. They immediately refigned their feats. The fitter of Horatio, Mifs -, and the old lady, walked before at a confiderable distance, that they might not interrupt the happiness of the young

6

Matilda blufhed as red as fearlet at this declaration. She was a little confufed and filent for fome time, though her heart in the mean while was pleafingly fluttered, and her mind fecretly confented to the propofal. At length recovering herself a little, with a tremulous voice, fhe replied, "I think, Sir, you are far too warm in your affertions-I wish I could rely upon what you have faid-If I must confefs with fincerity, I have no objection to your perfon; and if your intentions are honourable, I shall not think myself unhappy in your company. I cannot, however, prefume to give a precipitate confent to a point of fo important a nature, without confulting the guardian of my youth, the indulgent parent to whom I owe my welfare, my happiness, my existence.'

Elated

The Treacherons Husband.

Elated with hopes of fuccefs in the great enterprize, Horatio, guiding Matilda by the hand, advanced with hafty fteps to open the affair himself to the parent of the lovely charmer, and he thus accofted her- Dear Madam, I am going to afk a particular favour, which, if you grant, will make me happy for life-happy as I can wifh to be; but if not, for ever miserable. Already, I prefume, you conjecture the nature of my requeft-Are you willing that our families fhould be allied?Will you confent for me to join hands with this fweet creature, and to call her mine?-My love for her, I affure you, cannot be defcribed-it is inexpreffible! With Matilda I fhall be in Paradife-without her I fhall ever be unhappy!--I have gained her confent-Madam, may I hope for your's?" The matron had a regard for the young gentleman, and always entertained a good opinion of him, as his character was unexceptionable, and though in point of fortune he was rather inferior to Matilda, fhe did not fcruple to give him encouragement, and foon after her confent to be her fon in-law.

315

her affections were too much fixed on
Horatio to admit of balmy fleep.-
Deeply ftruck as fhe was with the
darts of Cupid, the image of her a
dorer presented itself every moment,
and occupied, as it were, every avenue
of her foul. The foft paffion incef-
fantly haunted Horatio, and was re-
turned by him with equal ardor. Ten
thoufand times, during the filence of
the night, he faw her with the eye of
his mind, contemplated her charms,
and longed, earncftly longed for the
arrival of morn, to prefent him again
with the fight, with the company of
the fair, the angelic Matilda.

As foon as the dawn appeared, and
Aurora began to ftreak the east with
her purple ray, Horatio waked from a
fhort repofe, and immediately fprung-
from his couch, impatient to fee the
joy of his heart. He took a walk in
the gardens till the happy hour of Ma-
tilda's riling, in order to lighten the
burden of time which hung heavy upon
him during the temporary abfence. He
had not walked long before the fervant
came to inform him that breakfast was
ready, who found him advancing in a
private walk, liftening to the foft mur-
murs of a gentle rivulet, which glided
with fmooth ferenity along the garden,
till at length it expanded its furface,
and united with the foaming water of
a neighbouring cafcade. Returning
back he was met by his fifter and Ma-
tilda, who were just going in purfuit of
him. A modeft blufh overfpread the
face of his charmer as he interrogated
her on fome trifling particularities re-
fpecting her repofe, &c. His eyes at
the fame time fixed on her, were feafted
with her charms, which feemed to in-
crease in proportion as he viewed them.

Overjoyed at fuch fpeedy and uncxpected fuccefs, Horatio now began to call her his own. The evening was fpent very agreeably. Love, reciprocal love, animated the hearts of the inended couple, and gave wings to the oyful hours. Happy in each others company, happy in the approbation of their friends, and ftill more happy in looking forward to the propitious day, when all their wishes were to be trowned, nothing was wanting to compleat their felicity. Joy and pleafure hand in hand feemed to dance before them, drove forrow away, dried up e- Just as they were feated at breakvery tear, and prefented before them faft, a letter was brought addreffed to the golden profpect of a happy union. Horatio: it was to defire his attendConjugal blifs, uninterrupted tranquil-ance at home immediately in order to ity, and an amiable progeny, were fettle fome very important bufinefs pleating fcenes, which opened on each with a friend. After the tea equipage of their minds, and left a deep, a fweet was removed, he took an affectionate impreffion there. In vain did Matil- leave of Matilda, &c. promifing to reda recline her head on the downy pil-turn again the next day, or as foon as low; in vain did the drowfy god at- his avocations would permit. tempt to feal her eyes. Her mind,

1

More than a week had elapfed, and After a dinner, which he ate with ver Horatio did not appear, nor no intel- little appetite, he was drawn by fom ligence arrive. This fomewhat alarm-unknown attraction to the place wh

he had lately adorned with flower.As he approached to the reces, k perceived, by the bended grafs, the fome light foot had pailed that way his abfence. Not choofing to go t direct way, he made a fmall circus. and climbing a tree on one fide of the feat, he faw Cleora afleep, and her vei being drawn from her face, he fatiated his eyes in traverfing her charms. T

ed them, as he affined them, at his departure, that his bufinefs would be tranfacted in a few hours, and they might depend on feeing him in two or three days at fartheft, or he would let them know by letter. His fifter, always timid and fufpicious, grew more and more uneafy. The matron, and particularly Matilda, were fhocked, and began to fufpect fome accident.They endeavoured, however, to con-rustling of the branches from wic ceal their feelings as much as poffible from his fifter. Market-Lavington.

J.L-G.

(To be continued.)

AGAPETUS and CLEORA.

A

Agapetus was fufpended, awaked the fleeping fair, who covering her fact with her veil, fled with all the fwitnefs fhe was able.

This rencontre added to the inatience of Agapetus: he could no lo ger conceal his paffion from Marth, and took an opportunity of telling him that the fame hand which had refcued him from the grave, muit either prelong his life, or confign him once mere to a fate, from which he had escaped with the greatest reluctance.

Martio replied, that he was fething for impoffibilities, for his daughter was a nun profeffed, and therefore could never give her hand to any one.

(Concluded from Page 456.) GAPETUS recovered beyond the expectation of Martio or any in his family but while the external wound was healing, he difcovered an internal one, which no medicine can cure. The tenderness with which Cleora had attended him had occafioned this: and he wished to whisper to her, what he felt. But Cleora with all the refervefoul of Agapetus; he larguifhed day, due to one of her profeffion fled every occafion of hearing what it was her duty not to hear, and to avoid any future importunities quitted her father's houfe.

This information harrowed up the

and at lait fell into a fever, in the peroxyfms of which he begged he might once more be attended by the amable Cleora. Her father confented. The fight of her enlivened Agapetus; b alas! after he had vifited him three days, fhe contracted the fame diford, which carried her off in lefs than four and twenty hours.

Agapetus not fecing her for fome days grew uneafy, grew melancholy; he was fond of retired places, and finding a feat in a recefs of the wood, he decorated it with rofet, wood- Agapetus, however, advanced in his pines, &c. with which he torined an recovery, and when he was permitted artificial arbour, no lefs fragrant than to leave his chamber, he enquired for beautiful. When he had finifhed this his kind patronefs, and being informed romantic place, he fat himself down, of her death, and the cause of it, be wishing that Cleora might come that fell into a profound melancholy, funway, that he might once more intoxi-ning the fight and converfation of his cate himfelf with her beauties. fpecies. Lovers are impatient, and expectation When alone, he was often overheard increases the circle of time more than addreffing himself to Cleora, fometimes any other paffion of the human mind; anfwering, at other times faid to Agapetus therefore left the delightfulher: but if company broke in upon fpot and retired to Martio's houfe. his retirement, he was fullenly filest.

ག

and

Meditations in September,

517

entertainment make glad our hearts, and moft fweetly prompt both our gratitude and duty to the all-bounteous and munificent Giver.

d looked on his nearest relations as pertinents and intruders. Many a project was formed to dirt him from his deep melancholy, hich was no fooner mentioned than The promife of the fpring is now jected as ineffectual. At length one fulfilled, and all nature is arrived, as his oldeft friends officioufly imagin-it were, to a ftate of maturity. The g that the tendreffe which he had for three preceding feafons have finished e deceased Cleora might be diverted their part in this great work, and dey prefenting him with a living object livered it over to autumn to fet the pofembling her in perfon and virtues,lifh, and bring to perfection the ine introduced his own fifter into Aga-numerable productions of the earth, etus's room, in the disguise of a nun. which now appear complete. The young lady, according to her inructions, took a feat oppofite to him, ad fat recumbent on her elbow fome me before he difcovered her; on hich, fixing his eyes on her for fome ime, he cried out, "Then there are wo!" and expired immediately.

GR

J. D.

-Whate'er the wint'ry frost Nitrous prepar'd, the various-bloflom'd fpring Put in white promife forth, the fummer funs Cencocted ftrong, ruth boundless now to view, Full, perfect all.

The great work done, and the labour of the year at an end, the folar heat apparently declines, and the days and nights begin to be of an equal length, as the celebrated poet Thompfon very finely and beautifully remarks

days,

When the bright Virgin gives the beauteous
And Libra weighs in equal feales the year,
From heaven's high cope the fierce effulgence

fhook

clouds

parting fummer, a ferener blue,
The happy world. Attempered funs arife,
With golden light enliven'd, wide invests
Sweet beam'd, and hedding oft thro' lucid
[low
A pleafing calm; while broad and brown be
Extenfive harves hang their heavy head.
Rich, filent, deep they fland, for not a gale
Rolls its light billows o'er the bending plain :
A calm of plenty! 'till the ruffled air
Falls from its poife, and gives the breeze to
blow.

MEDITATIONS in SEPTEMBER. RADUAL and flow fee autumn comes at laft, richly laden with profufion of delicious fruit-Jovial e comes; Pomona and Ceres follow n his train; all rejoicing to prefent to han the various productions of the cafon. And truly it is an entertainnent worthy our acceptance; it is a eaft grateful to all, adapted to every alate, and fuited to the most critical r luxurious fancy. Look round, and ee what dainties! what delicacies!What abundance of falutiferous and utrimental treasures are difplayed to he wondering eye! Fruits of the finest lavour and the most agreeable relish, air and beautiful to the fight, and exquifitely delicious to the palate, enrich The groves of Pomona, and hang amible in great plenty on every tree and every bough which adorn her fylvan walks. Come, let us pay her a vifit: How rich is all nature at this feahe invites us; for us is yonder ftore fon! The earth is loaded with various provided; for our pleasure and grati-kinds of fuftenance, loaded with a fupication is yonder magazine of dainties repared. Let us pluck and eat; let as fit down at the table of plenty, and gale ourselves to the full, and while we partake of the delicacies, and feed t the hospitable board, let the liberal

Rent is the fleecy man'le of the sky;

The clouds fly different, and the fudden fun,
By fits effulgent. gilds th' illumin'd fild,
And black by fits the fhadows fweep along.
A gaily checquer'd land expanding view,
Far as the circling eye can thoot around,
Unbounded toffing in a food of corn.

ply of provifions, fufficient to fatisfy the wants of that innumerable tribe of animals which walk the earth, and indeed for every creature which exifts, whether in water, earth, or air, here is enough for one and for all. The benevo

lent

lent Father neglects none of his creatures, but extends his concern to the meanest and most infignificaut among them.

Pleas'd to blefs, indulgent to apply,

He with a father's t nder care Sapports the numerous family

That peoples earth and air.

From nature's giant race the enormous phant,

ruddy: how it bends with Pomona's fweets!

-Autumn tinges every fertile branch With blooming gold, and blufhes like the morn,

How fweetly do the ruddy orbs trike the eye, and prompt the palate to taste their delicious juices!-How ele-fruits!-What an agreeable odour excharmingly fcented are these burnished

Down to the iniect worm, and creeping ant;
From the eagle, fov reign of the sky,
To each inferior feather'd brood;
From: crowns and purpled majetty.

To humble thepherds on the plains.
His hand unfeen divides to all the r food,
And the whole world of life fuftains.

gar

hales from their polifhed furfaces !-
How elegantly are they fhaped, and
what admirable, what enlivening and
refreshing juices do they contain, in
order to pleafe and accommodate their
owner!-Nor is it here only the gifts
of Pomona are to be found; the
dens alfo abound with a great variety
of dainties, beautifully formed, and
exquifitely delicious. There we find
the downy peach and encrimsoned
nectarine, the fleshy plumb and the
mufky apricot, the juicy grape, the
rich melon,

And dark

Beneath her ample leaf the lufcious tig,

What a profpect, glorious profpect of fertility does the country afford in this autumnal feafon! Who can take a furvey of this univerfal plenty with out feeling fecret fenfations of joy, and a peculiar fatisfaction of mind, for the boundless gifts of nature poured in fweet confufion all around him! The fields are loaden with noble and extenfive crops of corn, which appear of a gloffy golden hue, and rejoice the hufEvery where, indeed, we are furbandman's heart. Already it hangs nifhed with fuch an ample ftore, fuch the heavy head, and feems to invite, a collation of dainties, as furpafs whats by its bending poiture, the reaper's ever luxury herfelf can invent, or the hand. Yonder, indeed, at the fur-moft lavith fancy imagine! The whole thermoft fide of the field, are a number of jovial ruftics, already began, and butily employed in cutting down the waving treafure. See how they fweat and toil to get in the joyful harvelt !

---They floop and fwell the lufy sheaves,
While thro' their cheartul band the rural talk,
The rura! fcandal, and the rural jeft
Fly harmless to dec ive the tedious time,
And feal, unfel, the fultry hours away.

T

earth is a kind of orchard, which abounds with all manner of fruit, and for the benefit of man each fpecies beautifully fucceed each other, in conformity to the changing feafons, fo that we are never entirely destitute of tertain us. How furprising is it that fome kind or other to refresh and enthe earth fhould produce fo many kinds of fruits, quite different from each other in their fhape, colours, and pro

Near I perceive feveral other kindsperties! Well might the divine philoof grain. On the left vaft crops of lous art thou, O Lord, in all thy ways, topher cry out-"Great and marvelbarley fland whitening in the fun, and play a dry hufky ruftle before the and wonderful in all thy works!" breeze. On the right acres of oats Thefe are thy glorious works, parent of good, extend, finely checquered with plats of Almighty! thine this niver al trame, beans, both of which feem to ask for Thus wond'rous fair! then!"' the crooked weapon, and will foon be houfed, or made up in ftacks, for the ufe of the hufbandman.

thy elf how wond'rous

This (preading tree, under whose branches I now write, and whofe What a lovely feene is yonder!-boughs uniting at top, form a kind of 'Tis a fpacious orchard; all fair and canopy over my head, and caft a sweet

and