THE Lady's Magazine; For FEBRUARY 1779. MILITARY DISTRESS; of nature, to that generous compaffion OR DAMINVILLE. An ANECDOTE. Illuftrated and embellished with an elegant Plate, from a Defign of one of the most eminent Artifls in Paris. [ONSORIN was one of thofe His wife, who brought him an am Mwhom riches corrupts and deple fortune, died of a broken heart, on account of his manner of life, and left him an only fon, named Daminville. praves; perhaps he might have been born with the tendereft feelings, but the genial feed was choaked by wealth. The thirt of growing rich was his In contrast to his father, this young mafter paffion; it entirely engroffed man was endowed with the moft amihim, and he facrificed his life to it. able qualities: he was, especially, beFrom hence followed his obduracy, nevolent, and poffeffed of the nicest his studied inhumanity, his infatiable feelings. His noble and interesting avarice, his decided contempt, his ha- port announced an heart open to all tred of every thing that could excite thofe impreffions which ennoble our in him an idea of diftrefs, while on the nature. He was near two and twenty. other hand he prostituted his homage If fenfibility be the fource of virtues, to the leaft dawnings of fortune. At likewife fometimes involves in errich man seemed to him to be made of rors and chagrin, the almost inevitable a different fubftance from others of the confequence of the paffions. Somefpecies. Would any one think it poftimes honourable love is not lefs to be fible that a man of this caft, no lefs dreaded than that which is vicious. abfurd than injurious to his fellow The former is attended with a kind creatures, a thing fo odious, fhould of fanaticism so much the more diffipique himself on the practice of piety?cult to fubdue, because fupported by I mean, that Monforin mistaking the pride, which makes it appear greater true fpirit of devotion, attached him-in our own eyes: the more important felf only to the exterior, and either the facrifices are which it makes us miftook, or was totally ignorant of the offer, though it flatters and tyrannifes duties which true religion requires. over us. He would not think, that it adds to that propenfity which is an emanation Daminville, instead of regarding the avaricious principles of his father, way to an inclination that involved | have fired a heart who is expiring for him in inextricable difficulties. In the public walks he fixed his eyes upon one of the most amiable women he had ever feen, who was deferving of his esteem. The virtues of Felicia were equal to her attraits. Left an orphan in her infancy, her uncle and aunt took care of her. Fortune fecmed to have exerted herfeif in humiliating her, if virtue, and thofe charms which are the best gifts of nature, could be humiliated. Is there any of the genii which would prevent the union of every advantage?-Is there none that we would not purchase at any price?---Felicia could, notwithftanding, boast of her family, or rather look on it as a misfortune. This was a new obstacle, which rendered her fettlement the more difficult. On this account her relations, who were not very rich, looked upon the convent as the only refource that mained. re The fon of Monferin felt every thing that characterises a true paffion, a kind of religioas refpect for the object of his love. He that would feduce, does not laur. Daminville afpired to form an engagement authorized by heaven and virtue. He got introduced to Mr. and Mrs. de Villemont, the rela tions of Felicia. He immediately fpoke of his attachment to her, and this declaration embarraffed the young lady fo much, that the foon match the fentiment that each of them ought to reject it. Notwithstanding, fhe had frength enough to conceal her per turbation. "Sir," faid fhe," it does not become me to liften to fuch declarations. I do not imagine that you have any intention to deceive me; apply to my relations; they, and only they, will give you an anfwer ; give me leave to acquaint you, that I have no fortune, and that I am intended for the convent." but "No fortune, dear Felicia!" replied Daminvite. "When a perfon is poffeffed of your virtues, your grace, your perfect beauty, and engroffes every accomplishment, when you I you, do not you poffefs all that is valuable?-I have a father, and my father is rich; I will fhare his riches with you; I will pour them at your feet. No, do not imagine that I come to you as a feducer, to fquander away oaths, which time will fhew to be mere perjury. I protest, I folemnly proteft, and I call heaven to witnefs, that I never will have any one for my wife but you! Speak-accept of my homage!-Shall I have the happiness of infpiring you with the fame fentiments?-How much would it animate me if I could————” Daminville was on his knees before Felicia, whofe perturbation rendered her filent--Her uncle came into the room "What do I fee, Sir!" "A man of the most tender feelings, who adores your niece, who repeats before you the folemn protestation of loving her as long as he lives, and afpires to the honour of being related to you." "It is not her," replied Mr. de Villemont, with fome acrimony. "whom you ought to apply to., Felicia, Sir, has relations, who treat her with all the tenderness of parents. Their duty is to promote her intereft, to lead her into the path of virtue, and you ought not to turn her out of it." "Turn her out of it !-Sir, let me open my heart to you. I repeat it with an affurance inconfiftent with any bad defign. I impofe neither upon you nor your niece. The love that fhe can infpire, can never be criminal: all my wishes will be to merit the honour of her hand. You furprised me on my knees-pardon me, Sir, if I was guilty of any offence to either of you: but was you ever in love?— I have the fame reverence for Felicia as others might have for a deity: I have the fame dread of offending her. I am the most unhappy man in the world, if you fhould not permit me-" Mr. de Villemont interrupted Daminville, who was bathed in tears, while Felicia endeavoured to fupprela her's. Military Diftrefs.". her's. He led him into the next room, locked the door, and affuming a calmer tone, 61 explicit anfwer from your father; therefore be not furprised, if I defire you to abfent yourfelf till you have obtained it. I have a regard for you, and it gives me pleasure to think that you will not practise any detour, any artifice, in a word, that my niece has infpired you with an attachment con-with honour and respect. You understand the conditions that are prefcribed you." "Sir, I thought it was proper to keep my niece from a converfation fo important, as it concerns both her happiness and your's. It is needlefs to mortify her by truths, which honour will not permit me to conceal.-fiftent Felicia has nothing but fome agremens and virtues, which we endeavour daily to improve. The convent-" The youth interrupted him with fome warmth. "Sir, I am not ignorant that fortune would frive to rob your niece of the advantages which the owes her; it is my duty to avenge her for fo capricious an injuftice, and that will prove an additional fatisfaction to that of efpoufing her. What treafures are there in a fingle look from Felicia!" Daminville was going to refume his importunities. "I believe, Sir, that I have fully explained myself, Felicia herself would have exacted the fame conditions from you." The fon of Monforin returned overwhelmed and distracted, without being able to view the object of the most violent paffion a fingle inftant. Scarce-.ly had he departed when Villemont. had a very ferious converfation with his niece, whom he exprefsly forbid to receive any letter from Daminville. * Felicia promifed all he defired; but what perturbation did fhe experience in her foul, which the eye of a rela "Permit me, Sir, to tell you, without the leaft diffimulation, your language is that of a young lover. Do you think that your father will be as much intoxicated as yourfelf?-You will excufe my fincerity. We know that Mr. Monforin is rich;, that wordtion could not develop! is fufficient, and you ought to under- We have laid above that Daminville ftand it. Your father will never fuf- was in love, which is to reprefent him fer you to marry a perfon who has no-in the fame light as lovers generally thing but virtue and a good defcent; are; imprudent, blind to every con you must have a perfon of an ample tradiction, filled with the flattering fettune:" hope, that he fhould meet with no ob"O Sir !" cried Daminville, weep- flacles to furmount, and fully convinced ing, "it is true that my father has a that he fhould obtain his father's confrong attachment for riches, but-helent. Nevertheless every time he rehas never ften Felicia: if he had feen folved to unbofom himself, he found her, if he had known her, he would that he was prevented by an involunhave my eyes and my heart. Is ittary fear. He could not but be perfuadpoffible to have any other fentiments af-ed that Monforin regarded no othertater he has once feen her? I promise you a moft abfolute content. Would my father with my death?" lent, no other virtue, no other merit but riches; thefe were the first expreffions which ftruck his ear. On the other Villemont replied, "Let me tell hand he counted the days, the hours you, Sir, your language is that of a which flowed without his Felicia. young heart engroffed by its paffion, Neither to fee, nor to have a finglè which deceives itself with regard to glance from one whom he loved, was thofe difficulties that perfons of my the most killing torture. He had alage have the unhappinels to forefce ready thought of a thousand expediand to dread: otherwife, you feements of addreffing his mistress, and reto have too much honour for me toceiving her anfwers, but every attempt perfuade you to prolecute your defign, proved ineffectual: nothing could elude to continue your vifits, till you have an the vigilance of the relations of the young young lady, who did fuffer more than Daminville himself. The constraint fhe was under, perhaps only ferved to in flame the fecret paffion which devoured her. All that virtue had a right to exact from this unfortunate lover, was only to make no advance, and efpecially to conceal from the object of her lave, the afcendency he had already over her foul. But was it poffible not to fruggle, to refrain thofe tears which duty repreffed, which feemed rivetted in the bottom of her foul, be infenfi. ble to all the interior tortures attached to a paffion that ought to be filent, and be facrificed? So great a triumph was above the ftrength of Felicia. Her uncle and aunt incefiantly laid before her the obligations which wifdom and her situation required of her: without hopes of a fortune, and confequently unable to enter into the fpirit of the on, and to yield to its feducing illutions; the profpect of a convent, the renunciation of every thing that is denominated the pleasures of life; these were the inceffant topics on which they dwelt before their unhappy niece, who refigned herself with the greateft fubmillion to fo heavy a yoke. ter, a fingle word, he has made the firft ftep in the carreer of diffipation and diforder; and being weak enough to have made this flip, it is impoffible for her to return; hence proceed the anguifh which agitates and condemns her; lofs of rest and tranquillity, chagrins, misfortunes, difgrace, and certain ruin. The infidious valet made ufe of every fign to prevail on Felicia; fhe experienced the most violent conflict at every folicitation, but the gained the victory, and obftinately refused the billet. When fhe returned home, the ran into her chamber, and there gave herfelf up to her feelings. She was almoft drowned with tears." Have I facrificed enough," said fhe, “ to that inflexible virtue of which I am the wretched victim?--Not to have seen Daminville for more than two weeks, and love him as much as I love him! Alas! if I am forbid his company, I might, at least, have known-What should I have known?--That he experiences tortures equal to mine, that his love--What a word have I uttered! What would be the end of a mu tual tenderness! He would have seen Felicia gave brilliant proofs of the my relations if his father had confentmolt implicit obedience to her rela- ed to my happiness - but there is none tions, and her duty alfo. She was at for me!--I must submit to bury my church near Mad. de Villemont, who odious life in a convent, and die at a was engaged in converfation with one distance from all I love.-Alas! is of her acquaintance; a man in the dif- not death the only remedy for my difguife of a begger, whom the young trefs?--But if I had told him before lady recognized as a domeftic of Da- I died-What difcovery is going to minville, took advantage of that cir-jefcape me! Virtue, at least, shall have cumftance, and fhewed her a letter, which he attempted to flip into her hand. Her heart, which had imbibed the belt principles in her infancy, was immediately distracted with a crowd of contrary emotions; concerned with the condition of one, who was but too The fon of Monforin was ftaggered dear to her, the burnt with the curiofity on hearing that all expedients proved of knowing the particulars; her heart fruitless, and that his letter was obfti in some menfure precipitated her to-nately refufed. At one time he acwards the letter, and her hand was cufed Felicia of being indifferent, and just going to receive it-fhe topt -and that the difregarded his anguifh: at another fentimento' lefstrong than flat he opened his eyes, faw that virthe former, brought her back to hotue opposed so defired an advance, and nour. This is no indifferent advance by this appeared more worthy of his atfor a young lady if the receive a let-tachment. He put a thousand tra nothing to reproach me for-I' fhall! die without his robbing me of my fecret.-My pride thall not receive the leaft taint, and none but myself shall know how weak I have been, how much I have loved!" ta |