our return, that I may stand some chance of getting a little rest and quiet amongst them.

We now stept into our hack, but not without a caution from Ned to the coachman to drive gently over the stones, which, to give him his due, he faithfully performed. We were received at the door of our friendly Israelite with a smiling welcome, and conducted by him up stairs to a plain but neat apartment, in which was the mistress of the house, an elderly decent matron, who presented us to Mrs. Goodison, the mother of Constantia, in whose countenance, though pale and overcast with melancholy, beauty and modest dignity still kept their native post.

Honest Ned made his first approaches with a bow, which Vestris perhaps could have mended, though it was of nature's workmanship; and this he stoutly followed up with a kiss to each lady, after the custom of the country, that loudly spoke its own good report.

Whilst these ancient and exploded ceremonies were in operation, the door opened, and presented to our eyes a wonder! It was a combination of grace and beauty to have extorted raptures from old age itself; it was a form of modesty to have awed the passions of licentious youth; it was, in one word, Constantia herself, and till our reigning beauties shall to equal charms add equal humility, and present themselves like her to the beholder's eye without one conscious glance of exultation at their triumphs, she must remain no otherwise described than as that name bespeaks the unrivalled model of her sex.

As for my friend Ned, who had acquitted himself so dexterously with the elder ladies, his lips had done their office; neither voice nor motion re

mained with them, and astonishment would not even suffer them to close

Obstupuit, steterunt que come, et vox faucibus hæsit. And what after all were the mighty instruments, by which these effects were produced? Hearken, O Tavistock-street, and believe it if you can! The simplest dress, which modesty could clothe itself with, was all the armour which this conqueror had put on; a plain white cotton vest with a close head-dress, (such as your very windows would have blushed to have exhibited) filleted with a black silk ribband, were all the aids that Nature borrowed to attire her matchless piece of work.

Thus she stood before us, and there she might have stood for us till now, if the compassionate Israelite had not again stepped in to her rescue: he led her to a chair, and, taking his seat, set the conversation afloat by telling her of his visit to the worthy gentleman then present (as his body indeed might witness, but for his senses they were elsewhere) spoke handsomely of his kind reception,of the natural beauties of the place and the country about it, and concluded with saying he had now the honour to introduce the owner of that hospitable mansion to her acquaintance, and he flattered himself he could not do a more acceptable office to both parties.

The answer which Constantia made to this elaborate harangue, would in vain be sought for in the academy of compliments, for it consisted simply in the eloquence of two expressive eyes, which she directed upon the speechless trunk of poor Ned, somewhere as I should guess about the region of his heart, for I am persuaded her emissaries never stopped till they made their way to the citadel and had audience there.

Ned now began to stammer out a few sen. tences, by which, if Constantia did not understand more than was expressed, she could not be much the wiser for the information he gave her; he was glad and sorry twice or thrice in a breath, and not always in the right place; he hoped and believed and presumed to say-just nothing at all; when in a moment the word Supper! announced through the nose of a snuffling Hebrew servant, came as if it had been conjured up by the wand of an enchanter, to deliver him out of his distress the manna in the wilderness was hardly more welcome to the famished Jews, than were now the bloodless viands that awaited us on the friendly board of Abrahams, to the ears I should have said rather than to the appetite of Drowsy.

Love I know can do more in the way of metamorphosis, than Ovid ever heard of; and to say the truth, what he had done to Ned was no trifling test of his art; for it was in fact no less a change, than if he had transformed Morpheus into Mercury : Good fellowship however can do something in the same way, and the hospitable festivity of the honest Israelite now brought Ned's heart to his lips and set it to work youth soon catches the social sympathy, but even age and sorrow now threw aside their gloom, and paid their subscription to the board with a good grace. Ned, whose countenance was lighted up with a genuine glow of benevolence, that had entirely dispelled that air of lassitude, which had so long disarmed an interesting set of features of their natural vivacity and spirit, now exhibited a character of as much manly beauty and even mental expression, as I had ever contemplated

Quid non possit amor?

Madam, says he, directing his discourse to Mrs.

Goodison, it is not for the honour of human nature, that I should wholly credit what our worthy host has told me: I won't believe there are half so many hard hearts in the world as we hear of; it is not talking reason to a man that will always argue him out of his obstinancy; it is not such a fellow as myself, no, nor even so good a pleader as my friend here (pointing to Abrahams) who can turn a tough heart to pity; but let me once come across a certain father, that shall be nameless, and let me be properly prepared to encounter him, and I'll wager all I am worth, I will bring him round in a twinkling: Only let me have the proper credentials in my hand, do you see, and I'll do it. I know whom you point at, replied Mrs. Goodison, but I don't comprehend all your meaning; what credentials do you allude to? To the most powerful, said Ned, that nature ever set her hand to; the irresistible eyes of this young lady; might I only say-This angel is a supplicant to you, the heart that would not melt must be of mar. ble. Constantia blushed, every body seemed delighted with the unexpected turn of Ned's reply, whilst Mrs. Goodison answered, that she feared even that experiment would disappoint him; upon which he eagerly rejoined, then I have a resource against the worst that can befal us: There is a com. fortable little mansion stands without-side of my park; it is furnished and in complete repair; there is a pleasant garden to it; Mr. Abrahams has scen it, and if you will be my tenant, you shall not find me so hard a landlord, as some you have had to deal with. As Ned spoke these words, Mrs. Goodison turned her eyes full upon him with so intelligent and scrutinizing an expression, as to cause a short stop in his speech, after which he continued-Ah, Madam, how happy you might make me! the last in. habitant of this beloved little place was my excellent

mother; she passed two years of widowhood in it with no companion but myself; I wish I had been more worthy of such society and more capable of improving by it; but I was sadly cramped in my education, being kept at home by my father, who meant all for the best (God forbid I should reproach him!) and put me under the care of Parson Beetle, the curate of our parish, an honest well-meaning man, but alas! I was a dull lazy blockhead, and he did not keep me to my book. However, such as I am, I know my own deficiencies, and I hope want of honesty and sincerity is not amongst the number. Nobody can suspect it, cried Abrahams. Pardon me, replied Ned, I am afraid Mrs. Goodison is not thoroughly convinced of it; surely, Madam, you will not suppose I could look you in the face and utter an untruth. Nobody can look in your's Sir, answered she, and expect to hear one; it is your unmerited generosity that stops my tongue. After all, resumed Abrahams, I am as much indebted to your generosity as any body present, for as you have never once mentioned the name of my Constantia in this proposal, I perceive you do not intend to rob me of both my comforts at the same time. ''T'is because I have not the presumption to hope, answered Ned, that I have any thing to offer which such excellence would condescend to take; I could wish to tender her the best mansion I possess, but there is an encumbrance goes with it, which I despair of reconciling to so elegant a taste as her'sO love, said I within myself, thou art a notable teacher of rhethoric! I glanced my eye round the table; Ned did the very reverse of what a modern fine gentleman would have done at the close of such a speech, he never once ventured to lift up his eyes, or directa look towards the object he had addressed; the fine countenance of Constantia assumed a hue,