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Well now that I have breathed out my sorrows on the bosom of my little Adolphus, as if he could plead his mother's cause, or soften his father's heart. After watching his innocent slumbers, and bedewing his pretty face with my tears, I feel able to commence my unhappy tale.

Yesterday morning at breakfast a walk was proposed, to order some finery for a ball which is to be given by lord Beauford (who is a candidate for the Borough). Accordingly the company prepared for their excursion. But I having some orders to give in my family which required my presence, said I would take that opportunity. Julia likewise excused herself, and they set off without us, and did not return till the last dinner-bell had rung. They sat down to table, therefore, in their morning dresses.

Sir Harry's man caine in with the desert, and said their boxes would be kept. He gave his master a paper, and retired. Sir Harry read the paper, which was a play-bill; informing us that his majesty's servants were arrived, and would that night perform the celebrated play of All for Love.' It likewise promised an elegant theatre, with new and superb de corations. The company, with one voice, declared they would see the inside of farmer Jolt's barn, with all its embellishments.

And who is to be of the party?" said Helen: do we all go?'

'Why, I should suppose,' cried sir Harry, not one would wish to decline this elegant and novel entertainment.'

True,' replied she'; but I did not know whether lady Walsing

ham was disengaged; or whether she chose to appear in public.'

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Lady Walsingham,' said Mrs. Howard, with warmth, will not, cannot have any reason to wish us to dispense with her company; her appearance, miss Lester, will be quite as proper, as decorous as any one's who may attend this farce. We are not in town, and if we were, the appearance of lady Walsingham, for some time, could not be improper.'

Helen assumed one of her haughty Spanish airs. • Well well, my dear Mrs. Howard, keep your temper, be cool, I'll take your word; for I dare say your verdict would go as far in a court of justice as a jury of matrons.'

Lord Seymore was standing at one of the windows; he turned round indignantly: • Whenever Mrs. Howard,' said he, condescends, madam-'

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Yes, yes, my lord,' interrupted Helen, you will be extremely happy, no doubt.'

She came to me: Well, then, my charming Caroline, we shall have the pleasure of your company. You are fortunately dressed; so your spirits will not be fa tigued. Your situation is delicate, and you must be careful.'

True, miss Lester,' I replied, my situation is delicate; but my spirits, thank God! are tolerably equanimous. If it is my lord's will that I should remain at home, I certainly shall comply with cheerfulness; although I had no thoughts of requesting you to dispense with my attendance; but if my absence would be more agreeable than my presence, to any one in this company, be assured I would give up a much more rational amusement than a play in a barn, performed by a band of

itinerants, can possibly be, to add, more than once. Mrs. Howard and

to the gratification of any one I have the honour to address

Lord! my dear, how frightfully serious you are; I meant nothing more by what I said than, that as you did not go with us in the morning, you might not choose to expose yourself to the night

air.'

Both ladies and gentlemen insisted on my going, and wondered how it came to be questioned whether I should go or not. And so, perhaps, will you, my dear madam; but of late I have observed that Helen has wished to exclude me from all their parties, though I know not why.

Lord Walsingham looked very grave during the conversation, but did not speak once. They soon after retired to dress, and I to my Adolphus, who grows surprisingly.

When the hour arrived that we were to go, I went down and found the party assembled in the saloon. Walsingham drove miss Lester in his phaeton; and Mrs. Howard, Julia Seymour, and Linley, occupied our family coach. Lady Mary and Sir Harry went in his chariot. Mr. Baderly (who had a beautiful curricle sent down from Leader's) begged me to trust myself to his equestrian skill.

We had a very pleasant drive, which was the only pleasure I experienced during the evening: for although the folly of the scene might have amused me by its extravagance, had my mind been at ease, the contrary was the case: for when my eyes met Walsingham's, they flashed displeasure, and were instantly turned away. I knew not the cause of his displeasure, but I felt that I was wretched, and my spirits seemed evaporating

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My dear, bewitching girl,' interrupted Walsingham,if Caroline had not accompanied us, think you the rest of the party would have attended her at home?'

O ridiculous!' returned this false friend;- attended her motions at home! how could such a foolish thought enter your head? Why Champly told me this morning, he would rather sit in company with his grandmother, or an Egyptian mummy, than your ser monizing lady.' A violent noise behind the scenes drew their attention, and broke off this mortifying conversation abruptly. But I had heard enough. Mrs. Howard was. not surprised at my agitation, (for she too heard them ;) but she was astonished at the duplicity and ma lignancy of Helen's conduct. The. attention of Mr. Baderly was engaged by the blunders of the performers, and I was glad it was.

We soon after returned home in the same manner we caine.

Walsingham during supper was silent and gloomy. I asked him if I should help him to some fricasee. He replied, with much asperity, he had no appetite. Julia stared; and I apologized for my officious

ness....

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I heard no more, my senses kindly left me. When I recover➡ When we retired for the night, ed, Anna was bathing my temples, I begged to know in what I had and my lord sitting on one side been so unhappy as to offend him. the bed, with horror strongly pic • Caroline,' said he, in a harsh tured in his countenance :-Mrs, tone, you have offended me, Howard on the other, in tears. He though perhaps unintentionally immediately retired, saying I had your inhospitable and ungenerous better have Anua sit up with me. resentiment to miss Lester's kind Mrs. Howard joining her advice, admonition, both surprise and dis- 1 complied, although I thought it please me: I almost thought it unnecessary. could not be you that gave so ungentle a return for kindness intended."

"Oh, my lord!' said I, with tears trembling in my eyes, 'what heavy charges do you bring against your Caroline. Inhospitality and ungenerous resentment! Oh, my Adolphus, impure not those black crimes to me, but forgive what is past, and look with your usual candour on my poor endeavours to please. Let not misrepresentations cloud your better judgment: and to miss Lester's own heart I will appeal whether she thinks I have shown a resentful behaviour, whether it whispers approbation for her kind adinonitions, as you are pleased to call her artful insinuations, I'

• Caroline!' interrupted he, while rage swelled every feature, you are not the woman I fondly thought you; you have been used to nothing but adulation so long, that you are offended at the voice of truth, you: but why talk to a woman who sighs to see herself eclipsed, though by her dearest friend. Such is the fickle in VOL. XXXVIII.

I slept but little,-I could not help revolving in my mind the events of one day-one little day. The morning found me happy, but the evening saw me miserable.

I rose with the light, and wrote till breakfast-time. When I entered the parlour I found the company all assembled, except miss Lester. Mr. Baderly ab served that I did not look well, and feared I had taken cold over night. I was prevented replying by the entrance of Helen, who apologized for her apparent negli gence.- But my head ached,' said she, so very intensely, that I had some thoughts of requesting your excuse for my appearance.'

Sir Harry caught her hand, and kissing it, said, 'Pon my soul, madain, if you had not informed us you was indisposed, no one would have thought it! But, sick or well, you was formed to please all eyes, and win all hearts.' She gave him one of those fascinating siniles with which she can charm, and at the same time disguise her real feelings. 3 Z

Walsingham hummed an opera air. Sir Harry addressed himself to me. May I hope, if you are not particularly engaged an hour hence, madam, to have the honour of an audience in your ladyship's dressing-room, concerning an affair on which the felicity of my life depends?'

I assured him I should be perfectly disengaged, and at his command. The time is more than arrived, and I expect him every moment.-But I hear him coming.

[In continuation.]

On sir Harry's entrance, he hoped he did not intrude too much on my ladyship's time, and politeness; but as I was the earliest friend of the all-charming Lester, he flattered himself my recommendation would avail inuch. He likewise begged to be informed of the particulars of her fortune, and who were her guardians.

Miss Lester's fortune, sir Har ry,' said I, is full as large as fame reports it. Miss Lester, sir, is of an age to be from under the care of a guardian; she is entirely at her own disposal. If she approves you, no one else will object; as for a recommendation from me, you will have the goodness to excuse me your own merit and address must be your passport, and miss Lester the best judge of your pretensions. He interrupted mecalled himself a happy man in her being at her own disposal-did not doubt of success—had a presagement that he was to be the happy man of her choice-begged pardon for his rapture, but she would be such a prize in his estimationwished me a good morning, and danced down stairs.

He could not have reached the

bottom when Walsingham entered, pale and agitated. He flung him self into a chair, and fixing his eyes on me- Pray, madam,' said he, may I ask on what subject were Champly's communications?"

Certainly, my lord. Sir Harry has been soliciting my influence with miss Lester to receive him as a lover.'

Indeed!-and what might be your answer?'

That his own merit must be his recommendation, and miss Lester the only judge.'

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Will you tell me frankly, lady Walsingham, your opinion of this proposal; and whether you think Champly is likely to succeed?'

Your lordship,' I replied, 'is entitled to my opinion on every thing with respect to which you condescend to ask it. Miss Lester, I am persuaded, before she quitted England, would have rejected such an offer. What she may do now, it is impossible for me to say. Sir Harry is a gay man-is reckoned a fine gentleman by many ladies. He is very rich-has large estate, which I am told is perfectly unencumbered; and miss Lester

6

Stop, madam; you have said enough to convince me that you are a friend to this preposterous match.-Sir Harry rich-but is miss Lester poor?-He has a clear estate; but I tell you, madam, that he is a fool, an errant foola conceited coxcomb.'

I sat stupified while he paced the room; his face glowing.Again he spoke, And so because a silly devil is possessed of a clear estate he is entitled to an angel!-But, Lady Walsingham, there are men of as large estates as Champly's, and quite as unencumbered,men who would know

how to esteem such an invaluable the most boundless ambition. At

woman, though she is altered since her quitting England. Who would not give up every other consideration to call such an angel theirs, with all her foreign imperfections on her head? When I enumerate all the perfections of this glorious creature I no longer wonder at the envy of her sex. But in one thing I am peremptory-miss Lester, while she honours this house by her presence, must, and shall, be treated in a manner becoming the family of an English peer.'

A sensation of anger arose in my bosom, and tinged my cheeks. It was but momentary-I rose and threw myself at his feet. I assured him that it was my wish and intention to behave to miss Lester with the same politeness as was due to all our other guests: but I conjured him not to let his solicitude for the visitor exclude all regard for the wife.

He raised me, and seating me in an arm chair, told me to take care of my health, and coldly saluting me, retired.

How much must Helen have prejudiced Walsingham's mind; er how much must you and all my friends have flattered me! You none of you ever told me I was inhospitable, resentful, or envious; and now, alas! all these charges are brought against me at once, and make me completely wretched,

I always looked on a coquetish behaviour with contempt; but a woman who indulges herself in coqueting with a married man, seems to demand a double portion of every modest person's scorn.Surely the surpassing beauty of Helen Lester's noble form will captivate a sufficient number of disengaged young men to gratify

least I am sure it would be so, if the delicacy of her manners kept pace with the elegance of her person.

To what a dreadful situation has this wild ambition for admiration reduced me! She found me happy; I received her under my roof with transport; I studied to promote her pleasures; and she, in return, has stolen my husband's affections, Ah, madam! who is inhospitable?

Advise me, comfort me, and oh, my mother, pray for me.Hark! -Surely some pitying angel, in commiseration of my bursting heart, breathes that strain-that melting strain of celestial harmony! From whence can it proceed? The family are all in the park

-no one but myself is in the house, except the servants.

I dropt my pen, and sat inotionless till the last sound ceased to reverberate surely it was more than mortal music, from whence could it proceed? But I shall weary you and myself with endless conjectures. I will be thankful; I will hail it as a messenger from Heaven, for it has soothed my agitated spirits; it has diffused a calm serenity over my troubled mind, and enables me to subscribe myself, with more composure than I expected,

Your ever affectionate,

CAROLINE WALSINGHAM. [To be continued.]

OBSERVATIONS on the PERSONS

and DRESS of the ENGLISH. (From Travels in England translated from the German of G. A. Goede.)

[Continued from p. 459.] TRAVELLERS have often remarked that an Englishman's

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