impreffive than the nearest ties of blood can devolve upon a fon: that father is dead, and his death plung'd me not only in affliction but in adversity; ftill I have a post to keep, and I must not defert it: one man, at least, fnatch'd from destruction, has fome cause to say I have not liv'd in vain; but you, belov'd, admir'd, ador'd, you should well reflect, before you give yourself to such sad thoughts, how many you make fad thereby; for, be affur'd, should you fink under affliction, you would not fink alone."

Nature hath given to fome a tone, a manner, an expreffion, that makes language but a fecondary vehicle for what paffes in their mind: this endowment Henry poffeffed in a moft ftriking degree; his heart was in his features, voice, and action. Ifabella needed no interpreter to understand his feelings in their full extent: how to recal a refolution vouched fo folemnly fhe knew not, yet fomething fhe wifhed to fay or do to mitigate it.

By one of thofe unpremeditated movements, which Nature fometimes betrays us into before our perception can correct it, her hand was preffed by his: which was the aggreffor in their meeting neither party knew; the one

therefore

1

therefore could not reprove the other, yet both were awakened to reflection at the fame moment, both fympathized in the fame effect, and both were overfpread with blushes. There was a thrilling nerve that ran to Ifabella's heart, through which her fenfibility conveyed a voice that whispered to her" She had faid too much:"-a fecond notice intimated to her"That 'twas no crime to love:"-a third, and that was followed by a throng of soft infinuating ideas, fuggested to her pity a regret, that one fo brave, fo young, fo generous, fo engaging, fhould languifh in defpair, and deprecate her ftern decree in vain." He'll die," thefe tempters faid, " if this your cruel refolution should take place: why tell him he must never hope? 'twou'd be but charity to leave him that delufion for his temporary comfort."To all thefe arguments her heart in gentleness accorded, and as language was not needful, and probably not prefent for the purpose, in that instant he felt, or fancied that he felt, a gentle trembling preffure of his hand by her's: a blush of fenfibility glowed on his cheeks: it was health to his fick hope, light to his dark defpair, oil to that dying fpark, which reason scarce permitted to languish in his defponding bofom: VOL. II.

I

ftill

ftill he reprefs'd all rapture; tenderly, but yet respectfully, he stoop'd his lips upon her hand -"You are all excellence," he cried; " 'tis fo I fhould expect the friend of my protectress, and the daughter of the best of men, to console the mourner: I have been witness to your filial love and piety, Heaven grant I never may be witnefs to your forrows; for Heaven can teftify how gladly I would meet my death. to rescue and preferve that facred life, fo dear to you, and keep affliction from the tendereft heart that ever animated the most lovely form."

CHAPTER VIII.

He is the true Hero, that can conquer himself.

THE next morning brought Doctor Zachary Cawdle to Manftoek Houfe. No fooner did the figure of old Befs, fhuffling under the non-elaftic load of her rider in the cinnamon fuit, cross the optics of our hero, then upon a folitary ramble in the park, than he ran to the encounter." What news," cried he, t my worthy mafter?"-" Ill news," quoth the rider in cinnamon, " for those who are

fick, when I am difmifs'd: that pettyfogging peer has put me out of his houfe, when the fituation of his lady fhould have kept me in it.""No matter for that," eagerly refum'd the other; " tell me how that lady is.""How should fhe be," again quoth Zachary, "when I am not allow'd to come near her ? And do you say no matter for that? Marry, but there is a great deal of matter, and matter of a very ugly nature, and a very rapid pulfe, let me tell you; and I fhould think no man, who has ever been within the found of my pes-, tle, wou'd have the hardinefs to fay, no matter for that."

"Pardon me, my good Doctor," replied Henry; "mine were the words of impatience, not of contempt: I am very feriously alarm'd for Lady Crowbery."-" Enough faid," quoth the Doctor; " 'tis natural you fhould be alarm'd for one fo near to you, and your impatience is excufable. As we have here no lifteners within reach of us, I fhall let you know that I am made privy to what has pafs'd between you and your mother, and that I bear you the bleffing of that beft of ladies; fhe is indeed a faint, a fuffering faint and martyr to the meerest perfecutor in creation.” — The

filial heart of Henry fwelled with indignation, his eyes fparkled, and his cheeks flushed, as he broke forth into vehement denunciations against Lord Crowbery, and it was with fome difficulty Zachary could preach him into patience; the storm, however, fubfided by degrees; and when Zachary told him, that he came over at his mother's defire, to confult with Sir Roger Manstock, he became perfectly calm, and declared that he would refign himself to what that worthy perfon fhould advise: at the fame time he faid, that he could not but lament the peculiarity of his fituation, which invested him with a character, that he was not permitted to avow; and as the relation in which he stood with regard to Lady Crowbery was not known. to Sir Roger Manstock, he could not expect, that any fuch part would be affigned to him in that lady's vindication, as his interest in her wrongs would otherwise intitle him to demand. The refult of the conference, however, was an appeal to Sir Roger in the first place, and for this purpose Zachary proceeded onwards towards the house, whilft our hero ftruck into the grove adjoining, which, by a more circuitous path, led to the fame point.

Upon entering this fcene of meditation and retirement,