been enough to have undone him for ever with Melissa, if no other objection had arisen; but this being followed up with many like instances of bad taste in the Belles Lettres, he was peremptorily discarded: a third offer came from a man of high rank and fortune, and was pressed upon her by her mother with much earnest solicitation; for in fact it was a very advantageous proposal; the lover was polite, goodnatured, generous, and of an amiable character, but in the unguarded warmth of his heart he let fall the distant expression of a hope, that he might have an heir to his estate and titles! the sensuality of which idea was such a gross affront to the delicate Melissa, that he, like the others, was sent off with a refusal.

The report of these rebuffs set Melissa free from any future solicitations, and it appeared as if she was destined to enjoy a sabbath of virginity for the rest of her days: so many years elapsed that she now began to tread the downhill path of life, grew slatternly and took snuff: still the gentle passion of friendship did not abate, her attachment for Pathenissa grew closer than ever, and if by evil accident these tender companions were separated for a day, eight sides of letter-paper could not contain the effusions of their affection.

I should have told the reader that Melissa had a sister some years younger than herself, brought up from her childhood by a maiden aunt, who was what the polite world calls in contempt a good sort of woman, so that poor Maria was educated accordingly, and justly held in sovereign contempt for her vulgar endowments by Melissa; there were other trifling reasons which helped to put her out of favour with her more accomplished sister; for, as I have already hinted, she was several years younger, and in some opinions rather handsomer; they seldom met however, and never corresponded, for Maria

had no style and little sentiment; she dressed her own caps, mended her own linen, and took charge of her aunt's household: it was, therefore, with some degree of surprise, that Melissa received the news of Maria's being on the point of marrying a nobleman, and that surprise was probably enhanced upon hearing, that this noble person was the very man, who some years ago had vainly aspired to solicit the impregnable Melissa herself: if she turned pale upon the receipt of this intelligence, eat no dinner that day, and took no sleep that night, candour will impute it to the excess of Melissa's sensibility, and the kind interest she took in the happy prospect of her sister's marriage; but a censórious world gives strange interpretations, and some people were ready enough to say ill-natured things on the occasion: the behaviour of that amiable lady soon confuted such insinuations, for she immediately set out for her aunt's, where Maria was receiving his lordship's visits every day, and where Melissa's presence must have greatly added to the felicity of both parties.

Her preparations for this visit were such as she had never made before; for though in general she was rather negligent of her dress, she put her art to the utmost stretch on this occasion, and left no effort untried that might do credit to her sister, by setting off her own appearance in his lordship's eyes upon the meeting: whilst she gave her person full display, she did not spare her wit, and to make up for the taciturnity of Maria, kept my lord in full discourse all the time he staid; she likewise, from her love of information, set Maria right in many particulars, which that young lady, through want of education, was ignorant of, and plainly shewed the lover, that there was some understanding in the family on her part at least, whatever the deficiency might be where he had fixed his choice.

Whether it was owing to these sisterly endeavours of Melissa, or to whatever other cause does not appear, but it should seem as if my lord's attention to Maria grew stronger in proportion as Melissa strove to attract it towards herself; and upon her hinting with some degree of raillery at what had formerly passed between them, his lordship looked her steadily in the face for some moments, then turned his eyes upon her sister, and silently walked out of the

room.

As it is not to be suspected that Melissa, with a soul superior to all vulgar passions, could be envious of so mean a rival as Maria, it is not easy to account for the sudden change of her behaviour to the noble suitor on his next visit to her sister: instead of those studied attentions she had paid him at their first meeting, she now industriously took no notice of him, and sate rapt in her own happy meditations; till, upon his presenting to her sister a magnificent suit of jewels, the lustre of those sparkling gems so dazzled her sight, that the tears started in her eyes, the colour fled from her cheeks, and she hurried out of the room in evident perturbation of spirit.

Upon entering her bedchamber, she discovered on her toilette a packet from her beloved Parthenissa; nothing was ever so seasonable; she snatched it up with eagerness, hastily broke it open, kissed it, and began to read. This valuable manuscript was rather of the longest; it set out with a great deal of ingenious ridicule at the expense of the fond couple on the point of marriage; then digressed into an animated description of the more refined enjoyments of female friendship, and concluded as follows:

After all I have been saying, how shall I gain credit with Melissa, and what will she think of her friend, when I tell her, that I have at last met with one of the male sex, who is not absolutely disagree

able! perhaps I might even add, that Count Ranceval is so amiable a man, that, were I possessed of Melissa's charms-but whither am I running? He is rich, generous, and of noble rank. And what are these but feathers, you will say ?-True, yet such feathers have their weight in the world's scale.— Well, but Melissa is above the world.-No matter; still it is a galling thing to yield precedence to a chit like Maria: what, though nature has endowed you with pre-eminence of talents, though your soul moves in a superior style to hers, still you know respect will follow rank; but Countess Ranceval would set all to rights, and keep your natural superiority unquestioned-So now the mischief's out; you have my heart upon my paper.

You will wonder what should bring a noble stranger into so obscure a corner of the world as ours: health, my dear, is the count's pretence: he may give Melissa probably a better reason, but this is the ostensible one; and certainly he is of a slim and delicate habit; he seems to be all soul and sentiment; nothing earthy or corporeal about him; a complete master of the English language, and well versed in our English authors, particularly the dramatic ones, of whose works he is passionately fond, If our Dorsetshire downs and gentle exercise restore his health, he is soon to leave us, unless Melissa's company should detain him; for his father, the old count, writes pressing letters for him to return to Strasbourg, of which city he is a native, and of the first family in it. He lodges in our house with my uncle, with one valet-de-chambre only, having left his servants in town, as our family could not receive his suite.

He is impatient to be known to you, and I suppose you think I have said all the fine things in the world to make him so not I, believe me; on the

contrary, I have not spared for abuse whenever you was talked of, for I have let him fully into your character; I have fairly warned him what he is to look for, if he presumes to make love to you; for that you are the most inexorable, exceptious, determined spinster in England. Now, as I know you love a little contradiction at your heart, you have a fair opportunity to come hither without delay, and disprove all I have been saying of you; but if you had rather be the bridemaid to Lady L. than the bride of Count Ranceval, stay where you are, and enjoy the elegant pastime of throwing the stocking and drawing plum-cake through the wedding-ring.

Farewell. Yours ever,

PARTHENISSA.'

If the gentle spirits of Melissa were somewhat fluttered by what had passed before she took up this letter from her friend, they were considerably more so when she laid it down: after pondering for a time in deep meditation on its contents, she started up, took several turns in her chamber, sat down again, then adjusted her dress, then ran to the glass, looked at herself, put her cap in order, and at last rang the bell with great violence for her servant; her first resolution had been to order her chaise instantly to be made ready and return home; these were the natural dictates of friendship; but upon her woman's entering the room, a second thought struck her, and alarmed her delicacy, lest Parthenissa should impute her immediate compliance to any other than the pure motives of affection and good-nature: this thought exceedingly embarrassed her; however, after several contradictory resolutions, she finally directed her servant to order the equipage, and put things in train for her departure without delay.