an early acquaintance with the ancient classics; and lay a foundation for future improvement, by storing their minds with those grand sentiments and noble maxims, which may, in some after time, be recalled with pleasurable sensations in their hours of leisure and retirement: for in the words of Cicero, "Hæc studia adolescentiam alunt, senectutem oblectant, secundas res ornant, adversis perfugium et solatium præbent: delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur."* You are happily come, Sir; the tea is just ready; and mamma is abroad. But what do I say!-Your last night's gone behaviour I hardly know whether I can trust myself with you. My behaviour, Miss! Yes, your behaviour, Sir! I never met with any thing like it before; and h-o-pe I never shall again. Your abrupt departure prevented me from resenting it as it deserved, but I have not forgot it. What could you mean by such a thing? Did my conduct ever give you reason to think such_liberties would be agreeable? It put me into such a flutter I was almost ready to faint! I am sorry, Miss, if I have been so unhappy as to Offend, Sir, can you doubt it? I am all submission, Miss; and am ready to make any acknowledgment you please. It is so far well, Sir; your repentance is in some measure an atonement for your fault. But what could you mean by such a thing? We are not always able, Miss, to give an account of our motives; but I can be at no loss for mine. I am glad of it, for I long to know them: they must certainly be very absurd. You can judge. We had been settling many matters of "These studies give strength in youth, and joy in old age; adorn pros *perity, and are the support and consolation of adversity; at home they are "delightful, and abroad they are easy; at night they are company to us; "when we travel they attend us; and in our rural retirements they do not *forsake us," sentiment; we had differed in many things, and agreed to others: at last we came to a general harmony of thinking. I had longed to KISS the mouth that had said so many fine things. Parting had afforded me an opportunity. Can you forgive me? Perhaps, I may: so genteel a compliment, at least, deserves it. So then it was a SENTIMENTAL KISS? It was, Miss. I should be glad to think so; but I find some difficulty in it. You pressed my lips with as much ardour as if I had been a common woman! And more, Miss; but that is no proof of my want of sentiment. It is a proof, however, of your want of respect; and that your sentiment has, at least, a modicum of SENSE in it! My respect, Miss, can only be equalled by my sensibility: but I will never deny, that a pretty mouth that says pretty things is doubly worth kissing. So you would tell me that you are in love, and that I am a mere woman to your fancy! Is this the conclusion of all your refined sentiment? O fie! I thought age or disease could have made no alteration of me in your eyes. The truth is, Miss, refine as we please, Nature will be Nature still. There is continually a drop of sense mingled in the cup of sentiment; which, like sugar, sinks to the bottom, and (if I may be permitted the expression) sweetens the whole. Take your cup, Sir; I should be sorry that mine were so sweetened. My character, I think, might have saved me from such an insult. Nobody, Miss, can have a higher idea of your character than myself: I idolize your virtue, and have no reason to be dissatisfied with my own; but I am still sensible, that some tender wish, some latent hope, which the bosom dares not always avow, is necessary in the intercourse of the sexes, to give one heart a relish for the sentiments of another; and suf fer me to add, in support of my opinion-a stronger argument. I cannot advance-that even your elegant conversation is partly indebted for its charms to those vermilion lips. How romantically polite! Yet I am half persuaded there is something at the bottom of your nonsense: for one is always more happy in the company of a gentleman than a lady-tho' you certainly mistake the reason-where both were agreeable. But let us end this altercation, or we shall make things worse. Our conversation grows foolish. I forgive you what is past: but take care for the future how you sugar your cup. I will, Miss. Gleanings. MR. WINDHAM. This eminent statesman, while a widower, became acquaint ed with a young lady in the county of Oxford. Her personal attractions, combined with her moral and mental qualifications, having made a conquest of his heart, he frankly made her a tender of his hand. This proposal, which, considering her cir cumstances, although very advantagecus, was, however, received by her with extreme concern, as her heart was irrecoverably engaged to a young clergyman of no fortune, and of small profits; and she was afraid that her parents might be tempted to exert their authority in inforcing her acquiescence in an alliance so dazzling. In this dilemma, trusting to the chivalrous honour and generosity of Mr. Windham, she made him acquainted with the secret of her heart. With a lover more selfish, and less delicately honourable, than Mr. Windham, this might have been a dangerous experiment: but so far was he from taking an ungenerous advantage of her confidence, that he not only desisted from pressing his own suit, but took measures for advancing that of his rival. In order to render the parents of this lady more propitious to the union of their daughter with the young man, he exerted all his influence to procure for him some church preferment; and chiefly through his means the two lovers were happily united. For some months they lived together in the enjoy ment of all that connubial happiness which mutual love alone can ensure. But this state of felicity was not destined to be of long duration. This excellent young man died of a disease contracted in a charitable visit to a sick parishioner, and left his young and interesting widow in very dependent circumstances. After a decent interval had elapsed, Mr. Windham again made her an offer of his hand and fortune. Trying as it must have. been to an ingenuous mind, the disconsolate widow, whose heart was for ever buried in the same grave with her beloved husband, found herself again compelled to decline his generous offer.This conduct, which in a less disinterested and chivalrous mind, might have created disgust, produced in Mr. Windham a quite contrary effect. He still continued her warm and sincere friend; and having procured the disposal of a considerable living, which he had designed for her husband, he bestowed it upon another clergyman, expressly upon condition of his paying her such a portion of the revenue as was sufficient to make her circumstan ces easy and comfortable. REPARTEE OF A LADY OF QUALITY. A lady of distinction in Scotland, one of the greatest beau ties in that part of the kingdom, incurred the displeasure of the Earl, her husband, for no other cause than that of having brought him seven daughters, and no heir to his titles and estates. His Lordship even assured her, that he should sue for a divorce; when she replied, that he need not be under the necessity of doing that, for she would agree to a separation, provided he would give her back what he received with her. The Earl, supposing she alluded to pecuniary affairs, assured her she should have her förtüne returned to the last penny. "Nae, nae, my Lord," replied the bonny Scot, "that winna do, you mun return me my youth, my spirits, and my innocence, and dismiss me as soon as you please." His Lordship being unable to comply with these terms, spoke no more on the subject; and the following year they were blessed with a son, which event firmly cemented their affections for each other. DUKE OF MONTAGUE. The following circumstance is an instance of the whimsical eccentricity which distinguished the character of the late Duke of Montague. The Duke one evening, accompanied by two or more facetious friends, took a hackney coach, and order. ed the man to drive to the back of St. Clements; when they had arrived there, the Duke got out, and walked round the coach to the other door, and was, in consequence of a concerted plan, followed by his friends; they entered the coach on the other side to where the man stood, and passed through the coach one after another eighteen times, to the astonishment of the coachman, who ran into the next public house he saw, and in the utmost fright declared he had been carrying a legion of devils, for he had counted eighteen of them, and they were coming still out. YE LITTLE STARS HIDE YOUR DİMİNİSHED HEADS. When the ambassador of Henry IV. was in England, he was at Court on a birth-night, and Queen Elizabeth asked him how he liked her ladies, he replied, knowing her Highness was fond of flattery," How is it possible, madam, to judge of stars in the presence of the sun." A, COMMENT. A noble duke, who stammered so much, that he was obliged to have a servant stand by him to repeat what he said, asked a clergyman at his table, by way of joke, if he knew what was the reason that Balaam's ass spoke? The clergyman not understanding him, the servant repeated what his Grace had said, to which the parson answered, that Balaam stammered, and his eas spoke for him. K Poetry. ELEGIAC STANZAS, Nobleman, On the recent decease of an amiable young Where is the lethargy of mighty woe? Flown are the many little nameless joys, Then would we see round Him, whence goodness teems, The source of goodness-what now evil seems ! The chain harmonic that whole worlds combines, |