what heart can ftand it? and he must be a monster that can doubt my coufin's purity, because her arms encircled what her heart pitied and approv'd."

Here Ifabella paus'd: Henry was filent; it was a fubject he would not venture to commit himfelf upon; his too great fenfibility to a mother's praises might excite fufpicion: Isabella refum'd her difcourfe-" To be fure, if people will decide from appearances only, the most innocent actions may be conftrued into guilt, and, as I take Lord Crowbery to be one of those people, I am fadly afraid my poor coufin mav fuffer wrongfully by his hafty tem per; not that he can seriously and from his heart fufpect a woman of her established character; but he may pretend to do it for the malicious pleasure of tormenting her; for I am forry to say, I think him capable of being very cruel, nay I am fure he is, having been a painful witnefs of very harsh treatment on his part; in fhort, he is a bad husband, and nothing furprises me more, than that a person of her taste and intuition fhould have been deceiv'd by fuch a character; and that with youth, beauty, great fortune, and good fenfe, fhe fhould be. induc'd to marry a man neither fuitable to her

3

in

in age, manners, principle, or perfon; nay, I rather wonder she should marry at all, at least whilft her father was alive, for fhe was then exactly in the fituation I am now, the only folace of a widow'd parent; and sure it is a daughter's duty (Heaven knows I feel it fuch) never to quit that poft till nature's debt is paid by one or other of the parties."

As fhe spoke these words, they had approach'd the gate that opened to the garden from the park; Henry advanced towards it, but, ftopping fhort,, he turned, and with an anxious look asked if what he had now delivered was her determined purpose and opinion.

"Affuredly it is," fhe faid; "for what have I to think of, bleft with fuch a father, but to please and study him? Can I fulfil two duties at a time? Never will I devote lefs than my whole heart to him; how then can I divide it with another? No, no, that is impoffible: whilst he has life and health I fhall be happy in my present state; if Heaven should fnatch that bleffing from me, I fhall have full employment for the short remainder of my wretched days in mourning and lamenting him."

The tears were starting from her eyes; fympathy, or fome other impulfe, ftruck the

heart

heart of Henry: he fupported himself against the gate, trembling and pale, as if some fudden faintnefs had come over him: it was a tranfient attack; a few moments fufficed to recal his recollection; when, half fighing, half smothering a figh, he thus began in gentle terms to controvert what fhe had faid-"Your fentiments, Mifs Manstock, are too amiable not to be admir'd, but fuffer me to fay, too melancholy to be admitted without some reserve: Daughters have facrific'd their youth and beauty to the pious offices which you describe; but it has been to parents helpless and diftreft, to age, to poverty, or to ficknefs, which otherwife had wanted those kind services that they beftow'd-the Grecian Daughter was a heroine that stands, as you well know, recorded to all ages for her filial piety; fhe fed her father in a prison, but, take notice, he had elfe been famifh'd; remember too, that daughter was herself a mother; and, let me not offend your delicacy if I prefume to fay, that in a heart like your's, filial affection may poffefs its place, and yet make room for connubial love, without restricting either. To put the cafe, that any man is likely to be found, who may deferve your love, is more for argument

2

than

than fact; I know of no fuch man, nor am inclin'd to think our fex can boaft of one, who merits fuch diftinguifh'd happiness; but grant there was, could he defire to divert you from the exercise of thofe attentions, which must at once endear your character to him, and by his fharing them might recommend his character to you? Think for a moment what his gratitude must be to the author and bestower of all his earthly happiness; by heavens! I think his reverence and devotion to your father must be fuch, as hardly to be exceeded by your own; how then, by adding his attentions, could the fum of them be lefs? When age and infirmity fhall call for fupport, might not his manly ftrength, activity, and courage confpire to uphold that venerable parent, which your foft fenfibility and gentle pity would be employ'd to footh? This, you must own, would be to double rather than divide your grateful task. when you speak of dedicating your furviving days to forrow, I must hope you speak but as you apprehend, and not as you wou'd act. I know, alas! the agonizing loss of one, that was to me a father, a voluntary father; and, methinks, that is an obligation on my part beyond what Nature can impofe; a duty more impreffive

But

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, snatch'd from destruction, has fome caufe 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 fuch fad thoughts, how many you make fad thereby; for, be affur'd, fhould 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 most 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 she knew not, yet fomething fhe wifhed to fay or do to mitigate it.

By one of those 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