They were now entering the avenue that opened to the house, when Henry, suspecting that Ifabella might be upon the look-out, and alarmed with the fight of a led-horse, begged leave to stop the chaife and get out. The measure was a confiderate one, for his prefentiment was verified by the fight of that young lady walking towards them up the avenue: he galloped onwards, and greeting her with the good tidings, that all was well, stopt his career, and leapt to the ground in an instant of time; in the fame inftant joy illuminated her bright eyes, and glowed on her cheeks.

Oh! all ye Loves and Graces, what were you doing at that moment to make your favourite, already mistress of poor Henry's heart, fo irrefiftibly alluring, and why thus league yourselves in mighty combination against one weak fon of nature, unhappily too fenfitive for his repofe? Why meet him, lovely Isabella, with that magic fweetnefs, thofe alluring fmiles, and, to a form fo beauteous add those charms, that would have recommended homelinefs itself-the nymph-like robe tucked up above the inftep, locks loose and flowing, quick breath, and panting bofom ?-Why must every wind confpire to unveil new beauties to his

fight,

fight, and why too muft that cunning painter, exercise, heighten the bright carnation of your cheeks to fuch a dazzling hue, that the admiring eye could not behold its luftre, without betraying the emotions of the heart? Is this fair dealing, tempter? Goddeffes, ye fhould have and remember that my hero is but a

mercy,

mortal.

CHAPTER III.

Our Hero is led towards a Difcovery highly interesting.

WE left our hero, at the close of the fore

going chapter, like the fon of Tydeus

in the fields of Troy, contending with the immortals: if in that encounter any lady got a wound of Henry's giving, we, who must be tried by modern rules of honour, not by ancient lore, will be the last to boast of it; certain it is, that Ifabella ftept into the carriage, and took her feat there, with an agility that argued the free ufe of all her limbs; neither did fhe fly to her father, as her fair prototype Venus did to Jupiter, to murmur and com

plain of the audacious mortal who affailed her; on the contrary, she parted with him in peace, careffed the favourite steed on which he rode, and, as the mounted the chariot, accepted his affifting hand; from all which we infer, that Ifabella came heart-whole out of the fray, or, at worst, with no fuch vifible injury as could impeach the manhood of our hero, He, on the other hand, whether difabled by fome fecret wound, or from whatever caufe, attempted not to vault into the faddle with his ufual glee, but flowly pacing under shelter of the trees with horse in hand, unfolded the fmall packet Ifabella had delivered to him, and taking out the contents, which Zachary's careleffness had neglected to give, read as follows

"Accept this ring: it was my gift to your "father; the pledge of love and conftancy: "the perfon, who pretends to have found it, either is Delapoer himself, or can inform you of his fate."

༦

""Tis Delapoer himself," cried Henry; " 'tis he! How cruel is this disappointment! How perverse, vexatious, and unpardonable the negligence of Zachary ! and what fatal confequences might have follow'd from our al

tercation

tercation in the cottage! Heaven and Earth! I might have been the murderer of my father! my blood chills at the reflection! Three times I have met him, and each time, fave once, have treated him with fullen disrespect. O Nature, where were thofe fecret workings we are told of; where that fympathy of fouls, that instinct, to impel us to each other? 'Tis plain why he disguis'd himself; he came to fpy the land, to hover round the spot, where his first love was planted: he knew the rumour of Lord Crowbery's jealoufy; nay, he confefs'd he did, and (oh strange involution of unnatural circumftances!) accufed me in his heart of incest with a mother. Monftrous perverfion of ideas! by what horrors have I been unknowingly encompafs'd by what providence have I escap'd! He must be Delapoer; he must be the unconscious author of my myfterious birth. Where fhall I feek him now? No matter! I will ranfack the whole ifland ere I renounce the fearch. He faid he was a gentleman; 'twas truly faid! for when I rous'd him into wrath, his pale and fickly cheeks caught fire, and his eyes witnefs'd to the highborn fpirit of a noble gentleman. Thank Heaven!

L 6

Heaven! we parted not in anger, but in peace."

Thus venting his fad thoughts aloud, he fauntered towards the house; and, there arrived, betook himself to his chamber, deposited the facred pledge fecurely, and was fummoned from his meditations to the task of dress by the tolling of the bell, which folemnly announced the arrival of a numerous party of vifitors to the hospitable house of Manstock: these visitors, who were of the first respect in the county, came uninvited; but though. Sir Roger's liberal ftile of furnishing his board defied furprise, his table was not proof against their numbers, fo that Henry, who was late in his appearance, shaped his course afide from the main body, and attached himself to a fupplemental table, where fate a young officer in a captain's naval uniform, whofe open countenance and easy manners foon unlocked restraint, and put both parties at their mutual ease.

"Jack," cried Sir Roger, addreffing himfelf to the Captain, " that gentleman is a friend of mine, I recommend him to your care, and you to his; I pray you waste no ceremony in

being