others with that which Fanny Claypole occupied. Here he was met by Henry, as she was going to her chamber fome time after her conference with Ifabella. We confess it does not fet off the gallantry of our hero, that he would fain have contented himself with civilly bidding her good night, and fo have paffed onwards to his bed-room, which alfo opened into the aforefaid gallery. There were other modes of difpofing of time, to Fanny's mind in its prefent ftate, more grateful than that of devoting it to folitude and fleep. She contrived to hold him in parley fome few minutes, and in that fhort space of time the storm foreseen by Ifabella took place; the winds began to howl, the lightnings flashed, and the thunder rolled.

Fanny's gentle spirits instantly took alarm; her terrors deprived her of the power of stirring from the spot on which fhe ftood; fhe clung close to Henry, clasping him with both arms, and feeming to fupplicate protection in the moft piteous manner. It was in vain he encouraged her to lay afide her fears, that the burst was over, and the ftorm had spent its fury; fhe was fure there would be more of it; she did not dare to move; and the implored

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him not to leave her; thunder had always fuch an effect upon her, that it would throw her into fits if the had not fomebody to fupport her, and as for her own fervant, (whom he offered to call to her affiftance) fhe was to the full as mere a coward as herfelf, and totally helpless. What could he do, but cheer the frighted fair one, who reforted to his courage for protection in this extremity? Another burst fucceeded, the thunder louder and the flash more vivid. Fanny's arms now ftrained him clofer than before; fhe dropt her head upon his neck, and hid her face; fhe shook in every limb, and murmuring cried-Support me, or I fhall drop!-When the fenfes are poffeffed by fear, all referve ceases, nay, even delicacy itself; we cling to the most loathsome object that gives us fhelter from the face of danger. If Fanny's terrors were proportionable to the eagerness with which the embraced her fupporter, they were ftrong indeed. Henry was not forry to fee a couch conveniently within reach, on which he could depofit his fair burthen, which now indeed was become a very preffing and im portunate concern; her knees feemed finking under her, and as the hung upon his neck with

her

her whole weight, he began to think the fit she had predicted was actually upon her; he took her in his arms, and placed her carefully, and with all due delicacy, on the couch; as she ftill kept her hold upon him, of neceffity he was drawn down upon the feat befide her.

The ftorm went on, the pitiless elements relaxed not of their fury, and poor affrighted Fanny, trembling more than ever, faintly whifpered, fighing the whilft moft movingly"Dearest of men, what will become of me? shelter me, I beseech you, from this scene of terror."-As the flitting wheatear huddles herself under the turf whilft the gathering clouds hang threatening over her head, and caft a gloom upon the earth, fo did the like timorous damfel, under the protection of her courageous defender, gazing on him with uplifted eyes that prayed for pity on her difconfolate condition, and encircling him in her arms, whilst fhe foftly murmured-" Oh Henry! let the lightning ftrike me now; within your arms I die content."

"Oh Henry!" honour alfo cried, "awake and be yourself! whither are you rushing? break from her hold; efcape from her fnares; they are spread for your destruction; the moN 4

ment

ment is on the wing that wafts you to perpetual difgrace. Rafh, heated youth! accurfed power of wine, that thus inflames the blood and blinds the eye of reafon: can you not fee thefe terrors are but counterfeit, panders to paffion? the form that you should dread is in your veins, not in the elements; awake, and fave yourself!"

What fhall we say? Muft we break Nature's mould, and fafhion an imaginary hero of purer matter than of earthly clay, fetting up a phantom of perfection, without fpeck or ble mish, for enthufiaftic ignorance to wonder at? Is it to fhew man as he is, or only as he ought to be, that we compofe this hiftory? Surely as he is; we make not men by working in our closets, but take them ready made from the world's mighty warehouse, and present them as we found them; therefore, as the hand of nature guides my pen, fo do I write, and here confign my hero to as much difgrace as impurity in meditation, not in act, may in the judgment of my candid readers feem to merit virtue had loft its hold upon his heart, honour's appeal was filenced, and modefty had turned away her face from the fufpicious fcene, when in the very moment as he hovered

vered on the brink of ruin, a fudden scream from Ifabella's chamber fnatched him from his fate; her door flew open, and behold the very form of loveliness in fear's most striking attitude! Swift as the lightning's glance our hero ftarted from the couch, fhook off the embrace that bound him like a spell, and, deaf to Fanny's fcream, flew to the refcue of the trembling Ifabella.

Fear had not fo far robbed her of her fenfes, but that she had fufficient faculties to note the fituation of the parties, whom her prefence had fo critically broken in upon. Inftant averfion feized her heart, and fuperfeded the lefs urgent fenfe even of fear itfelf: fhe was at once indignant and compofed; fo that when Henry, in a faultering voice, begged to know what alarmed her, fhe turned difdainfully away, and in a tone that pierced him to the heart, bade him pay his attentions where they were more wanted and more welcome, then haftily returned into her chamber, and locked the door.

A long and difinal filence enfued between the parties in the gallery. Fanny remained feated on the couch, her dress disordered, her looks wild, and her attitude that of a Sybil in