she thinks she ought not to be his, on whom her heart is fixed.

A word of comfort on paper, from your honoured hand, I know, madam, would do a great deal towards healing her wounded heart.

I am, madam, with the greatest veneration and respect, Your Ladyship's

Most faithful humble servant,

HORTENSIA BEAUMONT.

Let me add, my good Miss Byron, that the marchioness sent an answer to this letter, expressing the highest obligation and gratitude to Mrs. Beaumont; and enclosed a letter to her daughter, filled with tender and truly motherly consolation; inviting her back to Bologna out of hand, and her amiable friend with her: promising, in the name of her father and brothers, a most indulgent welcome; and assuring her, that every thing should be done that could be done, to make her happy in her own way.

LETTER XXV.

MISS BYRON, TO MISS SELBY.

Wednesday night, March 29.

I ENCLOSE, my Lucy, the doctor's third packet. From its contents you will pity Sir Charles, as well as Clementina; and if you enter impartially into the situation of the family, and allow as much to their zeal for a religion they are satis

fied with, as you will do for Sir Charles's steadiness in his, you will also pity them. They are all good; they are all considerate. A great deal is to be said for them; though much more for Sir Charles, who insisted not upon that change of religion in the lady, which they demanded from him.

How great does he appear in my eyes! A confessor, though not a martyr, one may call him, for his religion and country. How deep was his distress! A mind so delicate as his, and wishing, for the sake of the sex, and the lady and family, as he did, rather to be repulsed by them, than to be obliged himself to decline their intended favour.

You will admire the lady in her sweetly modest behaviour, on his first visit before her mother; but more, for the noble spirit she endeavoured to resume in her conversation with him in the garden.

But how great will he appear in your eyes, in the eyes of my grandmother, and aunt Selby, for that noble apostrophe! But, O my religion and my country! I cannot, 'cannot, renounce you! What can this short life give, what can it promise, to warrant such a sacrifice!'

Yet her conduct, you will find, is not inferior to his; firmly persuaded, as she is, of the truth of her religion; and loving him with an ardor that he had from the first restrained in himself, from hopelessness.

But, to admire her as she deserves, I should transcribe all she says, and his account of her whole behaviour.

O, my dear! who could have acted as Clementina acted!-Not, I fear, your

HARRIET BYRON.

DR. BARTLETT'S THIRD LETTER.

THE next thing you enjoin me in, madam, is,

To give you the particulars of Mr. Grandison's recep tion from the marchioness and her Clementina, on his return to Bologna from Vienna, at the invitation of Signor Jeronymo.

Mr. Grandison was received at his arrival with great tokens of esteem and friendship, by the marquis himself, and by the bishop.

Signor Jeronymo, who still kept his chamber, the introducer being withdrawn, embraced him: and now, said he, is the affair, that I have had so long in view, determined upon. O chevalier! you will be a happy man. Clementina will be yours: you will be Clementina's: and now, indeed, do I embrace my brother-But I detain you not: go to the happy girl: she is with her mother, and both are ready to receive and welcome you. Allow for the gentle spirit: she will not be able to say half she thinks.

Camilla then appeared, to conduct me, says Mr. Grandison, to her ladies, in the marchioness's drawing-room. She whispered me in the passage, Welcome, thrice welceme, best of men! Now will you be rewarded for all your goodness!

I found the marchioness sitting at her toilette, richly dressed, as in ceremony; but without attendants; even Camilla retired, as soon as she had opened the door for

me.

The lovely Clementina stood at the back of her mother's chair. She was elegantly dressed: but her natural me

desty, heightened by a glowing consciousness, that seemed to arise from the occasion, gave her advantages that her richest jewels could not have given her.

The marchioness stood up. I kissed her hand-You are welcome, chevalier, said she. The only man on earth that I could thus welcome, or is fit to be so welcomed! -Clementina, my dear!-turning round, and taking her hand.

The young lady had shrunk back, her complexion varying; now glowing, now pale-Excuse her voice, said the condescending mother; her heart bids you wel

come.

Judge for me, my dear Dr. Bartlett, how I must be affected at this gracious reception: I, who knew not the terms that were to be prescribed to me. Spare me, dear lady, thought I, spare me my conscience, and take all the world's wealth and glory to yourself: I shall be ' rich enough with Clementina.'

The marchioness seated her in her own chair. I approached her but how could I with that grateful ardour, that, but for my doubts, would have sprung to my lips? Modest love, however, was attributed to me; and I had the praise wholly for that which was but partly due to it.

I drew a chair for the marchioness, and, at her command, another for myself: the mother took one hand of her bashful daughter; I presumed to take the other: the amiable lady held down her blushing face, and reproved me not, as she did once before, on the like freedom, for being too free. Her mother asked me questions of an indifferent nature; as of my journey; of the courts I had visited since I left them; when I heard from England; after my father; my sisters: the latter questions in a kind

way, as if she were asking after relations that were to be her own.

What a mixture of pain had I with the favour shewn me, and for the favour shewn me! for I questioned not but a change of religion would be proposed, and insisted on; and I had no doubt in my mind about my own.

After a short conversation the amiable daughter arose; courtesied low to her mother, with dignity to me; and withdrew.

Ah, chevalier! said the marchioness, as soon as she was gone, little did I think, when you left us, that we should so soon see you again; and on the account we see you: but you know how to receive your good fortune with gratitude. Your modesty keeps in countenance our forwardness.

I shall leave, so will my lord, particular objects to be talked of between the bishop and you. You will, if it be not your own fault, have a treasure in Clementina; and a treasure with her. We shall do the same things for her, as if she had married the man we wished her to have when we thought her affections disengaged. You may believe we love our daughter-Else

I applauded their indulgent goodness.

I can have no doubt, Mr. Grandison, that you love Clementina above all women.

[I had never seen the woman, Dr. Bartlett, that I could have loved so well, had I not restrained myself, at first, from the high notion I knew they had of their quality and rank; from considerations of the difference in religion; of the trust and confidence the family placed in me; and by the resolution I had made, as a guard to myself from the