peated by every vifitor, certainly vibrated on the ear of the fair Geraldine with a pleafing found. She confidered the abfurdity of the expreffion to be entirely chargeable on the relater, but that the fentiment was undoubtedly his lordship's. She only answered by the words, "How ridiculous! How infinitely abfurd!" but she blushed and fmiled while fhe reproved, and made no effort to change the conversation to a more fenfible fubject. Every body obferved that fhe fighed frequently, talked lefs, and could remember none but plaintive tunes. The lovely pair were therefore certainly mutually fmitten; and it was earneftly hoped that fir William would not waywardly attempt to interdi&t their unioɲ. A month elapfed, yet the enamoured fwain had neither flung himself at the feet of his dulcinea, nor taken any other ftep to fecure the prize upon which his whole whole earthly happiness depended. This delay, though it coft the lady a little chagrin, was yet upon the whole beneficial to his lordship's caufe. She had time to reflect upon all he had faid, and all he had looked at their former interviews; and though her own knowledge of his character was limited to the obfervation of uncommon elegance of figure, and a gentlemanlike addrefs, the whole world (I mean that part of it with which Mifs Powerscourt was acquainted) protested that he was a most amiable and accomplished nobleman. These vague indefinite terms may be compared to the outline which travellers frequently prefent of newly-discovered countries, leaving space for fucceeding adventurers to embellish the chart by placing rivers, bays, and mountains, where they fuppose they may be found. Mifs Powerf court exercifed all her inventive powers to to fill up the sketch of lord Monteith's character. She marshalled all the virtues and agreeable qualities, and placed them in the propereft ftations. Wit was supported by taste and learning, generofity was circumfcribed by prudence, and heroism was tempered by the most melting fenfibility. In fine, the portrait was enchanting, but the likeness was ideal; the fair defigner, however, like Pygmalion, became deeply enamoured with the creature of her own imagination. CHAP. VIII. O, ten times fafter Venus' pigeons fly To feal love's bonds new made, than they are wont O Love, be moderate, allay thy ecftacy; In measure rain thy joy, fcant this excess : SHAKESPEARE, LORD MONTEITH was quite a Benedict, and had determined not to encumber himself with a wife, unless he found it impoffible to be happy without one. He haftened from the rural shade and moping folitude, which, if not the mother, is certainly the nurfe of Love. He plunged into the diffipation of London, vifited the court, the opera, the pantheon masquerades; but the lovely form of the Cambrian enchantress pursued him to every retreat. Nay, even at the the gaming-table, when hundreds were depending upon the odd trick, fhe rofe to his view in all the fplendor of her ball-room ornaments; bending her waving plumes, she gently ftruck him with her magic fan, and, begging him to be attentive to the delightful dance which was just begun, made him lofe the game. If my limited observation of the male character may be trufted, the difference of foul in the two fexes is no where more plainly seen than in their manner of encountering vexation. A lady in lord Monteith's circumftances, upon finding her heart irrecoverably loft, would have devoted her time to woods and groves, and, only breathing her paffion to fome dear confidante, would have found a luxurious indulgence in complaining of her ruthlefs ftars; but his lordship, when he discovered that even cards |