ence gradually introduce; but
Age might remember the fentimuratives of
it once felt.

wercourt was

by their unre

The above obfervation, thored their de foundly true in general, is, I in chariots irrelevant to the cafe before ud footmen, William Powerscourt had ex

cries; and

"

confidered equal de

of Mothes ferme

fame opinion of love at the ti treating of, as he had forty fore; and Mrs. Evans was of lar a tafte, and had fo thorou tempt for a "fet of features plexion," that, like Defdemor her husband's " features in 1 for when the felected Mr. E had no perfonal graces to be not only encountered embai cumstances, but difpleafed he by rejecting a rich and hand abandoned admirer.

A few days after the eve in my preceding Chapter

2009

153

; but certainly William's bailiff begged his e fentiments that have to tell him fomething that

happy. It was, that he had

n, though pro a very fine gentle man whi , is, I confels, Mrs. Bridget in Ellis's tem =fore us; for dark hour. The groom, he ad exactly theed to know fomething about

the time I am

ghed, and faid Bridger had

fweetheart; but Roger

Forty years be was of fo fingu

horough a cont, though he knew that

d gentlemen in London

tures and com

emona, the fa

s in his mind other guile kind of body

anked Roger for his fille

1r. Evans, w

to boaft of, head, and obferved that mbarraffed worfe and wore ey Ed her relatio obfervation Roger, who handfome,ge with his matter,cLE

events reliefe communication of ter had tr William had felt a

ecclected that lady Powerscourt was very fond of relating long narratives of refiftlefs beauties, who, by their unrelenting cruelty, had compelled their de fperate lovers to carry them off in chariots and fix, furrounded by armed footmen, maugre all their tears and cries; and though fir William had always confidered these tales to be entitled to an equal degree of credibility with thofe of Mother Goose, his anxiety for Geraldine reminded him, that if lord Monteith had ever happened to hear any of these stories, they might have put fomething in his head which he would not otherwife, have thought of. He determined therefore to inform Henry Powerfcourt of his designs in his favour, and to confign his daughter to a husband's protection fome years fooner than he had intended.

That

That young gentleman paffed the college vacations at Powerscourt, and excited the esteem of every intelligent obferver by his ingenuous diffidence, unaffected gentleness, and a thoufand unequivocal proofs of a generous, grateful heart. His countenance was open, and his features agreeable, though they had no pretenfions to beauty; his figure was naturally good, but he feemed quite at a lofs how to manage it to the best advantage. He was faid to poffefs very refpectable literary talents, but the perpetual raillery of the lively Geraldine against pedants, made him profoundly filent upon topics which he was beft qualified to difcufs. Of the world he was totally ignorant; and he feemed, like his respectable kinfman, to be not very anxious to be initiated into its myfteries. Afraid of being abfurd, he never ventured to trifle; ignorant of

H 6

the

ence gradually introduce; but certainly Age might remember the fentiments that it once felt.

The above obfervation, though profoundly true in general, is, I confefs, irrelevant to the cafe before us; for fir William Powerfcourt had exactly the fame opinion of love at the time I am treating of, as he had forty years before; and Mrs. Evans was of fo fingu lar a tafte, and had fo thorough a contempt for a "fet of features and complexion," that, like Defdemona, she saw her husband's " features in his mind;" for when the felected Mr. Evans, who had no perfonal graces to boaft of, fhe not only encountered embarrassed circumftances, but difpleafed her relations by rejecting a rich and hand fome, but abandoned admirer.

A few days after the events related in my preceding Chapter had taken

place,