vailed upon his young friend to wait patiently for the effect of Mifs Powerfcourt's evident predilection in his fa

Your.

Meantime the "tall long-fided dame" whom Hudibras characterises as a " tattling goffip," having received fome hint of what was really intended, at Powerfcourt-house, blazoned it with all her powers; and, knowing that the intelligence must be particularly interesting at W. park, the put her fwifteft winged emiffaries into motion. Thefe, gentle reader, were not aërial fylphs, or "Iris gliding down her painted bow:" modern profe is feverely restricted from the use of such ornamental machinery. 1 can only introduce a lame dowager of confummate prudence and known candour, who had her old horses driven ten miles through the dirt, to wonder with lady W. that any young lady could reject lord

15

lord Monteith, and accept Henry Powerfcourt, and to reprobate the extravagant demand of eight hundred a-year for pin-money, on which the intended bride had pofitively infifted. Another of Fame's bufy meffengers was a gentleman fox-hunter, a man of extreme caution and undoubted veracity, who affirmed at lord W.'s public dinner, that he had met two barristers and a ferjeant at law riding poft to fir William's that very day. On one of the company observing, that three lawyers confulting upon a fettlement was rather unufual, fquire Western affirmed with an oath, that one of his neighbours told him fir William would have it fo: "These lawyers," faid he, " are fad

quarrelfome fellows, and if two of "them fhould difagree, I will have the "third ready to be umpire; for the "wedding fhall take place next week.”

Nobody

Nobody now could doubt his teftimony, the words were fo very like what fir William would say.

When the gentlemen adjourned to the drawing-room, the busy sprite I have before alluded to had taken poffeffion of that goodly field, and inftigated a lady, at the hazard of engroffing too much of the conversation, to enumerate all the bride's paraphernalia. One part of the company indeed affirmed, that they were told Miss Powerfcourt fecretly dif approved of the match; but three young ladies, influenced by the fame fupernatural agency, protefted that they knew better. They were, they faid, her very intimate friends, and were entrusted by her with the fecret of her attachment to her coufin, which had fubfifted from their earliest years. During these narratives, the countenance of Monteith varied from the crimfon glow of rage to

lligence

Koby now doubt his teftimony,

tends were for very like what fir

Nis would fay

the gentlemen adjourned to g-room, the bufy fprite I have

ded to had taken poffeffion of

feld, and inffigated a lady, of engroffing too much of tion, to enumerate all the hernalia. One part of the eed affirmed, that they Powerfcourt fecretly & match; but three young d by the fame fupernatelted that they knew , they faid, her very and were entrusted by of her attachment to i had fubfifted from 24. During these na!ance of Monteith fun glow of rage to

the

e fimiles

ng face,

Monin the

terms;,

trọng

fufal, plans