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made her alfo refolve to affume the amiable character of a mediatrix if any contentions should in future arife. Happy in the hope that the fhould ever preferve her avowed pre-eminence in her lord's affections, her forrows feemed to diffipate like a morning mift, and the answered with a smile, that fhe had been wicked enough to be entertained with the eccentricities of the ftrangers, which doubtless proceeded from too recluse a mode of life, and would certainly be worn off by a little commerce with the world. "I have," continued fhe, "enough "to condemn myself for ;-I have been "a petted child, and feeling your ab"fence this evening more than I ought, "Powerscourt returned to my memory. "But do not reprove me. My heart, "Monteith, is formed for ftrong attach"ments. I have preferred you to my "father's house and my early friends;

" yet

yet muft I ever remember that fuch things were,' and 'that they were most "precious.' The young earl gazed at her with the tendereft regard, vowed eternal affection, and for a moment wondered how he came to find out fuch an angel.

But while the amiable Geraldine thus pursued her early defign of fecuring, meliorating, and correcting the heart of her lord, his noble relations were employed in adding a little adventitious fuel to their own native fire. The ftranger was arraigned (but not at the bar of justice or candour), and found guilty of the following offences, which, as they were fupported by pofitive evidence, could not afterwards be difproved: First, fhe must be nobody, notwithstanding Mrs. Archibald Frazer, of Annale, had affirmed that the Powerf courts were a good family; for lady Madelina had detected her in the very af

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of fhaking hands with a fervant; befide, lady Monteith's terrified manner at first feeing her, proved that she had never been in company with a lady of quality before. Secondly, she was no beauty; for fhe was not above the middle fize, and her complexion no better than a brunette her features too had nothing of the Rubens' caft, and were totally diffimilar to all the first-rate toasts in the picture-gallery at Kinloch. Thirdly, The was no wit; for he never tried at a repartee all the evening, and her expref fions were as common as those of a house-maid. This degraded creature being no longer an object of terror to lady Arabella, fhe refolved to try if the could not live upon good terms with her; and lady Madelina obferved, that as the girl feemed good-tempered, and had a large fortune, perhaps her nephew, who was but a thoughtlefs kind of a young man, could not have done much better.

CHAP. XVI.

Goed humour only teaches charms to laft,
Still makes new conquests, and maintains the paft ;
Love raised on beauty will like that decay,
Our hearts may bear its flender chain a day;.
As flow'ry bands in wantonnefs are worn,
A morning's pleafure, and at evening torn;
This binds in ties more easy, yet more strong,
The willing heart, and only holds it long.

РОРЕ.

THE Ceremony of congratulatory cards

now commenced.

It was followed by vifits from thofe ladies who wifhed to form a clofer intimacy, and by the introduction of the bride and lady Arabella at court. The death of fir Simon, though now nearly banished by fubfequent events from the memory of his amiable relic, was ftill too recent to allow of her joining in thefe ceremonies.

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She could, therefore, only hear from lady Arabella, what he would rather have feen, that the bride was completely outdone upon every occafion. The fair narrator's laudable defign of making her aunt happy tempted her to fome fmall exaggerations. The Grecian model of beauty, which the form and face of Geraldine refembled, was more confonant to the public tafte than the round vifage, uniform regularity of features, and auburn locks of the northern beauty. The figure of the latter was indeed more confpicuous, but being lefs correctly. moulded by fashion, it feemed to yield in elegance to the polifhed fymmetry of the ever-graceful countefs. The lily and the rose were rivalled by Arabella's complexion; yet lilies and roles may be bought at Warren's, which by candlelight look almoft as well as nature; but what cofmetic can beflow that "pure

and

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