and eloquent blood" which fpoke in Geraldine's face, and might almost justify the opinion of the poet, " that her body thought?"

If from their perfons the obferver reverted to the dress and manners of the fifter beauties, the palm indifputably belonged to the counters. In her felection of ornament the correctness of her tafte led her to reject what was exuberant and fuperfluous; and by ftudying fuitableness rather than splendor, The ever appeared with the graceful propriety of a woman of fashion: while lady Arabella was loft in the maze of taffels and flounces. The terms upon which fir William Powerfcourt lived with his neighbours were not calculated to infpire his daughter's mind with any ideas of inherent fuperiority, farther than what her own merit juftified. His family pride was not of a hoftilé character.

N 4

racter. It rather taught him to respect himself, than to defpife others. Educated in the fpirit of benevolence and univerfal good-will, if any indications of Jatent vanity fometimes appeared to check the nobler growth of Geraldine's foul, Mrs. Evans was ever at hand to eradicate the pernicious weed. The internal principle thus fecured, her native good fenfe and obfervation taught her to copy the exterior of politenefs from the best models which her fituation afforded; and on her entrance into the first circles, fhe only appeared to want a little familiarity with peculiar customs, to realize in its fulleft perfection the character of a well-bred woman.

On the contrary, lady Arabella's conftant attempts to fhine announced

Hau

the effort, and miffed the effect. teur could not command refpect from those who, equal or fuperior in rank,

allowed

allowed nothing to the claims of a longer pedigree. Confeffedly inferior to most young ladies of her own station in acquired graces, the mere attraction of beauty, though foon felt, was as foon forgotten. The flippant obfervation and fevere farcasm, which at Kinloch-castle paffed for eloquence and wit, could not, endure the test of more competent judges, who cannot relifh a fneer unless recommended by fome other quality than mere malignity. When to these confiderations is added the reflection, that the world is generally more inclined to approve those who folicit their favour than those who command their attention, it will not be wondered at, that general opinion loudly proclaimed lady Monteith a very charming woman; and that if ever the filence of polite referve was interrupted by repeated inquiries of "What do you think of lady Arabella N 5 "Mac.

"Macdonald ?" the most candid answer generally received was, " Nothing very "ftriking."

The Philofopher who attempts to describe the fecret powers of nature will not expect to trace the footsteps of the fovereign queen "in crowded cities" or" the bufy haunts of men," but in the fequeftered glen or uncultivated mountain. The Moralift who, by a description of the human character, wishes to correct the failings of the human heart, will not place his fphere of obfervation in thofe fcenes where fashionprescribes a genteel uniformity of manners. The crowded rout, where every body is well-bred; the drawing-room, where every body is well dreffed; the public breakfast, where every body is lively; and the opera, where every body is in ecftacies, may prove an author's intimacy with the great world; but, however

however the reader may be dazzled by the glare of finery, the mind commonly complains of meagre entertainment. A few general obfervations will fuffice to describe the first month of lady Monteith's acquaintance with fashionable life, She trod the giddy maze of diffipation with firm but graceful step. The voice of flattery, though foothing to her ear, excited no dangerous emotion. Her character retained its primitive virtues, her heart remained faithful to the im preffion which was now confecrated by indelible ties, and her judgment continued to prefer the mild luftre of connubial happiness to all the glare of fashion, and all the fafcination of pleafure.

The earl of Monteith ftill continued to think his Geraldine the most perfect of all human beings, and himself the moft fortunate man in the world. It N 6

was