numerous acquaintance were anxious to be introduced to a lady of whofe beauty and accomplishments they heard fo much. To her ladyship's intimation that they muft set off immediately, fir William replied, that it certainly was impoffible; there were more than fifty workmen employed in embellifhing the house and gardens: but the provident forecast of lady Powerscourt had provided an unanswerable refutation of this objection. She had engaged a moft capital improver to come down, and find out all the capabilities which the house and local fcenery poffeffed. Sir William might rely implicitly upon the tafte and judgment of this gentleman, who had given fatisfaction to most of the nobility and gentry in the kingdom, by exercifing what might almost be called the magic power of turning every place into fomething exactly oppofite to what it was before. before. The family archives intimate that fir William was more alarmed than delighted at this information; and it is fuppofed that the journey to Bath would have been deferred till after Mr. Outline had finished Powerscourt, if my lady had not been taken ill with a violent ftomach diforder the next morning, for which the phyficians could find no remedy but an immediate ufe of those falubrious waters which King Bladud fortunately discovered, to the unspeakable advantage of all tender husbands and indulgent fathers. CHAP. IV. There Affectation with a fickly mien THE speedy abatement of lady Powerf court's complaint announced the wisdom of the prefcription; but he was a long time extremely languid, out of spirits, and too nervous to bear the fatigue of returning home to the "flaky fnow” and" warping wind," that were concomitant to the mountains furrounding Powerfcourt. In proof that her cafe required a warmer fituation, the very propofal of leaving Bath brought on a relapfe, and the extreme delicacy of her health would not even fuffer her to spare fir William just to take a little peep to fee how Mr. Outline went on with his extenfive projects. Profound politicians are generally believed to have a real as well as an oftenfible reason for their actions; and though her lady ship pleaded, that if he did go fhe might probably expire without having his dear hand to close her eyes, it is fufpected, that, like a good wife, fhe wished to keep bis from witneffing scenes which might irritate a more profeffed ftoic. Convinced that Mr. Outline's tafte would appear to confummate advantage if no impediments obftructed his defigns, fhe dragged fir William every night to the rooms or the theatre, places she was abfolutely obliged to attend, in order to prevent the low fever which attacked her every evening that she was perfuaded to pass at home. In a little time the penfive languor of lady Powerscourt's countenance, unfortunately tunately mistaken for the gloom of difcontent, and the fingular manners of her conftant attendant, excited general observation; and the report that fhe was a pretty young creature facrificed by her mercenary parents to a rich, foolish, jealous, old inamorato, gave an eclat to her character, which neither conftant indifpofition, nor the moft fcrupulous attention to the variations of drefs would otherwise have excited. Ladies of the first confequence invited her to their whift parties; her box at the play attracted the most elegant beaux. The former found that fhe loft money with the best grace imaginable, and the latter discovered that he had an infinitude of wit. That merciless complaint ennui, which all fir William's long hiftories and ftill longer arguments had rather increased than diminished, fled at the first touch of the fafcinating wand of |