Puslapio vaizdai
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may very poffibly be attached to the fplendid titles, large poffeffions, or handsome equipages of a gentleman, when the gentleman himself, confidered apart from ail these appendages, would never strike any body superior to his dairymaid. Would it not be unjust to charge a countess with inconsistency, because the neglected her noble earl, when all the time her heart had been only attracted by the luftre of his coronet? The noble earl's chagrin entirely proceeds from the delufions of self-flattery, which whifpered that his individual felf was the all-potent load-ftone, when in reality the magnetic influence darted from his elegant villa and liberal settlement, or perhaps an enamelled watch and diamond hoop-ring, might form the infatuating talisman. I hope this explanatory rule will be applied to all matches which proceed from the strong attachment of a " difcreet

difcreet young creature" to a "very good fort of a man a few years older than herself." It might preserve many a respectable bachelor from the vexation of disappointment, and prevent the cenforious from fixing the charge of inconsistency upon many a lady's character, who rather deserves admiration for unshaken constancy.-But to return from my digreffion.

Fashion, who in one of her whimsical moments elevated lady Powerscourt into a first-rate toast at Bath, capricioufly denied her in London the eclat to which she now conceived herself entitled. The gloss of novelty was past, and the attraction of the ridiculous was leffened by the appearance of fresh eccentricities in newer characters: She dreffed with greater taste, and her repartees poffeffed fuperior wit and brilliancy; but the

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gazer and the listener no longer announced her triumph.

My matronly friends assure me, that one prime ingredient of marriage felicity is, that you always have a helpmate at hand, to whom you transfer the burden of faults and misfortunes. Lady Powerfcourt could find no other reason for her going out of fashion, than that fir William, not content with his own fingularities, had absolutely prohibited her from dashing in a grand style. No entreaties would prevail upon him to let lord Jehu drive her in his phaeton up the park in a morning, though his ponies were the sweetest little spirited creatures in the world, and the ride would be of infinite service to her health and spirits. Her head was nine inches lower than any body's at the opera, and though most ladies wore fruit and vegetables by way of aigrette, and lady Morgan sported sported a beautiful bunch of amethyst grapes with a little gold chaffinch peck. ing at them, the herself must wear nothing but plain riband and blond. She might not even play for gold; nay, fir William was so puritanic, and fuch an enemy to a little harmless mirth, that she was forced to be as cautious in avoiding a double entendre or a witticism upon prieftcraft, as if the were wife to the Archbishop of Canterbury. What woman of spirit could brook such restrictions? If she must be moped up, better return and rufticate at Powerf court, than fit like Tantalus within reach of the defired enjoyment which she was not permitted to share. She hinted to her husband something like a wish to do so in a moment of moody difcontent, occafioned by his peremptory declaration that she should not go to a 'masquerade, though the ticket was procured,

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cured, the dress bespoke, and the party formed for the happy occafion. He for once cordially acquiefced in her wishes, by declaring, that it was the very plan he meant to propose. "I am fure, my "dear," faid he, your health has

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" been greatly injured by living in this " smoky unwholefome place; and the " late hours and constant racketing have " worn your poor nerves all to pieces. "You have quite lost your colour, and " are not half so cheerful as you used " to be when galloping over the Welsh " mountains; but a little good country " air will foon fet all to rights again; " and so take leave of your friends; for, "since you wish it, I am determined to "fet off for Powerscourt on Monday " morning."

The general tenor of fir William Powerscourt's character was yielding philanthropy, but he could at times assume a

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