tafte for decoration feemed to have annihilated its primary intention; for the multitude of bufts, models, and statues, left no space for books. Sir William continued his moralifing tour through the rest of the state apartments, which might be truly faid "to keep the promise to the eye, and break it to the fenfe," and concluded his journey in the great hall, where, as he fought in vain for the long oaken tables and forms which used to adminifter to the regalement of his tenants at Christmas and other feasons of periodical feftivity, her ladyship reminded him, how charmingly it was now appropriated to the purpose of a ball-room or a theatre. She directed his attention to a light gallery at the upper end, defigned for an orchestra,. and beautifully decorated; but this elegant embellishment was not in a ftate to bear infpection, it having broken down

with old Morgan the blind harper, who had exhibited in it the preceding evening juft by way of hanfel, he said, while the houfemaids and gardeners were footing it a little below for recreation, because his Honor was coming home again.

Sir William left my lady to construct ways and means for fupporting the tottering edifice, and, with a deep figh and a fecret murmur against new-fangled trumpery, proceeded to examine the out-door scenes. The taste of Mr. Outline for objects had induced him to remove several useful edifices to inconvenient fituations, while he occupied their places with erections of no form nor likelihood, which continually drew from the impatient baronet the exclamations of "What is this for?" and "What does this mean?" The ftews were all drained, and their places occupied by the ruins of a naval amphithea

tre, while the stream that fupplied them was taught to hop from pebble to pebble in diminutive imitation of old Conway's foaming flood, which roared, in proud magnificence, at a little diftance. The windmill had given way to a temple dedicated to Æolus; and the pigeon-house was fucceeded by an aviary of foreign birds, none of which, in fir William's opinion, were fo beautiful as the goldfinch, or fung like the nightingale. As walls were unpicturefque, they, and the fruit-trees which they fupported, were every where metamorphofed into haha's! A fine grove of oaks, which screened the house from the north winds, was cut. down to admit the profpect of a bleak mountain; and the place of the hardy foresters was occupied by the tender magnolio and frail acacia; at least by their remains, for the beautiful exotics had been already killed by the frofts, or

broken

broken by vernal ftorms. In fhort, to adopt the owner's defcription of the house and gardens, "The former was "very tafty and very inconvenient; and in the latter there was nothing that you wanted; but there were ruins and heathen gods in abundance."

Sir William's difguft did not prevent lady Powerscourt from exhibiting herfelf to infinite advantage in the office of Ciceroni, and fhe continued to point out the beauties of the new improvements, till her neighbours had exhaufted every topic of aduiation, and her own tongue grew weary of the pleafing tale. It is fuggefted, that the inconveniences I have enumerated afterwards ftruck her more forcibly than any one else; and that her reafon for hating Powerscourt was, that no human creature could be well or comfortable in fuch a cold' dreary wilderness fort of a place. Nor

did her fplendid attire afford a more permanent fatisfaction: in fome articles of dress she was anticipated, in others outshone ; and none excited astonishment after their first exhibition. Alas! if happiness be not feated in the mind, even the gratification of our wishes will not enfure its poffeffion.

A few months after her ladyfhip's return to Powerfcourt, my Heroine first faw the light; and though fir William had rather it had been a boy, he received the little stranger with all the enthusiaftic joy of the fondeft parental tendernefs. He thought the winning ways of the dear little cherub muft communicate that happiness to the maternal bosom, which fomehow or other (a favourite expreffion of fir William's) it had hitherto failed to experience. But while the exuberance of his own joy was difplaying itfelf in the ufual ftyle of overflowing be

nevolence