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made ready forgiveness almost outstep offence. He mounted his horfe, and rode to Llangollen. On the road he meditated not on the faults of lady Powerfcourt, for perhaps his imagination was afraid of venturing into fuch an ample field, but on the speedieft means of alleviating the evils which her neglect had caused. Having heard an excellent character of the Evans's from fome neighbouring gentlemen, he haftened to the cottage which fheltered modeft worth. He found the wife engaged in the humble offices of domeftic business, while the husband was rocking a little baby to fleep, and penning his Sunday difcourfe. However inelegant these occupations might be, fir William Powerfcourt fancied that they both looked like very fenfible people, and very good Chriftians.

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The business of introduction was foon adjusted. Poverty had enfeebled but not extinguished the light of lettered fcience and polifhed manners which formerly irradiated the Evans's, and benevolence had entirely banished all ceremonious referve from their refpectable gueft. He informed Mrs. Evans that he had a little girl as pretty as that which lay asleep in the cradle, but that her poor coufin, lady Powerfcourt, had fcarcely enjoyed a day's health fince it was born. At the mention of lady Powerscourt a deep blush fuffufed Mrs. Evans's face, which, though it in reality proceeded from her anxiety to know the effect of a letter which fhe had fecretly dispatched without her husband's confent, and contrary to his known opinion, fir William miftook for the glow of refentment, and very much disliking to fee any body angry, he attempted a con

ciliatory

ciliatory explanation of his wife's canduct. His defence, indeed, amounted to little more than that, when people were much engaged either by pleasure or pain, they were very apt only to think of themselves: yet so powerful was his rhetoric, that the burning blushes on Mrs. Evans's cheek were foon quenched by a flood of tears; and though fir William was not absolutely unacquainted with tears of anger and difdain, he was convinced that these were of a milder quality. Mrs. Evans's grief was accompanied by the liveliest expreffions of regret for lady Powerfcourt's fufferings, and the most anxious wifhes for her recovery, Sir William's eyes fhone with kindred fenfibility, he drew his chair clofer to the fire, preffed her hand with the freedom of long intimacy, and cheerfully partook of the homely fare with which the hof

pitality

pitality of Mr. Evans had covered the little deal table.

He then took occafion to ask the particulars of their fituation, and soon found that it was penurious in the extreme. Every refource had been tried, every friend applied to; but refources are not inexhaustible, and even friends do not always anfwer the calls of indigence with prompt relief. The favour which had been folicited of lady Powerscourt was only her recommendation to a neighbouring clergyman, who allowed his curates the fplendid ftipend of fifty pounds per annum. This circumstance, unintentionally discovered, drew from fir William a deep figh, and the exclamation of, "Well, I could not " think that poffible!"

The little girl now awoke, and the good baronet, who was become a great

con

connoiffeur in nursery transactions, feemed much attracted by its infantine charms. Finding that the difficulty of procuring fponfors had hitherto caufed the chriftening ceremony to be delayed, he offered himself to undertake the office, adding a few words expreffive of his fense of its folemn importance; and having prefented the mother with what he called his usual offering on fuch occafions, a bank-note of fifty pounds, he took leave of the enraptured pair with many kind affurances that they should foon hear of him again.

Providence feemed to affift fir William's generous refolution of making ample provifion for oppreffed merit. His domeftic chaplain, on receiving the presentation to a valuable prebend, with noble moderation vacated the living of Powerscourt, worth near four hundred pounds per annum. The character and

abilities

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