"dear infant along with her, and I fhall "have two pleasures inftead of one.'

"Excellent man! He has laid a fcheme, he fays, to make us all happy "together. He infifts that my father " and I fhall live with you at the manor"houfe during the time of your ex

pected vifit. He fays, he can divert "Mr. Evans with a hit at backgammon; "and that it will do my fpirits good to "have a great deal of chat with you. "Don't be fo caft down, my dear god"daughter,' he continued, we are all "mortal you know; and your good mo"ther is now much happier than it was " even in your power to make her.'

"I know you love to hear your "father's words repeated with all their "genuine benevolence and fimplicity. "He has truly fulfilled the precept of frequenting the houfe of mourning., "Scarcely a day has paffed without his " vifiting

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vifiting us, and his kind folicitude has been attended with confiderable advantage. It is impoffible to con"verse with him without feeling a por-. "tion of his tranquil spirit diffused into re our own bofoms.

"Adieu, dear ladyMonteith!-How "I long to fee you in your matronly "character, to fold your little babe in "my arms, and in the contemplation "of your deserved felicity to lofe for a "time the recollection of my own irre"mediable forrows!"

Lady Monteith's recovery was rapid, and fhe was foon able to introduce the young nursery to the eager expectants at Powerscourt. Her lord, though exceffively anxious for her fafe journey, and doatingly fond of his little moppet, would not accompany them. Business of the greatest importance prevented him; his engagements at fifhing parties, bowling

VOL, II.

D

bowling meetings, and cricket matches,' were fo numerous, that it was abfolutely impoffible to break them. "Take "the greatest care of yourself, therefore, .66 my dear Geraldine, till I can come "and take care of you. You may de"pend upon it, that I fhall fet off to "fee your father act the old courtier> "of the Queen's, the first moment I am "difengaged, for I cannot long be happy "without you. By-the-bye, I think your father unreasonable in infifting upon having so much of your com"pany."

I pass by fir William's rapturous reception of his daughter, the unaffected transport of the countess, and the tears of mingled pain and pleasure which stole filently down Lucy's faded cheek. I fhall not dwell upon the unaffected dignity with which Mr. Evans ftrove. to prevent his forrows from cafting a gloom

gloom over the general joy, nor the repeated marks of grateful veneration and affection which lady Monteith paid to the memory of her deceafed friend. We will fuppofe that, holding by her Lucy's arm, fhe vifited the fpot which contained the facred remains of her loft monitrefs; that fhe liftened to the interefting narrative of her fickness and: death, and, mingling her own tears with thofe of her amiable companion, repeated the remembered precepts of the guardian of her youth, and enjoined upon herself the imitation of her virtues. The reader will recollect, that to these duties lady Monteith had added an additional bond-a promise given to the deceased, "that if her friendship could "avail, her Lucy would never be un64 happy."

It will also be remembered, that Mr. Powerscourt frequently wrote to his coufin,

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coufin, and that lord Monteith was invited to overlook the correfpondence. He fincerely wifhed Henry well; he would rather not have his wife make any man miferable; and when he contrafted his own character with the refinement and intelligence visible in his. rival's letters, he felt a little awkward, and inclined to think that her coufin's: tafte was more congenial to lady Mon-. teith's than his own. All these reafons made him very defirous that Henry fhould break Cupid's fetters; but fince he was confident that he was a very honest fellow, and that nobody could doubt his wife's propriety, he was an-, xious to escape the trouble of reading. the correspondence; for Henry's letters were generally very long, and chiefly about places which he had vifited in his travels; befide, lord Monteith was always terribly incommoded by want of leifure. The countefs was therefore

left