"You have a ftrange apprehenfive"nefs of fingularity, Geraldine. Don't

you remember your father's words, "that there is no fhame in being the only person who acts as the ought "to do ?"

"Suppose then," said her ladyship, "I do not dance at all."

"What! when all the world knows "that you are very fond of dancing? "Is that the way to avoid fingularity? "And why this averfion to my friend? "Cannot you forgive him for offering you fome advice which you was too " careless to attend to ?"

"My dear lord, there has been some little misunderstanding, certainly. I "am far from having any averfion to "Fitzofborne, and as far from being "offended at his giving me any advice. I "do noteven recollect the circumftance." " Q! you

"O! you gave it that turn, do you? "But you understand my present prohibition, I fuppofe, and you will re"member it."

Undoubtedly. And do you re"collect, that depending upon your "accompanying me, I have not formed any party. If poffible, come away "from the house, and join me at "Richmond."

"You are grown a coward, Geral"dine. However I will come, if I can ; "but Fitzosborne is furely a fufficient " guard. Tell Arabella to do that "worthy fellow juftice, or I fhall dif "own her for my fifter."

The vivacity of lady Monteith had received fo fevere a check that fhe could not recover her fpirits during her ride to lady Fillagree's. Fitzosborne discovered her dejection. "I know," faid he, "fuch folicitude is often very " trouble

M 5

"troublesome; yet the fervency of my "friendship will not permit me to fee you difpirited without inquiring into "the cause of your depreffion."

"It is fo wholly feminine," returned fhe," that it is abfolutely undefinable, " and must be set down in the catalogue "of my unacountables, unless I should "give as a reason, what I am very un

willing to admit; I mean, an idea of "my lord's, that fome time or another "I did not treat your good advice with "fufficient deference. Pray, Fitzosborne, "when did you play the moralist; and "when was I fuch a refractory pupil ?" "Ah Monteith! this is one of thy "misconceptions. I will explain the "whole affair, madam, though it is too "ridiculous to merit repetition. You "recollect the night we were together '" at the opera?”

"Perfectly."

"And

"And that in return to fome obferva"tions which I made on the behaviour "of lady Arabella, you said, disappointment had made me fplenetic ?"

" I do."

"Lord Monteith heard your answer "as he entered the box; and he will "perfift in his opinion, that my ex

preffions were pointed at you, as a "reproof for fomething in your manner "to Vernon. I muft excufe him by

faying, that he was a little fluftered. "I followed him to Brookes's, where we foon adjusted--"

"To Brookes's! Does my lord fre" quent Brookes's?

"O you tempter! No; I have too "much honour to reveal fecrets. The "affair was foon explained, I was going

to lay ;-for Monteith really has a very "good heart, which excufes a little "accidental puzzle-patedness."

Geraldine coloured; but her Proteus companion gave her no time to refent. Looking out of the chariot window, he relapsed into fentiment. "See, dear "lady Monteith," faid he, "how the "giddy throng haften to this feftival of " oftentatious vanity. A reflecting "mind, on contemplating this crowd of "carriages, muft feel other fenfations "than those of pleasure. Not to men. "tion the fufferings of thofe noble ani "mals who draw the vehicles of tyrant

man, the fituation of mafter and fer

vant, as exhibited upon the prefent "occafion, is enough to cure the most "obdurate heart of its partiality for "thofe diftinctions of rank which corrupt fociety now exhibits. How re

"

pugnant to the feelings of univerfal "love is that pale emaciated footman, "who, exposed to the inclemency of "the feafons, fufpends the flambeau