"from Government, why fhould not << my friends reap fome advantage from "the fatigue which I endure in the fer"vice of my country? Do you think "that they dare refufe me, Geraldine, "when they know how much I am "courted by oppofition?" He concluded by obferving, that Edward's talents would do honour to any administration. His appearing in a confpicuous line would alfo mortify Arabella, and convince her that the ought to have refpected her brother's deeper knowledge of manners and characters, and not have difmiffed a lover who was infinitely too good for her.

CHAP. XXXI.

Meanwhile, by Pleafure's fophiftry allur'd,
From the bright fun, and living breeze ye stray :
And, far in London's gloomy haunts immur'd,
Brood o'er your fortune's, freedom's, health's decay;
O blind of choice, and to yourselves untrue!

The young grove fhoots, their bloom the fields renew,
The manfion afks its lord, the fwains their friend;
While he does riot's orgies haply share,

Or tempt the gamester's dark destroying fnare,
Or to fome courtly shrine with lavish incense bend.
AKENSIDI.

WHILE the earl of Monteith, with all
the blunt fincerity of his ardent cha-
racter, pursued his friendly but unfuc
cessful defign of ferving Fitzofborne,
the polite circles were very merry at his
lordship's expence, every one wonder-
ing that he could not fee what was fo
extremely visible to every body else.

VOL. II.

As

As lady Monteith had by retirement fubdued the acrimony of competition, even the candour of her rivals returned, and the tide of popular opinion grew fill ftronger in her favour. Large allowances were made for a little vanity and a little indifcretion. Moft people fincerely believed that, after all, her marked predilection for Fitzofborne was nothing more than a harmless flirtation, perhaps entered into out of frolic, or with a view to mortify Arabella. Thefe delicate extenuations were generally concluded by a laugh at his lordfhip's ftaying in town to vindicate her character, and a fear, that such uncommon good-humour on his part might encourage her to go greater lengths in her mirth than fhe at first intended.

The annihilation of domeftic happiness opening the faireft views for Fitzofborne's fuccefs, he determined to employ every

engine for its deftruction. The guarded honour of Geraldine had hitherto rejected his infinuations to the difadvantage of her lord with the warmth of confirmed affection, and the indignation which a confcioufnefs of the infeparable union between his reputation and her own must inspire. But various inftances had convinced him, that this "God of her idolatry" was vulnerable in a thousand points; eafily deceived, eafily feduced, foon irritated, and as quickly pacified. The prefence of the countess, her fuperior judgment, and the respect for the decencies of life which his ftrong attachment to her had infpired, had hitherto preferved him from any grofs acts of immorality, and given a decorum to his conduct which juftified the confidence fhe always placed in his behaviour. Fitzofborne too plainly faw that there was no innate principle to preferve

Q 2

preferve Monteith in the hour of temptation, when his guardian, angel was abfent from her charge. Thofe temptations he refolved to fupply; he doubted not his own ability to environ him with fnares, from which even a firmer virtue would find it difficult to escape; and yet at the fame time to conceal his infidious interference, and to cover his machinations with the proftituted names of friendship, fentiment, and morality. Though lady Monteith's enlarged understanding had fufficient difcernment to discover calumny, and to treat unfounded fufpicions with contempt, could the refift the evidence of truth? or could her feeling heart fupport that cruel indifference which a diffipated husband always affes to fhow to the amiable wife whom he injures by his vices? Her ftrong fufceptibility at every circumftance which threatened the dimi