"Poffibly he may mean well," obferved Miss Evans, after having, with marked attention, twice read Fitzofborne's letter. Surprized at a fuggeftion which feemed 'deficient of her ufual candour, lady Monteith replied, that' the integrity could not be doubtful' which spoke by the most noble actions. "What," said fhe, "but difinterested "virtue could thus direct his unwearied' "affiduity to attempt the reftoration of my domeftic happiness?"

"There is a mystery in this bufi"nefs," continued Lucy, "which I "cannot penetrate. It is to me astonish"ing, that lord Monteith, after having "been several years your happy huf

band, fhould, unfolicited and felf« feduced, abandon you for a woman, "whose weak pretenfions to his notice "muft arise from fome faint tranfcript "of that intelligent beauty which ani

"mates your countenance, or some " contemptible imitation of the playful "wit which irradiates your conver"fation."

"My dear fecluded friend," replied the countefs," knows nothing of the "corrupt manners of the world; of "the eclat which general opinion at"taches to novelty, of the celebrity "which is oftener fhared by eccentri« city and a bold defiance of decorum, " than awarded to real desert."

"True," faid Lucy;" happily both "for my temper and my heart, I am "ignorant of the manners you describe. "But how could lord Monteith fee "this Mrs. Harley? A woman of her defcription must be a ftranger to the parties he would frequent: I mean, "while he continued unfeduced by the "allurements of vice."

Lady'

Lady Monteith obferved, that though women of character never vifited courtezans; yet unless they were very low, or very audacious, the latter always appeared in public places; and if a certain degree of fashion was annexed to them, either on account of their own wit and elegance, or for the rank or talents of their admirers, gentlemen felt themselves not difgraced by being feen in their parties. It was, therefore, very poffible for her lord to fee Mrs. Harley fufficiently to be allured by her perfon and converfation, without his frequenting any scenes unbecoming his rank or injurious to his reputation.

Lucy fighed at the relaxed manners which feemed to usher in the triumphs of relaxed principles. But her fufpicions of fome nefarious proceedings on the part of Fitzofborne were not yet entirely removed. "I must then,"

faid he, " fuppofe my lord quite

changed; but ftill I know you are "the fame. Your feeling heart will "not allow you to estimate the degree of "regard which you should bear to the "husband of your youth and the father "of your children by the cold plea of de"fert. Your forgiveness would outstep "his folicitations; and every time you

fpoke or wrote to him, the fentiments "of your full-fraught heart would give "a dignified tenderness to your expref"fions remote from reproach, and bet ster calculated to awaken compunction. "How came it, my love, that this fuffering gentleness, exerted at Powerf "court, or the affectionate letters that

you have written to him fince you "have been here, have had no effect; "but that the mighty good fhould at length be accomplished by the fkilful " contrivance and artful interpofition

" of

"of Mr. Fitzofborne? Has he a greater "influence over your hufband than you could acquire? You, who are fo "much interested to exert the refiftlefs power of your many invincible "charms! How diffimilar muft lord "Monteith's character be from what it <appears

Geraldine pleaded, that people are differently difpofed at different times; and that fimilar actions and fentiments frequently fail of producing correfpond ent effects; and fhe accounted for the inefficacy of her pen by awning, that she had only written ihort and in fome fort formal letters to her lord fince her return to Scotland. "No longer able,' faid he, to pour forth my whole "heart, I was glad of fome extraneous " fubject which would occupy the vacant "page." " And

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