the overflowing tenderness which charm

ed him to the foul.

Geraldine gradually revived. "And "this," faid fhe, " is my father's house? "And thou art Lucy?—And I hear no

reproaches-no bitterly-remembered "warnings.--O kind friends!-O "ftill kinder Providence, thus to follow guilt with bleffings !-But when shall "I fee my father?"

66

It had been previously determined that this awful interview should be delayed till the next morning; and Geraldine at laft reluctantly consented to try to obtain fome repofe. "It has "been," said she, " a stranger to me– "I know not how long.'

Her delirium feemed to return upor going into her apartment. "Be fure," faid fhe," you bar the doors and win"dows, and let fomebody fit up to "guard me."

Early

N 6

Early the next morning fir William altered fo confiderably as to indicate immediate diffolution. His daughter had juft dropped into a broken flumber. Mr. Evans lamented the neceffity of awakening her, but obferved, that as her father was still fenfible, his forgiveness would be a lafting confolation. Prepared by the counfels of this truly Christian paftor, Geraldine fupported herself through the trying fcene with meeknefs, piety, and fortitude. Kneeling by his bed-fide, the felt the preffure of his convulfed hand upon her head, received from his quivering lips the kifs of reconciliation and peace, and watched the last ftruggle of his parting foul, as it winged its flight to join in Heaven thofe benevolent fpirits whom it had imitated on earth. Univerfal dejection accompanied the news of his death, and the tears of a grateful neighbourhood poke his unequivocal eulogium.

CHAP. XLII.

-One false step for ever damns her fame!
In vain with tears the may her lofs deplore?
In vain look back to what he was before;
She fets, like stars that fall, to rife again no more.

ROWE.

THE obfervation of Solon, repeated by
the celebrated Crofus at the most in-
terefting period of his life, that we
never fhould pronounce a man happy
⚫ until we have feen his end,' was
ftrikingly verified in my Heroine's hif-
tory. Her morn of existence rofe with
peculiar fplendour; and even the con-
templative philofopher, who is accuf-
tomed to look beyond the furface, and
to balance hope with experience, when
he confidered the rare advantages of
judicious education, amiable temper,
difcreet

difcreet habits, ample wealth, and exemplary connections, united in the perfon of the lovely Geraldine, must have concluded that no common viciffitude of fortune could demolish this goodly fabric.

The commencement of her married life was, in the opinion of the generality of obfervers, equally aufpicious. United to the man of her heart, her fuperior in rank, and correfponding to herself in fortune, perfonal grace, and natural advantages, what "a pity if aught" had intervened to prevent the Hymeneal bond from infuring the happiness of "this matchlefs pair." The latent spark of vanity, lurking in her bosom, was undescribed; and no one could calculate how long it would be before the careless Monteith would drop the character of a lover. No one afked, where is the firm judgment, the manly tendernefs,

nefs, which should guide and direct this attracting woman through the thorny maze of public life? Every admirer of equipage, vivacity, fplendor, and beauty, pronounced the perpetual happiness of the earl and his bride.

Five years had elapfed fince Powerfcourt-house exhibited the scene of feftivity with which I ufhered in this narrative; and the fun of Geraldine's peace is fet for ever. The fhadows lengthening, as the bright luminary descends, point at last to the tomb. The death of a revered father, full of age and honour, is not of itself an event to cast a fable hue over the fcarcely mature life of a dutiful affectionate daughter; but the circumstances attending fir William Powerscourt's demife were fuch as lady Monteith could never overcome. She felt convinced that he had shortened his existence; and though his parting

fpirit,