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of confolation, while Edward, leaning back with his arms folded, and his eyes fixed upon the lovely fufferer, (I fuppofe) more deeply fympathized in her forrow; for the harangues of the comforter were only interrupted by lady Arabella's fobs and fighs, which did not abate in violence, though lady Fitzofborne was diffufe on the folly of grieving for what was fure to happen, and therefore what nobody could prevent. The carriage at length ftopped. Lady Arabella was fupported up stairs, fwallowed more hartshorn, and at length became fufficiently compofed to make inquiries after the particulars of an event of which he had only yet received a general account.

Lady Madelina's first gentlewoman, á Macdonald by an indirect defcent, entered on the fad recital. Nothing could be more capable of being com

preffed

preffed into a fmall compafs; but Mrs. Margaret was eminently gifted with that fpecies of oratory which may be

termed expansion. Her poor dear lady's merits, her poor dear lady's fufferings, the confidence her poor dear lady placed in her faithful fervices, and a firm conviction, that he never fhould furvive her poor dear lady: thefe topics were expatiated upon, till Arabella became a little displeased that any one should take up grief juft at the inftant herself had laid it down. It came out in the course of the narration, that from fome peculiar circumstances lady Monteith had adopted an opinion, that the fpark of life was not actually extinguifhed; but that the fpeedy exertion of proper means might revive the fufpended animation. To this opinion the phyficians, who had been fummoned, lent fome countenance; and the humanity of the

countess

countess prompted her not only to command thefe applications, but by her prefence to prevent the proceedings which are fometimes injudiciously adopted at the first moment of apparent diffolution.

Mrs. Margaret was not only comvinced of the inefficacy of the attempt, but confcientiously believing it to be very prefumptuous, had refused her fervices, with fome little fenfe of indignity at having had them required, and keen fufceptibility at the fuppofition that she could bear to stay in the room where her poor dear lady lay. Arabella joined in her opinion, and the discourse changed from the virtues of Mrs. Margaret and the deceased, to the wickedness of disturbing the dead, and the concern which the affectionate niece now felt, that her dear aunt had none of

her

her own family to attend her in her laft

moments.

The failure of lady Monteith's efforts relieved Arabella from what might more properly be called a vexation than a dis. trefs; and her fofter feelings, freed from difagreeable embarraffments, had leisure to flow in the delicate channels which etiquette prescribes to grief. She mourned for one fortnight in the sweetest manner imaginable, dreffed in a clofe cap with her bouquet ftuck on one fide, her robe loosely faftened, and her arms hanging negligently. All her vifitants agreed, that fhe looked prettier than ever, and Fitzofborne was continually reminded of thofe well-known lines which characterize the fair fex, as defigned to "be adorned by diftrefs," and "dreffed moft amiably in tears."

A

But it was not over the unconscious tomb that this fair flowret drooped. The increased fenfibility of the present age, grown too fragile to encounter the morbid contagion of death, declines all intimate acquaintance with fpectacles of mortality, and deputes hireling hands to perform thofe offices which the fterner fortitude of former times claimed as the peculiar privilege of affection and kindred. My attachment to obfolete manners inclines me to refer the univerfal custom of flying from the bed of death and its melancholy appendages, to fome other caufe than exceffive tenderness. I fufpect the faftidioufnefs of indulgence, accustomed to bask in the funshine of life, and bereft of fufficient energy even to wish to procure a defence against the storm. I difcover the enervating habits of diffipation, the cant of flattery, aud the fophifms of felf-de

lufion.

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