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This Number is embellished with the following Copper-plates.

1 The MYSTERIOUS ADMONITION.

2 LONDON Fashionable RUSTIC WALKING and HALF DRESS.

3 New and elegant DRAWING for CARD RACKS.

4 New and elegant PATTERN for a SLEEVE.

LONDON:

Printed for G. ROBINSON, No. 25, Paternoster-Row;
Where Favours from Correspondents continue to be received.

***

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

THE continuation of the Elville Family Secrets in our next.

M. Spencer will excuse our giving another title to her piece: we have not room for more Walks.-C. T, will likewise notice this observation.

The contributions of F. T. Pinner, are received, and intended for insertion.

We are much obliged to W. M. T. for his further communications, which shall certainly appear; and very sorry it should be necessary to give the following list of Errata pointed out by him in his Temple of Wealth, inserted in the number for July:-·

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THE

LADY'S MAGAZINE.

FOR SEPTEMBER, 1807.

THE MYSTERIOUS ADMONITION.

A TALE.

(With an elegant Engraving.)

ABOUT the middle of the twelfth century, when the great lords of most of the countries of Europe exercised an unlimited power over their vassals, and were hearly independent of their sovereign, Rodriguez, count of Venasque, possessed large domains, and a strong castle, at the foot of the Pyrences. He was a generous and benevolent chief, and all who lived under his authority revered him for the mildness with which he exercised it, and the readiness with which he heard their complaints; and, if in his power, redressed their grievances, when made known to him. He had been careful to educate his son, Henriquez, in the same principles, aud instil into him an early love of virtue; and his lessons and ex- · ample appeared to have the best effect on the heir to his wealth and power.

When Rodriguez, to the great regret of his affectionate subjects,

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was consigned to the tomb of his forefathers, his son Henriquez succeeded to his ample possessions and authority, and, for some time, appeared to tread carefully in his steps, and to conciliate the esteem of all around him by the strict justice he dispensed, and the goodness of disposition he evinced on various occasions. The daughter of a neighbouring great lord, the Baron de Morillo, had attracted his attention, and appeared to have 'made an impression on his heart. A matrimonial union between them was spoken of; but some disputes arising between the baron and Henriquez, relative to a certain tract of land clained by each, caused it to be deferred till they should be adjusted.

Estella, the daughter of the Ba-ron de Morillo, was beauteous as an angel, and mild and gentle in her manners. While in her company, Henriquez felt the full force of beauty and goodness, and loved

her without reserve; and she, at the same time, felt a rising esteem and regard for him; but, unfortunately for him, the dispute which took place between him and the Baron de Morillo, prevented a union which would have preserved him from the commission of many odious and disgraceful actions.

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The mother of Henriquez survived her lord about a year; and, while she lived, her tender care and excellent advice preserved her son in the paths of virtue; but soon after her decease, wealth and power appeared gradually to corrupt his heart, and debase his ners. He was frequently engaged in scenes of riot and intemperance; and when he had wasted large sums of money in acts of extravagance, he had recourse to mean and oppressive extortions on his vassals to procure a fresh supply, which he again wasted in the same wretched manner. Into these habits of gross dissipation he had been principally led by a lady of dissolute manners, for whom he had conceived a licentious passion, Johanna, the daughter of one of his attendants, though by no means perfect in her personal charms, had gained such an ascendancy over him, that she could lead him into the commission of every folly and vice she chose, and obtain from him whatever she thought proper to ask. The castle became an almost constant scene of revelry and debauchery, and he lost the esteem of all his attendants and vassals, who began to hold his character in the utmost con- . tempt, and even, almost, in detes

tation.

Satiated nearly with the charms of Johanna,. which, in fact, were never very inviting, he chanced to meet with the daughter of a neigh

bouring gentleman who possessed a small independent estate, and instantly conceived a very violent predilection for her. But he did not find her so compliant as Johanna; and the indignant manner in which he was repulsed by Rosalie, only increased the ardour of his irregular passion. The abandoned, but artful Johanna detected the inconstancy of his wavering heart; but, so far from expressing any emotions of jealousy, she professedherself ready to aid him, with her advice and assistance, to obtain the gratification of his vile desires. Various artful schemes were suggested by her to allure and seduce the innocent Rosalie, but all proved unsuccessful; and it was at last resolved, that nothing but force could succeed, and that force should be employed.

Some trusty bravos were therefore secured; who, when it was known that Rosalie would go unaccompanied to a neighbouring town, by a certain lonely path, were to waylay her, seize her, and bring her by force to the castle. They executed their orders punctually; and Rosalie was brought to the castle, and confined in a high tower, at the extremity farthest from the part usually inhabited.

The vile Johanna, and another domestic, were the only persons in the castle who knew that Rosalie had been brought in. Jóhanna immediately hastened to Henriquez, to inform him that his prey was in his power; but, whether his conscience rebuked him, or he could not prevail on himself instantly to determine how to act, it was some time before he could resolve to go to her: at length, however, he went.

He had to pass through a large

gallery in the most gloomy part of the castle; on his arrival at which, a sudden flash of light seemed to illumine all the place, and he beheld before him a tall female figure, holding a dagger, and calling to him, in a hollow voice, Stop.' -He started back, struck with astonishment and dread bordering on horror. My mother!' he exclaimed; and from the grave!' —Stop,' again said the phantom; you go to do a deed which will blast your name for ever, and whelm you in perdition. The dagger of her father will avenge her injured innocence; all shall praise the act, and execration and infamy alone attend thee.-Stop while it is yet time.—The phantom disappeared, all was dark as before; and Henriquez sunk on the floor, and fainted, overpowered with hor

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But not to leave our readers, likewise, too much in the dark, it may be necessary to observe here, what might have been mentioned before, that among the domestics, attendants, and inhabitants of the castle, there was one near relative of Henriquez, his mother's youngest sister, named Elinor; who, amid all his extravagance, would never leave him, but frequently took the liberty to admonish him, and to upbraid him with his infamous conduct. Her advice, however, had always been received either with ridicule or revilings. She had yet never ceased her endeavours to recall him, if possible, to the paths of decorum and virtue. She was much respected by all the domestics; and had at length gained over the confidential servant of the wicked Johanna, to divulge to her some of her mistress's secrets. By her she had been informed of the plans cou

trived against innocent Rosalie, and her having been at last brought by force into the castle. Shocked at the crime her nephew was about to commit, and the disgrace and odium it must bring on himself and his family, she conceived the strange idea, as it certainly must appear, to gain at least some time by acting on the superstition and natural timidity of one who, she was certain, would listen neither to advice nor to reproof. She knew that Henriquez was a firm believer in the appearances of departed spirits, and extremely fearful of what are usually called ghosts. She therefore habited. herself in the robe and veil which had been worn by his mother, and taking a dagger in her hand, with the aid of a lanthorn, produced all the terrific appearance that has been described.

Her plan, however extraordinary, had, as we have seen, all the success she could have promised herself from it; and, in the sequel, its beneficial effects were happily more complete than she could have expected.-Henriquez lay in a state of insensibility till he was taken up by the servants, who carried him to his chamber, and laid him in his bed. When his senses returned, the first person he inquired for was his aunt Elinor, to whom he related the extraordinary vision he had seen. As no person knew the secret, or had received the least intimation of it but Elinor herself, she was in no danger that it should be disclosed; and did all she could to encourage him in the belief that all he had seen was real. The terror he had felt, and the violent agitation of mind he had suffered, produced a severe, and even very dangerous illness; during which

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