it is beyond belief. So my Lady Glassington has got here before me. Well, I never expected that you would have made out arriving here first, for I saw your chair setting out just as I got into my carriage, and I calculated that I had time to make a few calls to Mrs. Fitzhammond, who is just arrived, by the bye, and Miss Frisby, and Lady Dickens, and one or two more places very little out of my road, and yet reach the General's before you; well, to be sure, it is beyond belief! how fast you must have driven !-Have you been yet to the Miss Frisbys? Lady Dickens gives her first dinner party-are you asked ? it will be charming."

"My dear Mrs. Neville, one moment, I beg, rising with a dignified air from her seat and walking up to the General. "I appeal to you, General, whether it is possible to answer all her questions at once?—did you ever hear such a confusion of phrases?-is it, I ask, possible to know what Mrs. Neville would be at ?"

The General bowed, and begged not to be made to give his decision on the present important subject.

"Bless me, my dear Lady Glassington," retorted Mrs. Neville, "what signifies teazing the General about such nonsense, eh? Are we not both come here to wish him joy, and not to dispute about straws. I vow it is quite charming to see what a passion you are in about nothing. Come, come, it is beyond belief, how silly we are! I, for my part, am here for the express purpose of making my congratulations; and I beg, my dear General, that you will believe nobody more sincerely wishes you and yours well than I do. This is quite a proper match."

"It is, indeed," echoed Lady Glassington, 66 as I was saying just now to my Lady Emily. I only hope she may do as well."

"As well, indeed! I hope she may do a great deal better; for though this is a mighty fine affair, and is all as it should be for my Lady Frances, it would not do at all for my Lady Emily."

"There now! Why, General, how can you allow her to run on so? Did you ever hear any thing so extraordinary in your life ?" asked

the again enraged Lady Glassington. "Pray, Mrs. Neville, are Duke's sons and Marquises so very common, and twenty thousand a-year so easily obtained? Your reasons for your extraordinary declarations; your reasons, I pray; for, with the exception of high blood and ancient nobility, there is not one single thing to wish for more in this marriage."

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Really," said Mrs. Neville, who, though she generally enraged her old friend fifty times in the twenty-four hours, and enjoyed seeing her in a passion, never wished it should go too far-" Really, my dear Lady Glassington, I cannot see why you should be in a passion, because I say, that although Lady Frances is about to make an excellent alliance, I yet hope Lady Emily may make a better.”

"Pardon me, Mrs. Neville, that is not what you said; but people who talk as fast as you do, never know what they say.-1 knew what you said: this is what you said- That it was quite a right marriage for my Lady Frances, but would be quite a wrong one for my Lady Emily, that is what you said, Mrs. Neville."

(Here Mrs. Neville raised her hands and eyes.) "Now answer to that point if you please, Mrs. Neville. It appears to me a very dangerous language to hold forth before a young lady.”

And here she began to smooth down her lace handkerchief with a quick motion of her hand.

"Well, to be sure, my Lady Glassington is beyond belief! Nothing less exact than the arithmetical table could ever be precise enough for her; but if you insist upon an elaborate explanation of my meaning, this is what I mean—that Lady Frances may find her happiness in her state and wealth, and coronet of strawberry leaves, without requiring any thing beyond them, save a little homage now and then to her beauty; but Lady Emily had better dig a strawberry-bed in her own garden with the man she loves; nay, better follow him in exile and sorrow, so that she has an object to devote all her tenderness to, than possess the world's wealth and all its glittering pageant, without such an object to live for and to look up to:" saying which, she took

Lady Emily's arm, and walked away into

another room.

"It is a pity," said Lady Glassington, after a moment's pause, in which she looked after her friend with a smile of scorn; and then turning to the General, "It is a pity that Mrs. Neville should have led the strange mixed life of high company, and low company, and much company, and no company, which she has done; for this, together with her eternal reading, has made her a complete oddity, though a good creature in the main; but, General, you never made a worse mistake than when you entrusted Lady Emily to her care. She is quite an unfit person to introduce a young lady into the world—and so I had the honour of telling you some time ago, my dear General."

"Yes, Lady Glassington; and although I was extremely obliged to you for the interest you express about my niece, I ventured to differ with you, because the qualities I particularly value, Mrs. Neville possesses in a very singular degree."