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mined to ufe every argument, which could banish the flatterer hope from her bofom.

Bernard returned not to his cottage till Albert had quitted the vil

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friend the impropriety of his forming any union unfanctioned by his family Accept our gratitude," faid Bernard, "for the honour which you intend us; were you lefs dift ifh by rank and fortune, Ilage; when he entered, Emma adfh be proud to call you fon: vanced to meet him, her eyes furEmas only dower is virtue, and charged with tears; fhe prefented her bath is too humble for her to him with a letter, which Albert, rebecome your wife. Never fhall tiring to write for a few moments falfe vanity or fordid intereft be- before he mounted his horse, had tray me to an action at which my ordered his fervant to leave as he confcience would revolt. I will paffed the door. It breathed the ftill be worthy your esteem; and the language of eternal love, and affurchild whom you have honoured with ed her, that, as he quitted her only your love fhall merit, at leaft by to accelerate their union, the might her conduct, the rank to which you foon expect his return to claim her would generously raife her. But promifed hand. Bernard, folding you must meet no more: this is the up the letter when he had read it, ftern decree of unfullied virtue and and putting it in his pocket, thus irreproachable honour. Return to addrefled his trembling daughter, your native country with every who waited filently her fate: Bewith that grateful friendship can ware, my child, how you fuffer your beftow." Albert had liftened in heart to betray your happinefs; trust filent admiration to the words of not to the proteftations of a lover: Emma's venerable father ;-when an inconfiderate vow is more freBernard ceafed to fpeak, he thus quently broken than kept.-You replied: "Could I offer a diadem may be the prefent object of Albert's to your incompara le daughter, the affections: but man, by nature inwould, by accepting it, confer, and conftant, can eafily transfer his not receive the honour. I would heart to fucceffive objects. not have prefumed to folicit her world will, probably, foon efface affections or her hand, could I have you from his remembrance; or admitted a doubt of my father's fhould he even ftill retain his faith approbation of a choice directed by unfhaken, can you flatter yourself reafon and fanctioned by virtue. I that his family will admit into their will renew no more my humble fociety an humble villager, whose fuit till authorjea by him to demand lowly birth they would proudly the hand of Emma. Farewell! my deem unworthy their alliance ? return hither thall be as rapid as the Never fhall my Emma's hand be inpatience of love and hope can united to a husband unfanctioned by render it." Thus feparated the the authority of his parents.-Make, venerable Bernard and the youthful therefore, every effort, my beloved Albert; nor could all the moving child, to conquer a prepoffeffion, rhetoric of the latter, prevail upon fatal in its tendency, and hopeless in the father of imma to permit a its effects. You have never yet departing fcene between the lovers.ceived me: and I have that confiHe wifely thought the impattioned dence in your difcretion, which aieu of Albert might leave an perfuades me you will not deviate impreffion too tender on the heart of from the path of rectitude, nor by Filma, and which, as he forefaw, a clandeftine conduct act unworthy would endanger her peace of mind, of your own fpotlefs character." if indulged; he therefore deter-Emma funk at the feet of her

The

venerable

venerable fire, and embracing his knees, "Never, never," exclaimed fhe, while tears rolled down her pale cheeks," fhall your child wander from the path of honour!You fhall guide and direct all her actions: your counfels fhall fortify the weakness of her heart, and affit her to fabdue every fentiment disapproved by you; and if the cannot immediately forget the confpicuous virtues of her loft Albert, at leaft fhe will humble her ambitious hopes, which had the prefumption to foar above her obfcu, e birth, and afpire to an alliance to which he had no pretenfions, but what the delufive voice of love and Albert awakened in her bofom." Bernard folded her in his arms with all a father's fond delight, and applauded the fentiments which flowed from a heart capable of facrificing every inclination to that duty which the owed him. Emma poffelled a ftrength of mind fuperior to her ears; and though he tried in vain to forget an obj.Et fo tenderly beloved, the fo far reafoned herfelf into a perfuafion that the friends of Albert would never confent to their marriage (without which he was refolutely determined never to accept his hand), that the renounced every idea of being united to him, and banished the feducing hope of beholding him again.

complained of a dizziness in his head, for which he politely requested a glafs of water. Emina arose, and tripping into the houfe, quickly returned with a cryftal draught, which the prefented to him with a native grace that accompanied all her motions. He had, during her fhort abfence, informed himfelf that fhe was the daughter of Bernard, who ferved him as under-bailiff. He accepted the cup from her hand, and while he fwallowed the contents, he drank at the fame time,' from her bewitching eyes, a draught which fpread an irrefiftible po foa through his veins. The baron was indebted to nature for a fine perion, and to art, for that impofing elegance of addrefs, which teldom failed to infinuate his wifh s with fuccefs, when the dominion of a tender paffion tempted him to glofs over his haughty demeanor with difembled condefcenfion. Juft as he was returning the cup to the lovely Emma who stood to receive it, with her looks bent upon the ground, to avoid the fixed gaze of his penetrating eyes, Bernar fuddenly, appeared, and afforded his daughter an opportunity to retire into the cottage.

The good old bailiff accofted his lord with a refpect, which, while it acknowledged his fuperiority as a mafter, was unmixed with that kind Whilft Enima was thus merito- of fervile humility, which demens riously fub itting to the igid laws the dignity of man. He had never of filial duty, fate was haftening to before attracted the notice of the involve her in a fnare more dan-baron, who, forgetting the diftance gerous than that which he had fo which birth and fortune had placed nobly overcome. As the was fpin-between them, recollected only that ning, one fultry day, in a bower of he was the father of Emma, and honey-fuckles, near the gate of might perhaps, afft him in the their little cottage, accompanied by view, which he had formed to corone of her young female neighbours, rupt her virtue. Accofting him the baron de Morenzi paffed by on therefore with kind familiarity, he horfeback, and cafting his eyes on requested that he might take a fun the fair Emma, was fo ftruck with vey of hi. little dwelling, which he her beauty, that he fuddenly ftop-fhould be welcome to exchange for ped, and difmounting, approached one more convenient and comfortthe wicket. Taking off his hat, he able. My lord," replied Ber

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nard, "in this humble dwelling, my infant eyes first opened; and here I would wish to close their aged lids." "But," interrupted the baron, you begin to bow under the weight of years, and ftand in need of reft and indulgence; I fhall feel a true fatisfaction in rendering your latter days happy."" Permit me to affure you," faid Bernard, "that a life of honeft industry and uncorrupted innocence has already in fured to me that happiness in its clofing scene, which an irreproachable confcience only can beftow, but which riches can never give." "You have a daughter, however," interrupted the baron, fmiling, too young to have adopted your ftoical ideas." "I have a daughter," retorted Bernard, "who inherits her mother's virtue, and has been taught by precept and example thote fentiments, which have rendered her too contented in her fituation, to harbour an ambitious wifh in her tofom." The baron reddened at these words; but commanding, fo: his own fecret purposes, the ring indignation of his mind, he condefcendingly bid the venerable Bernard adieu,-faying that he ftill hoped, mature reflection would induce him to accept the favours which he was anxious to confer upon a man, whofe refpectable charafter, and long life of unfullied virtue, claimed a fingular reward.

cendancy over her heart, by awakening, with her gratitude, tenderer fentiments. For this purpose he determined to wear the mask of hypocrify a little longer, and then to attempt, by every art of foft deception, to fecure her affections in his favour. A week elapfed after the baron's vifit at the cottage, without any renewal of his great offers-a circumftance that contributed to difpel thofe fears which had been awakened in the bofom of Bernard, by the interview of the baron with Emma, and his generous profeffions of friendship to himself,-profeffions fo oppofite to the natural ferocity of his temper. Bernard confidered thein no longer in any light, but in that of a temporary incl nation towards humanity and kindnefs, which could have no root in a foil fo barren. He purfued therefore, without further fufpicion, his ufual labours,-taking however the precaution never to leave his daughter without a companion, in his abfence.

One morning, when he had quitted the cottage about an hour, a hafty meflenger from the caftle terrified Emma with an account that her father was taken with a fudden. indifpofition as he pafied the gates; and having been fupported into the houfe by fome of the domeftics who obferved him finking on the ground, the houfekeeper had So faying, he mounted his horfe, thought it proper to fend for his and returned to the caftle, revolv- daughter, who, by being accustoming in his mind every practicable ed perhaps to thefe feizures, knew fcheme for the feduction of the de- beft how to treat them. The tremvoted Emma. He reflected that he bling Emma, alarmed to the utmost never had beheld a female half fo degree at a diforder which had lovely; and as he on no occafion never yet attacked her beloved fahad accustomed himself to coimbat ther, delayed not a moment to folhis inclinations, or fubdue his paf- Iow her conductor; and taking the fions, he refolved to lose no ti me in arm of her friend Agnes, who had accomplishing his defign. The hum- been liftening to her as he was ble fituation of Emma gave him, in reading aloud, proceeded with tothis opinion, an uncontrouled right tering fteps to the caftle, diftant to her fubmiftion; but he was foli- from her humble cottage about a citou, if politble, to gain an af-mile.--When the arrived in the

great

door that led to a library, and which he had no fooner entered, and directed the attention of Emma to a fine portrait of the late marchionefs de Clairville, that hung over the chimney, than the dilappeared.-Emma, for fome moments, was loft in contemplating the angelic countenance of woman, whofe fad fate fhe had hard fo frequently and fo tenderly deplored,-when the was fuddenly roufed from these me

great hall, fhe met with a female of a refpectable appearance, and of an advanced age. She eagerly inquired after her father,and earnestly requefted to be permitted to fee him. The houf-keeper anfwered Emma, with the appearance of much fenfibility, that Bernard was fo perfectly recovered by a cordial which fhe had administered, that he had returned to his daily occupation, ignorant that his illness could have reached his daughter's ears. "Thank hea-lancholy reflection, by the opening ven!" exclaimed the innocent Em- of a glafs door, which led to a coma: "Oh! madam, accept my hum-lonnade filled with exotic plants. It ble gratitude for your kind care, and fuffer one of the domeftics to direct me to the fpot where I may find my dear father; I will watch by his fide during the labours of, the day, or attend him to our cottage, if he will permit me to lead him thither."

"Be no longer anxious, my love ly child," replied the matron: k your father will be here at the hour when the turret-bell fhall call the family to dinner; he promised to meet my lord's steward, to receive fome orders from the baron." The unfufpecting Emma thanked her kind informer, and was deparcing: but, preffed condefcendingly to Continue there till the return of Bernard, and, in the interval, to take a furvey of the apartments in

fhe felt embarrassed by the appearance of the baron, who entered from thence into the library, what were her fenfations, when, on making an immediate attempt to quit it herfelf, fhe found the door of the apartment locked, and beheld the baron de Morenzi at her feet, in an attitude of respectful tenderness !

(To be continued.)

DERWENT PRIORY;

A NOVEL.

In a Series of Letters.

LETTER I.

Lady Laura Mericneth to Mifs Lume

Twickenham, May 9, 179--

OUR letter, my deareft girl, is

You

me from a load of anxiety on your account; for I was very ingeniously, at the moment I received it, tormenting myself by a retrospect of every ill that could poflibly attend you in a journey of two hundred

the castle, in fome of which alterations were making, the confented to wait her father's return. While her obliging guide was leading her into a large faloon, fhe turned round to feek for Agnes, whom, till that inftant, the imagined to have been ftill near her fide. She expreffed fome anxiety at her abfence, to the houfe keeper, who obferved, that her friend had remained in the firft hall, and immediately fent a wo-miles. You are tafe; and I am as man, then descending a ftair-cafe, to escort her to them. Emma in the mean time purfued the steps of her conductress, who having paffed teveral flate apartments, opened a

happy as I can be, after fuftaining the iofs of your fociety. But I muft endeavour to filence my regrets on this occafion; for as the mandate of a parent fummoned you from me,

I thou.d

I fhould be reproaching his authority if I ventured to complain of it. I have the fatisfaction to inform you that my aunt's health is much improved fince our return to this fweet retirement. London never agrees with her; and yet fhe was yesterday almoft inclined to take wing again for it. You will certainly wonder what magnet could be fufficiently powerful to attract her again to that region of fmoke and noife, at this advanced feason of the year. Know, then, by way of preface to my fubject, that Mrs. Maynard yesterday paffed the morning with us; fhe came purposely to inform us that lord and lady Derwent and family were at this time on a vifit at her houfe in London; and preffed, Mrs. Merioneth and my felf to come and join the party, in order to effect a family reconciliation. My aunt, good creature! whofe heart beats in unifon to every pulfe of fociability, was for returning with Mrs. Maynard, and very feriously hoped I would accompany her. I objected, on the ground that fucha vifit might not be agreeable to them. Mrs. Maynard was authorifed to affure me that they were impatient to receive us. My aunt again preffed my compliance.

I hesitated.

Why (faid Mrs. Maynard) does lady Laura oppofe the wishes of her friends?

Becaufe (faid I) I feel a little hereditary diflike to the prefent earl.

I must own (faid my aunt, a little peevishly) I expected a better reafon for your oppofition.

My dear madam, my declining Mrs. Maynard's polite invitation does not in the leaft interfere with your acceptance of it, was my anfwer.

I certainly fhall not go alone, replied Mrs. Merioneth; and what can be your ferious objections to

vifiting the only relations, except myself, that fate has left you?

My dear aunt, you must recollect frequently hearing me exprefs my diflike to the chracter of the prefent carl,-founded, I must own, principally on his unfeeling behaviour at the death of my brother.-A lois fo fatal to the peace, fo deftructive to the health, of my lamented father, fhould have been treated with more refpect by his next heir.

My deareft Laura, (faid my aunt) where is the man who would not exult in the demife of a fickly heir, who stood between him and a title and fortune?

It is very true, (faid I) that there may be others who would have exulted equally under the fame circumfiances: but perhaps they would have had the decency to have kept their joy to themselves.

Come, come. (cried Mrs. Maynard) you think too feriously of paft events ;-let me state the cafe. The late earl loft a puny heir; the prefent ear! ridiculed hi brother's exceffive grief on that occafion, and faid he might mary again, aud have another fon :-fome bufy offcious tale-bearer reported the converfation,-your father refented it, -it created a coldness which ended in di guft, and I am informed it is near twelve years fince you have met--and this, you must confefs, is the most that can be faid of a circumftance which has fo long divided fuch near relations.-Do throw afide your objections, and let me have the pleasure of restoring you to friends who will be charmed with your fociety. However, if you ftill decline vifiting them at my houfe, you furely can have no objection to their viting you at i wickenham.

None in the leaft, faid I: and I think, as the offence originated with lord Derwent, he owes us that com pliment,

Mrs. Maynard agreed to bring

the

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