"I will never return to it, my dear Lady Jane,* cried I, throwing myself into her arms.

mean that I will never return to town.

'I do not

My duty

to my Lord requires me to be where he is, or where he wishes me to be. My residence will be the same, but my society will be changed.'

"You please me entirely,' replied she. In resorting to religion, take care that you do not dishonour it. Never plead your piety to God as an apology for your neglect of the relative duties. If the one is soundly adopted, the others will be correctly performed. There are those who would delight to throw such a stigma on real Christianity, as to be able to report that it had extinguished your affections, and soured your temper. Disappoint them, my sweet niece; while you serve your Maker more fervently, you must be still more patient with your husband. But while you bear with his faults, take care you do not connive at them. If you are in earnest, you must expect some trials. He who prepares these trials for you, will support you under them, will carry you through them, will make them instruments of his glory, and of your own eternal happiness.'

·

"Lord Melbury's complaisance to my wishes,' replied I, has been unbounded. As he never controlled my actions, when they required control, I trust he will be equally indulgent now they will be less censurable. Alas! we have too little interfered with each other's concerns-we have lived too much asunder-who knows but I may recal him? My tears would not let me go on-nor will they now,' added she, wiping her fine eyes.

"Sir John and I were too much touched to attempt to answer her: at length she proceeded.

"By adhering to Lady Jane's directions, I have begun to get acquainted with my own heart. Little did I suspect the evil that was in it. Yet I am led to believe that the incessant whirl in which I have lived, my total want of leisure for reflection, my excessive vanity, and complete inconsiderateness, are of themselves causes adequate to any effects which the grossest vices would have produced.

"Last week my Lord made us a visit at the Castle. I gave him a warm reception; but he seemed rather surprised at the cold one which I gave to a large cargo of new French novels and German plays, which he had been so good as to bring me. I did not venture to tell him that I had changed my course of study. Lady Jane charged me to avoid giving him the least disgust by any unusual gravity in my looks, or severity in my conversation. Iexerted myself to such good purpose, that he declared he wanted neither cards nor company. I tried to let him see, by my change of habits, rather than by dry documents, or cold remonstrances, the alteration which had taken place in my sentiments. He was pleased to see me blooming and cheerful. We walked together, we read together; we became lovers and companions. He told Lady Jane he never saw me so pleasant. He did not know I was so agreeable a woman, and was glad he had had this opportunity of getting acquainted with me. As he has great expectations from her, he was delighted at the friendship which subsisted between us.

"He brought us up to town. As it was now empty, the terrors of the masquerade no longer hung over me, and I cheerfully complied with his wishes. I drove immediately to Mrs. Stokes's with such a portion of my debt, as my retirement had enabled me to save. I feasted all the way on the joy I should have in surprising her with this two hundred pounds. How severe, but how just was my punishment, when on knocking at the door, I found she had been dead these two months! No one could tell what was become of her daughter. This shock operated almost as powerfully on my feelings as the first had done. But if it augmented my self-reproach, it confirmed my good resolutions. My present concern is how to discover the sweet girl whom, alas, I have helped to deprive of both her parents.'

"Here I interrupted her," continued Lady Belfield, saying, "You have not far to seek, Fanny Stokes is in this house. She is appointed governess to our children.

"Poor Lady Melbury's joy was excessive at this intelligence, and she proceeded: That a too sudden return to the world might not weaken my better purposes, I was preparing to request my Lord's permission to go back to the Castle, when he prevented me, by telling me that he had an earnest desire to make a visit to the brave patriots in Spain, and to pass the winter among them, but feared he must give it up, as the state of the continent rendered it impossible for me to accompany him.

"This filled my heart with joy. I encouraged him to make the voyage, assured him I would live

under Lady Jane's observation, and that I would pass the whole winter in the country.'

"Then you shall pass it with us at Beechwood, my dear Lady Melbury,' cried Sir John and I, both at once, we will strengthen each other in every virtuous purpose. We shall rejoice in Lady Jane's company.'

"She joyfully accepted the proposal, not doubting her Lord's consent; and kindly said, that she should be doubly happy in a society at once so rational and so elegant.

"It was settled that she should spend with us the three months that Fanny Stokes and little Caroline are to pass at Stanley Grove. She desired to see Fanny, to whom she behaved with great tenderness. She paid her the two hundred pounds, assuring her she had no doubt of being able to discharge the whole debt in the spring.

"I received a note from her the next day, informing me of her Lord's cheerful concurrence, as well as that of Lady Jane. She added, that when she went up to dress, she had found on her toilette her diamond necklace, which her dear aunt had redeemed and restored to her, as a proof of her confidence and affection. As Lady Melbury has for ever abolished her coterie, I have the most sanguine hope of her perseverance. All her promises would have gone for nothing, without this practical pledge of her sincerity."

When Lady Belfield had finished her little tale, I expressed in the strongest terms, the delight I felt at the happy change in this charming woman. I could not forbear observing to Sir John, that as Lady Melbury had been the "glass of fashion,"

while her conduct was wrong, I hoped she would not lose all her influence by its becoming right. I added, with a smile, "in that case, I shall rejoice to see the fine ladies turn their talents for drawing to the same moral account with this fair penitent. Such a record of their faults as she has had the courage to make of her's, hanging in their closets, and perpetually staring them in the face, would be no unlikely means to prevent a repetition, espe cially if the picture is to be as visible as the fault had been."