light one, to the wounded spirit which once bounded at the sound of the approaching footsteps of his mistress, to think that the days have been when he could call himself, and with reason, happy.

CHAPTER IX.

"Father! there's something in that name,
Like Vestal's never-dying flame,
So sweet, so holy, and so dear;
That, like that sacred flame of old,
Chaste from its source, nor ever cold,
It burns in purity, and clear."

ANONYMOUS.

THE new course of life which I had adopted had soon an influence on the health both of my mind and body, and made the society of my former companions distasteful to me, for, in truth, their habits seemed so frivolous and childish, that I despised them for their folly, and, with the exception of the society of the excellent curate of -, Mr. Bainbridge, I preferred living altogether alone, and frequently wondered, as I enjoyed my solitary rides and walks, how the pursuits I had formerly indulged in could ever have had any charms for me. But I did not understand my own character, and had I reflected well and correctly, I should have discovered that during the whole of my life I had been the creature of impulse, and never

steady to one fixed purpose, either of good or bad, for any length of time. I was now, however, strong in resolution, and had almost, as I imagined, brought myself to forgive my worst enemy, George Hailey, and fondly hoped that the affection of my father would return to me ere long, and, the past forgiven, the future would be sweetened by mutual efforts to make amends for the wrong we had done to each other. But vain are the hopes of man, and we know not what a day may bring forth. Hailey relaxed not in his efforts to injure me in my parent's estimation, and another harsh letter from my father, caused by the reiterated falsehoods of my calumniator, shut the door of reconciliation so completely, that I gave up the hopes to which I had brought myself so fondly to cling; and a feeling-alas! most unfilial-of aversion to my father, with a thorough contempt for his understanding, in allowing himself to become the dupe of a knave, took such possession of me, that the bare thought of his injustice would irritate me to such a degree as at times almost to madden me, and render me unfit for exertion of any kind for hours afterwards.

In the society of Mr. Bainbridge I took great delight, and the example set by that good man, in his humble walk through life, was such a beautiful picture of piety, that frequently I found my horse's head instinctively turned towards Woodstock; and if I did not visit him, there was something which attracted

me to the neighbourhood, which seemed hallowed, as it were, by the immediate vicinity of the good man, and drew me frequently to the spot. Poor Geoffrey, too, became much attached to me, and, as a necessary consequence, his mother also; yet I could not but think 'twas a painful contrast to the poor mother, for we were nearly of an age, and while she knew not of my unhappiness, I have fancied, as I have seen her gazing mournfully on us both, that her thoughts always led her to one and the same sad question, “Why should my poor boy be thus afflicted, and another, not possessed of greater advantages than he once possessed, enjoy the gifts of the Almighty who made them both ?" In truth, Mrs. Weldon, though apparently resigned, was not altogether so, and, perhaps, unknown to herself (for she was, though a weak, a pious woman), murmured at the decree which had wrecked the intellect of her son. And yet who could blame the fond and anxious mother for repining, whose son, whose only son, was thus an object of pity and of helplessness? The mother cannot, could not, forget the child she had borne, nor the delight she had felt as he grew up to youth and manhood in his beauty, and as the powers of his mind were gradually unfolded, and all to end, alas! in what?—a blank page whereon to be inscribed nought was allowed save imbecility.

But to return.

The change in my mode of living

had almost banished from my mind the injustice I had suffered, or, rather, it was so much occupied by thoughts of a graver character, that I did not trouble myself to speculate upon the probability of any further attempts on Hailey's part to injure or molest me; in fact, I had determined not to allow him to interrupt my peace of mind, but to consider him in future a creature unworthy of regard. But he did not, it appeared, think me of so little importance, for, conscious that he stood on the brink of an abyss into which one word of mine would, at any given moment, hurl him to destruction, he resolved to sacrifice me, if possible, and the man who had gone so far to accomplish his purpose did not hesitate to go still further, and, indeed, to proceed to all lengths, as the means whereby to bring about an issue successful to himself. So it proved, as what I am about to relate to you will abundantly show.

I had been paying a visit to my kind friend, Mr. Bainbridge, and, on my return in the afternoon, about two miles from Oxford, was accosted by my little friend Mary the gipsey.

"I am glad you have come, sir," said she, running by the side of my horse as he proceeded leisurely along, "for I have been waiting a long time to give you this nosegay," at the same time she held one up to me; so pray take it, good gentleman, for I gathered it purposely for you."

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