soon return to town, and there prepare to throw myself into the arms of my dearest relations in Northamptonshire: I shall otherwise, perhaps, add to the number of those who have broken his peace. But it is strange, methinks, that he could not have answered, whether the lady is a foreigner, or not.

Dr. Bartlett, you are mistaken: Sir Charles Grandison is not so very un-reserved a man as you said he was.

But oh! my dear little flattering Emily, how could you tell me, that you watched his eyes, and saw them always kindly bent on me !—Yes, perhaps, when you thought so, he was drawing comparisons to the advantage of his fair foreigner, from my less agreeable features!

But this Olivia! Lucy. I want to know something more of her. · Nothing,' he says, to wish for from Olivia."' -Poor lady! methinks I am very much inclined to pity her. Well, but I will proceed now to his next subject. I wish I could find some faults in him. It is a cruel thing to be under a kind of necessity to be angry with a man whom we cannot blame: and yet, in the next conversation, you will see him angry. Don't you long, Lucy, to see how Sir Charles Grandison will behave when he is angry?

LETTER XVI.

MISS BYRON-IN CONTINUATION.

Now, Charlotte, said he, (as if he had fully answered the questions put to him-O these men!) let me ask you a question or two-I had a visit made me yesterday, by Lord G. What, my dear, do you intend to do with regard

to him?-But, perhaps, you would choose to withdraw with me, on this question.

MISS GR. I wish I had made to you the same overture of withdrawing, Sir Charles, on the questions I put to you: if I had, I should have received more satisfaction, I fancy, than I can now boast of.

SIR CH. I will withdraw with you, if you please, and hear any other questions you have to put to me.

MISS GR. You can put no questions to me, sir, that I shall have any objections to answer before this company.

SIR CH. You know my question, Charlotte.

MISS GR. What would you advise me to do in that affair, brother?

SIR CH. I have only one piece of advice to give you:— It is, that you will either encourage or discourage his address-if you know your own mind.

MISS GR. I believe, brother, you want to get rid

of me.

is

SIR. CH. Then you intend to encourage Lord G- ? MISS GR. Does that follow, sir?

SIR CH. Or you could not have supposed, that I wanted to part with you. But, come, Charlotte, let us retire. It very difficult to get a direct answer to such questions as these, from ladies, before company, though the company be ever so nearly related to them.

MISS GR. I can answer, before this company, any questions that relate to Lord G

SIR CH. Then you don't intend to encourage him? MISS GR. I don't see how that follows, neither, from what I said.

SIR CH. It does, very clearly. I am not an absolute stranger to the language of women, Charlotte.

MISS GR. I thought my brother too polite to reflect upon the sex.

SIR CH. Is it to reflect upon the sex, to say, that I am not an absolute stranger to their language?

MISS GR. I protest, I think so, in the way you spoke it.

SIR CH. Well, then, try if you cannot find a language to speak in, that may not be capable of such an interpretation.

MISS GR. I am afraid you are displeased with me, brother. I will answer more directly.

SIR CH. Do, my Charlotte: I have promised Lord G- to procure him an answer.

MISS GR. Is the question he puts, sir, a brief one-On or off?

SIR CH. Trust me, Charlotte: you may, even with your punctilio.

MISS GR. Will you not advise me, sir?

SIR CH. I will-To pursue your inclination.

MISS GR. Suppose, if I knew yours, that that would turn the scale?

SIR CH. Is the balance even?

MISS GR. I can't say that, neither.

SIR CH. Then dismiss my Lord G―.

MISS GR. Indeed, brother, you are angry with me.

SIR CH. [Addressing himself to me.] I am sure, Miss. Byron, that I shall find, in such points as this, a very different sister in you, when I come to be favoured with the perusal of your letters. Your cousin Reeves once said, that when you knew your own mind, you never kept any one in suspense.

MISS GR. But I, brother, can't say that I know my mind absolutely.

SIR CH. That is another thing. I am silent. Only, when you do, I shall take it for a favour, if you will communicate it to me, for your service.

MISS GR. I am among my best friends-Lord L

what is your advice? Sir Charles does not incline to give me his.

SIR CH. It is owing to my regard to your own inclinations, and not to displeasure or petulance, that I do

not.

LORD L. I have a very good opinion of Lord G▬▬• What is yours, my dear? [to Lady L.]

LADY L. I really think very well of my Lord G——. What is yours, Miss Byron?

HAR. I believe Miss Grandison must be the sole determiner, on this occasion. If she has no objection, I presume to think, that no one else can have any.

MISS GR. Explain, explain, Harriet

SIR CH. Miss Byron answers as she always does: penetration and prudence, with her, never quit company. If I have the honour to explain her sentiments in giving mine, take both as follow: My Lord G- is a good-natured,

mild man he will make a woman happy, who has some share of prudence, though she has a still greater share of will. Charlotte is very lively: she loves her jest almost as well as she loves her friend

MISS GR. How, brother!

SIR CH. And Lord G will not stand in competition with her, in that respect: there should not be a rivalry in particular qualities, in marriage. I have known a poet commence a hatred to his wife, on her being complimented with making better verses than he. Let Charlotte agree upon those qualities in which she will allow her husband to

excel; and he allow, in her, those she has a desire to monopolize; and all may do well.

MISS GR. Then Lord G― must not be disputed with, I presume, were I to be his wife, on the subject of moths and butterflies.

SIR CH. Yet Lord Gmay give them up, when he has a more considerable trifle to amuse himself with. Pardon me, Charlotte-Are you not, as far as we have gone in this conversation, a pretty trifler?

MISS GR. [Bowing.] Thank you, brother. The epithets pretty, and young, and little, are great qualifiers of harsh words.

SIR CH. But do you like Sir Walter Watkyns better than Lord G -?

MISS GR. I think not. He is not, I believe, so goodnatured a man as the other.

SIR CH. I am glad you make that distinction, Charlotte.

MISS GR. You think it a necessary one in my case, I suppose, sir?

SIR CH. I have a letter of his to answer. He is very urgent with me for my interest with you. I am to answer it. Will you tell me, my sister, (giving her the letter,) what I shall say?

MISS GR. [After perusing it.] Why, ay, poor man! he is very much in love: but I should have some trouble to teach him to spell: and yet, they say, he has both French and Italian at his fingers' ends.

She then began to pull in pieces the letter.

SIR CH. I will not permit that, Charlotte. Pray return me the letter. No woman is entitled to ridicule a lover whom she does not intend to encourage. If she has a good