moft odious selfishness. Was it not because he believed himself your father, that he thus provided for you? In what a contemptible light does philosophy teach us to view this prejudice? I ought to prefer no buman being to another, because that being is my father, my wife, or my fon, but becaufe for reafons which equally appeal to all understandings, that being is entitled to preference. In a state of equality, it will be a queftion of no importance to know who is the parent of each individual child. It is ariftocracy, felf-love, and family pride, that teach us to fet a value upon it at present.* And for this off fpring of ariftocratic prejudice, this felfifh affection which your father had for you because you were bis, and not the offspring of fome other man, haply more worthy than himfelf, he is entitled to your duty and your gratitude! Miftaken Julia! I with you would exert the ener

See Pol. Juf. vol. ii.

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gies of your mind, to conquer prejudices fo unworthy of your understanding."

Poor Julia had not now one word to say in her own defence. Abafhed at the conviction of her filial weakness, she caft her lovely eyes upon the ground. The enlightened phlofopher tenderly feized her hand, and changing his voice to the foft tone of fupplication, entreated she would pardon him for his zeal in the caufe of truth. He wifhed to remove every obftacle to perfectibility in one fo near perfection: she had but to conquer a few of those remaining prejudices to reach the goal. By this fair hand I swear," faid he, preffing it to his lips, " that all

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fay proceeds from the strength and difintereftness of my affection.". The entrance of the Goddess of Reafon, Mr. Myope, and Mr. Glib, prevented her reply. She foon took her leave, and her heart palpitating with various contending emotions, returned to her father's house.

CHAP. XIV.

"Mortals, in vain ye hope to find,

"If guilt, if fraud have ftain'd your mind,
"Or faint to hear, or angel to defend.""

So Truth proclaims. I hear the facred found'
Burft from the centre of her burning throne,
Where aye she fits, with star-wreath'd luftre crown'd;
A bright fun clafps her adamantine zone.

So Truth proclaims. Her awful voice I hear,
With many a folemn pause it flowly meets my ear.

IN

the perfonification of the virtues, Sincerity ought certainly to be delineated as the most vindictive of the whole groupe. Inflexible in her decrees, and jealous of her authority, the hedges round her white domain with fo many thorns, that it is impoffible to depart from it for a fingle moment with impunity. In endeavouring to effect his escape, the poor fugitive gets fo entangled, that fhould he

even fucceed in avoiding the disgrace of detection, he cannot avoid the ftings of fhame and dishonour, which, if he have any feeling, will pierce him to the quick.

Alarmed left the answer of Dr. Orwell fhould by mistake have been delivered to her father, Julia's firft care was to seek the meffenger it was fent by. He was not yet returned. Indeed the boy thought he never could have a better opportunity of taking his own time. The injunctions laid upon him by his young miftrefs to conceal his errand from her father, made him quickly fenfible that she was in his power. Why fhould he not indulge himself in a game at marbles? If he ftaid ever fo long fhe durft not inform on him for her own fake. And if Mifs told a lie, by faying the fent him any where elfe, why fhould he not tell her another? Could he pretend to be better than Mifs? Vexed at his delay, and trembling left it fhould occafion a discovery, Julia be

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gan to feel the thorns which ftrewed the path on which she had fo lately entered. The boy at length arrived, and brought with him a polite anfwer from Dr. Orwell, who willingly granted her request.. She haftily put the note in her pocket, and then went to the parlour, where fhe found Mrs. Gubbles, fenior, fitting with her father and mother.

Well, my love," faid Capt. Delmond, "what fays Dr. Orwell to your request? Did you find all the family at home?"

Dr. Orwell is kind enough to let me have the gig, whenever I please, and defires his compliments to you and my mamma.' And pray,' faid Mrs. Delmond, did

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you fee Mrs. Goodwin? I wonder fhe did not give you the recipe for the elder wine which I fent to beg of her this morning. She told Nanny fhe would write it out for me before dinner. Did not she mention it to you?

No,' replied Julia, I-I did not fee Mrs. Goodwin.'

Aye,