vifitor, when he knew they were more agreeably engaged."

Indeed, fir, Dr. Orwell was to-day as he always is, very kind and polite. I am fure he and his daughters are equally above every little jealoufy.'

"Well, well, it may be fo; but who are those people at Glib's? You fpoke to Mrs. Gubbles as if you had known fomething of them."

I believe it is Mr. Myope, the great author, and his lady; I have met them at Mrs. Botherim's: they are very genteel, well-informed people.'

"And the tall young man who was seen lurking about the streets at that unfeasonable hour; what is he?"

I don't know indeed,' replied Julia, looking at the fame time out of the window, I can't tell who Mrs. Gubbles meant.'

"Some idle fellows of an author too, I fuppofe," rejoined her father; "one who I dare fay would be very properly employed in carrying a musket. Really, my dear, I am somewhat afraid that Mrs. Botherim is not quite difficult enough in regard to the choice of her guests. Authors and these fort of people may be very good in their way, but they are by no means proper acquaintances for my Julia."

"But, my dear fir, ought we not to pay fome respect to talents and genius, even though deftitute of fortune?"

"Fortune!-I defpife fortune as much as any man; but will talents and genius make a gentleman ? And are not all the authors who have talents or genius known to be democrats in their hearts. Talk not to me of fuch people, my dear,

they ought to be the dread and deteftation of every loyal fubject

This was a theme on which Julia was ever fearful of entering. She knew her father's prejudices to be unconquerable. It was this circumftance which had hitherto prevented her from bringing him acquainted with Vallaton, whofe patriotifm fo pure, fo difinterested, fo enlightened, must be fhocked at fentiments fo oppofite to his own! Even thould his refpect for her impofe upon him a filence repugnant to his generous principles of hazarding all for truth, he could not fail to be wounded at the expreffions which, if the fubject of politicks was ftarted, would infallibly drop from her father's tongue. She had, therefore, moft carefully concealed her knowledge of him from Capt. Delmond, who the well knew would on his part be equally shocked at the enlightened fyftem of her new preceptor.

This concealment fhe at firft imagined would have been a very eafy matter; but she foon experiencied the torment which, in a generous mind, attends the least attempt at difingenuity. The entrance of Henry Sydney and his fifter relieved her present embarrassment. The latter came to request the favour of Mifs Delmond's company to a rural feaft in the hay-field, to which the Captain, who confidered the fymptoms of indifpofition he had lately remarked in his daughter to originate in too much confinement, readily acquiefced; and Julia, who now for the first time of her life was happy in any excufe that could relieve her from the burden of her father's prefence, haftily prepared herfelf to attend her amiable friend.

CHAP

CHAP. XV.

"Where the fenfe of the fpeech is but ill understood,
"We are bound to fuppofe it uncommonly good."
SIMKIN'S LETTERS.

In

It is now time to return to Mifs Botherim, whom we left very properly rebuking her mother for the fault committed by her domestick. reply to a very long and very learned exhortation, which had, however, nearly exhausted the good lady's patience, "I tell you, Biddy," faid Mrs. Botherim," that though coming into the parlour and fpeaking of your wig before the gentlemen was not his business, to be sure, yet he is a very good boy for all that. He takes fuch care of the cow, and is fo kind to all the dumb creatures, that he must be good.”

Good!' repeated Bridgetina with great indignation, It appears, madam, that you know very little of the nature of goodneis. What is goodnefs but virtue? Confidered as a Confidered as a perfonal quality, it confifts in the difpofition of the mind, ond may be defined a defire to promote the benefit of intelligent beings in general, the quantity of virtue being as the quantity of defire. Now defire is another name for preference, or a perception of the excellence, real or fuppofed, of any object; and what perception of excellence can a being fo unenlightened poffibly pofJess

"You know very well daughter," rejoined Mrs. Botherim, "that I cannot answer you in all them there argumentations; but I can tell you that it will be long enough before we get a better boy

E 3

than

than Bill, and that there is not a cow upon the common half fo well fed as ours.'

It is a strange thing, mother,' rejoined Bridgetina, that you never will learn to generalize your ideas. The boy may take very good care of your cow, and by leading her to the best pasture, promote both her benefit and yours; but if he derives this benefit, not from a clear and diftinct perception of what it is in which it confifts, but from the unexamined leffons of education, from the phyfical effect of Sympathy, or from any species of zeal unallied to and incommenfurate with knowledge, can this defire be admitted for virtuous ? If your prejudices were not invulnerable you would not hefitate to acknowledge that it ought not; and if his actions cannot be admitted for virtuous, how can he be called good?"

"

To this Mrs. Botherim was incapable of making any reply. A filence of fome minutes enfued, which the mother at length broke; "I was thinking," faid fhe, my dear, whether we might not drink tea with Mifs Sydney this evening; now that her brother is come home, the compliment will be expected; and you know next week is the week of our great wash, when I never goes from home, and to-morrow I must look over your things to prepare for it; fo as it will be a long time before I have an other day, I think we had as well go this."

The propofal was too agreeable to Mifs Botherim to be rejected. A meffenger was dispatched to notify their intention; and while Mrs. Botherim betook herself to the task of combing out the unfortunate treffes, whofe lucklefs fate hath already excited the reader's commiferation, Bridgetina retired to her library to fludy for the difcourfe of the evening.

CHAP.

CHAP. XVI.

"Thofe gentle hours that plenty bade to bloom;
"Thofe calm ⚫ires that afk'd but little room;
"Those healthful fports that graced the peaceful scene,
"Liv'd in each look, and brighten'd all the green,"
GOLDSMITH.

OUR

UR heroine beftowed fo much time on the tedious labours of the toilet, that the little party at Mr. Sydney's had enjoyed nearly an hour of each other's fociety before the and her mother appeared. They found the house deferted of its inhabitants, but were conducted by a little girl through the garden into a meadow which beautifully floped towards the river. On the lower part a groupe of hay-makers were at work; Mr. Sydney, and his friend the rector, were cheerfully converfing with the ruftic band, and encouraging the innocent merriment which lightened ail their toil. At the upper part of the field was Mrs. Martha Goodwin and her nieces, together with Julia, Maria Sydney, and her brother, all at work; fome fettling the camp ftools which they had carried in their own hands, fome depofiting their hare of the tea equipage upon the table which Henry had just fixed beneath the fhade of a fpreading elm, and in a fpot from which the most delightful profpect of the country opened to the view. All was hilarity and eafe, cheerfulnefs and goodhumour.

Ceremony, that tiresome and ineffective substitute for true politenefs, found no admittance here. Necessary as her presence is deemed, and neceffary