lings of fenfibility will foon generate an opportunity for their own exertion. Happening to vifit Maria Sydney after the death of her mother, fhe fhewed me a letter fhe had just received from Henry. The fentiments were fo tender, fo delicate, fo affectionate, I perceived in every word the traces of a mind formed for the pure delightful congeniality of mutual tenderness. A thousand inftances of his particu-lar attention to me, the last time he was at home, rushed upon my mind. In going out to walk with his fifter through the fields, I remembered having once ftruck upon the top of a ftile, which I vainly endeavoured to get over, till Henry fprung to my affiftance, and with manly energetic fervour. tore my petticoat from the stump in which it was entangled. Why did I not then perceive the tender emotion of his foul! why was I blind to fuch a proof of fenfibility and affection! The letter, the important eventful letter, roufed me from my. lethargic flumber; every word thrilled through the fibres of my heart. It awaked the fleeping extacies of my foul. I inhaled the balmy sweetness which natural unfophifticated affection fheds through the human heart. O Henry! Henry! cried I, I perceive it is with thine my mind was formed to mingle. Thou art, from henceforth, the fovereign arbiter of my fate! The hour, the wifhed for extatic hour of his return at length arrived. Excited by his fenfations, he hurried to our house the morning after his arrival; and in his looks, his manner, gave the most unequivocal proofs of the tender fentiments that inspired his mind. But ftill a mysterious reserve feals his lips. Why does he not fpeak? Why does he not avow a paffion fo ennobling, fo worthy, fo natural, and ah! fo fully returned ! turned! Female foibles, fhrinking delicacies, why do you make me hefitate to begin the fubject? Why fhould I blufh to inform him of my affection? O dear, often-kiffed relique! (pulling up fomething that was fufpended by a ribbon from her bofom) precious depofit! chofen confidante of my tenderness! how often haft thou been witnefs to the convulfive ftruggling figh! How often has thy bright face been dimmed by the dear, delicious, agonizing tears, which have stolen from my eyes! "Is it Henry's picture!" faid Julia; "how did you come by it? Did he prefent you with it himfelf?" Ah, no returned Bridgetina, fighing? it is a ftolen memento; a theft of love. One day, on following his fifter into his bed-chamber, while he was out, I caft my eyes upon his clothes, as they hung upon a horfe; and perceiving a loofe button, which dangled from the coat he had juft thrown off, I took my fciffars, and fevered the thread by which it hung. I-retired without being perceived, and preffed the button to my throbbing bofom. O button! button! cried I, in the delicious ardour of exquifite fenfibility. Once the dear appendage of thy mafter's coat, thou fhalt from henceforth be the companion of Bridgetina's bofom; the folace of her tender forrows, the confidante of her afflictions! Yes; without referve the fhall murmur all her miferies to thee." Here Bridgetina ceafed; and Julia (bewildered, as the often was by the illufions of her own imagination) was ftruck with aftonishment at the effects of a fimilar illufion on the mind of her friend. With regard to Bridgetina, fhe very quickly perceived the fatal confequences of yielding to the fuggeftions of a diftempered fancy. She faw, faw, that under the idea of cultivating mind, fhe had only been encouraging the mischievous chimeras of a teeming imagination; but never once did it occur to Julia, that he was herself the victim of the very fame fpecies of folly. So much easier is it for the mind's eye to pierce the faults of others, than to caft a retrofpective glance upon its own. The good-natured Julia, pitying the delufion of her companion, earnestly wished to fave her from the mortification to which it must inevitably expose her. "My dear Bridgetina," said she, in a soft and gentle accent, "you have very much furprifed me by the hiftory of your feelings; but I wish -I fear-indeed, I cannot help being very much afraid that with regard to Henry Sydney, you deceive yourself. If he loves you, why should he not declare it ?" If he loves me !' repeated Bridgetina. ‹ Why that cruel if? Why fhould he not love me? What reafon can he give? Do you think I have not inveftigated the fubject? Do you think I have not examined every reafon, moral and phyfical, that he could have to offer againft returning my paffion? Do not think I have learned to philofophife for nothing. But I perceive you are prejudiced,' continued fhe; you do not enter into the fine feelings of an exquifite fufceptibility. O divine Heloife! (pulling two volumes from her pocket) thou art the friend, whofe fentiments are ever foothing to the fenfibilities of a too tender foul! So faying, the put one volume into the hands of Julia, while fhe began to devour the contents of the other herself. Julia perceiving how impenetrable she was to reafon, took the book, and read till bed-time, without without troubling her with any further remonftrance. At the hour of retiring to reft, Julia firft felt the misfortune of Harriet's abfence. The fettee on which the now reclined in the day, was to be wheeled into the bed-chamber, and from thence fhe was to be lifted into bed; in which the had hitherto been fo carefully affifted by Harriet, that fhe had never experienced the, fmalleft inconvenience from the removal. Poor Bridgetina, unused even to aflift herself, was too helpless to afford aflistance to another; helpless and awkward fhe ftood by, while the nurfe and Julia's maid, a fimple country girl in fo blundering a manner performed their talk, that Julia was in fome danger of flipping to the ground, and in attempting to affift herfelf, had the thumb of her right hand fprained in fuch a degree, that on the following morning the found herself totally incapable of writing the ufual billet to her father. It was not without difficulty that she prevailed on Mifs Botherim to become her amanuenfis. Nor was this the only inftance in which Julia was made to feel the abfence of Mifs Orwell. She now learned by contraft, how much fhe had been indebted to the judicious management of that active and ingenious young friend. She now first felt the full value of that feries of fmall, quiet attentions, which, from the unoftentatious manner in which they had been performed, had paffed almost unnoticed; and now first began to fufpect, that a well-informed mind, exerting its powers to promote the happiness and comfort of those within the reach of its exertions, might be little lefs usefully employed than in forming fpeculations upon general utility. CHAP. CHAP. XXV. "Bleft are thofe, "Whose blood and judgment are fo well commingl'd, SHAKESPEARE IN anfwer to the billet written by Mifs Botherim, Julia received from her mother the following note: "My dear Julia, "We are, you may believe, very much concerned at the unlucky accident which obliged you to make ufe of the pen of Mifs Botherim; but hope, as fhe fays it is only a very flight fprain, that it will foon be well; and beg that you may, for all our fakes, be sure to take proper care of yourself. I am forry that my cold is ftill too bad to permit me to fee you to-day, as I have fomething to communicate that particularly concerns you. It is the refult of a converfation which General Villers had yesterday with your father, but I have not now time to enter into particulars. I have fent the things you mentioned, and with compliments to Mifs Botherim, remain your very affectionate mother, « E. Delmond.” "P. S. Your father has had a very good night, and deûres his blessing." Something |