cupied as it is, forces him upon the world, as far as he can mix in it, for the only relief he enjoys,—and he is busy about his fellow men, though only passengers in a post-chaise, whom he does not even know."

Tremaine was about to reply, when, as they had now long passed the lodges, Lord Bellenden's fine place opened upon their view, and the conversation stopped.

CHAP. II.

AN EXCLUSIVE.

"If the quick fire of youth light not your mind,
"You are no maiden, but a monument."

SHAKSPEARE.

THE visit to Homestead had deranged part of the plan of our guests-which was to have a walk in the beautiful grounds before dinner, and afterwards to dress. Only the latter could be effected; and the whole company had nearly assembled in the saloon, by the time they presented themselves.

Lady Bellenden, who regarded Georgina with both tenderness and esteem, received her with the

most affectionate politeness-introducing her to her daughter Lady Gertrude Bellenden's particular attentions; and adding, as she put their hands together, "How I wish this moment of introduction between you two may lead to a friendship hereafter."

Each of the young ladies, thus called upon, surveyed the other; calculating, according to the quickness of eye or penetration of judgment that either was endowed with, how far this amiable wish might be realized. But whether from the restraint which the sudden and public expression of it imposed, or from the want of sufficient experience and discrimination in the youthful parties, neither young lady discovered much that tended to raise hopes of its accomplishment.

Lady Gertrude was in her twenty-first year; of uncommon beauty of face, which was absolutely brilliant with the finest white and red in the world. She was tall and graceful, but there was no particularity of air, manner or countenance, that spoke, even after acquaintance, as if there was much within, except a very high idea of her own consequence.

Her mother, who had long been in bad health, had been residing some years on the Continent; and these were the most critical years of Lady Gertrude's life; for she had been left during that whole period under the care of her aunt, the Duchess of Mandeville, who was considered the very mirror

of good-breeding by the most highly finished gentlewomen of the age. All the world gave praise to this excellent aunt, for having added to the cares and anxieties which three daughters of her own occasioned, by undertaking the education of another young female, out of pure kindness to her sick sister.

As for the education, it was as perfect as the best masters, for personal, and the very best French (or rather Franco-Italian) governess, for mental accomplishments, could make it. The peculiar province of the Duchess was to form the manners, the ton de société, les usages; and in this she was universally acknowledged to shine an unrivalled Queen, whom all endeavoured to please, study, and imitate.

With these advantages, Lady Gertrude could not fail to profit much; and every body was anxious to know, before she was presented, how she would come out. She came out, at once, and in full maturity of fastidiousness, a finished Exclusive.

The Duchess, in fact, was the most refined of women. Refinement was her favourite study-her favourite word. It was what she always recommended, always preached, and always practised; and although to her bitter disappointment, her own daughters were more disposed to imitate their father, whose habits were rather those of a country gentleman than one at the head of the Peerage, she found

consolation in the aptitude of her niece to follow all her precepts, and all her example.

Such was the being, for whom, in her maternal solicitude, the amiable, as well as sensible Lady Bellenden, wished to acquire a friend in Georgina, Such the appearance and manners, which Georgina was requested to love.

Now, though Miss Evelyn had the most perfect natural good-breeding that ever adorned a daughter of nature, and had none of the ungraceful shyness which belongs to rusticity, yet she had certain notions of certain things, which she sometimes found inconveniently serious. On the present occasion, she had been desired by a woman of the first consequence in her circle,-one to whom she always looked up with the sincerest esteem, her own known friend, and at this time her hostess,-to love her daughter, as a friend. This was a word which, to her, always sounded most serious, as well as most sweet; insomuch that she could no more think of trifling with herself in chusing a friend, than if she had been called upon to chuse a husband. In point of fact, she had never had the opportunity of chusing, or even thinking of one or the other; for her father had so engrossed, so filled her mind, and was himself so absolutely devoted to her, that he had hitherto supplied the place of both. Yet she had often thought a friend of her own sex, and about her own age, would

be very delightful as well as very natural; and, in the recesses of her boudoir, or in a lonely walk, she had sometimes yielded to the most natural wish of a sensible heart-the wish for a companion that could partake, with equality of interest, her amusements, her cares, and even her inmost secrets.

When, therefore, Lady Bellenden uttered her impressive wish, it conjured up a train of ideas long pondered and cherished by Georgina, of the deepest interest to her mind, and of the very utmost importance to her happiness. She surveyed Lady Gertrude as a being who might influence her future life,-in whom she was to read, as in a book, all those happy reciprocities of sentiment, which her own pure heart and warm fancy had lately been so pleased to meditate. No wonder, then, that she looked embarrassed with the force of an emotion which no one, and least of all, Lady Gertrude, could understand; and which, indeed, was the very opposite to any by which Lady Gertrude herself felt she could be influenced.

The abord of the two ladies was, therefore, very different; and, it must be owned, with all our partiality to Georgina, that, in the eyes of some of the bye-standers, refinement, in this instance, might seem to have the advantage over simplicity. It was not that there was any intrinsic superiority, even of manner, on the part of Lady Gertrude; it was simply that she was unmoved, while Miss Evelyn seemed