outfetting, begin the world, as it is called, with fome hope of fuccefs.

By this time, my dear Dr. Bartlett, you will guess that I have a defign upon you. It is, that you will affift me in executing the Will of my late friend. Make enquiries after, and recommend to me, objects worthy of relief. You was very defirous, fome time ago, to retire to the Hall: But I knew not how to fpare you; and I hoped to attend you thither. You fhall now fet out for that place as foon as you please. And that neither may be (or as little as poffible) lofers by the feparation, every-thing that we would fay to each other, were we together, that, as we used to do, we will fay by pen and ink. We will be joint executors, in the first place, for this fum of 30007.

Make enquiries then, as foon as you get down, for worthy objects-The induftrious poor, of all perfuafions, reduced either by age, infirmity, or accident; Those who labour under incurable maladies; Youth, of either fex, capable of beginning the world to advantage, but deftitute of the means; Thefe, in particular, are the objects we both think worthy of affiftance. You fhall take 500l. down with you, for a beginning.

It is my pride, it is my glory, that I can fay, Dr. Bartlett and Charles Grandifon, on all benevolent occafions, are actuated by one foul. My dear friend, adieu.

I

LETTER

III.

Mifs BYRON, To Mifs SELBY.

Sat. Night, March 18.

HAVE furnished the Ladies, and my Lord, with more letters. And so they have all my heart before them!-I don't care. The man is Sir Charles Grandifon; and they railly me not so much as before,

while they thought I affected referves to them. Indeed it would be cruel, if they did; and I should have run away from them.

I am glad you all think, that the two fifters used me feverely. They really did. But I have this gratification of my pride in reflecting upon their treatment of me I would not have done fo by them, had fituations been exchanged. And I think myfelf nearer an equality with them, than I had thought myself before. But they are good ladies, and my fincere friends and well-wifhers; and I forgive them: And fo must my dear grandmamma.

I am forry, methinks, that her delicacy has been offended on the occafion. And did the weep at the hearing read my account of that attack made upon her girl by the over-lively Charlotte?-O the dear, the indulgent, parent! How tender was it of my aunt too, to be concerned for the poor Harriet's delicacy, fo hard put to it as fhe was! It did indeed (as fhe diftinguishes in her usual charming manner) look, as if they put a great price upon their intended friendship to me, with regard to my interest in their brother's heart: As if the favour done to the humbled girl, if they could jointly procure for her their brother's countenance, might well allow of their raillery.Don't, pray don't, my dear grandmamma, call it by a feverer name. They did not, I am fure they did not, mean to hurt me fo much, as I really was hurt. So let it pafs. Humour and raillery are very difficult things to rein in. They are ever curveting like a prancing horfe; and they will often throw the rider who depends more upon his fkill in managing them, than he has reason to do.

My uncle was charmed with the scene; and thinks the two ladies did juft as he would have done. He means it a compliment to their delicacy, I prefume. But I am of my aunt Selby's opinion, that their gene

rous brother would not have given them thanks for their raillery to the poor frighted Harriet. I am very happy, however, that my behaviour and frankness on the occafion are not difapproved at Selby-houfe, and Shirley-manor, and by you, my Lucy. And here let that matter reft.

Should I not begin to think of going back to you all, my Lucy? I believe I blufh ten times a day, when alone, to find myself waiting and waiting as if for the gracious motion; yet apprehending that it never will, never can, be made; and all you, my friends, indulging an abfence, that your goodness makes painful to you, in the fame hope. It looksᅧ Don't it, Lucy?-fo like a defign upon-I don't know how it looks!-But at times, I can't endure myself. And yet while the love of virtue (a little too lively indeed, and perhaps a little too perfonal) is the foundation of thefe defigns, thefe waitings, thefe emotions, I think, I am not wholly inexcufable.

I am fure I fhould not esteem him, were he not the good man he is.-Pray, let me afk you-Do you think he could not be put upon faying fomething affronting to me; upon doing fomething unworthy of his character?-O then I am fure I fhould hate him : All the other inftances of his goodness would then be as nothing. I will be captious, I think, and ftudy to be affronted, whether he intends to affront me, or not. But what a multitude of foolish notions come into the head of a filly girl, who, little as fhe knows, knows more of any-thing, or of any-body, than fhe knows of herself!

I WISH my godfather had not put it in my head, that Emily is cherishing (perhaps unknown to herself) a flame that will devour her peace. For to be fure this young creature can have no hope that-Yet 50,000/. is a vaft fortune. But it can never buy her

guardian.

guardian. Do you think fuch a man as Sir Charles Grandifon has a price?-I am fure he has not.

I watch the countenance, the words, the air of the girl, when he is spoken of. And with pity I fee, that he cannot be named, but her eyes fparkle. Her eye is taken off her work or book, as the happens to be engaged in either, and the feems as if she would look the perfon through who is prailing her guardian. For the life of her, the cannot work and hear. And then the fighs-Upon my word, Lucy, there is no fuch thing as proceeding with his praifes before her-the girl fo fighs-So young a creature !-Yet how can one caution the poor thing?

But what makes me a little more obfervant of her, than I should otherwise perhaps have been (additional to my godfather's obfervation) is an hint given me by Lady L. which perhaps fhe has from Mifs Grandifon, and he not unlikely from the ftollen letter: For Mifs Grandifon hinted at it, but I thought it was only to excite my curiofity [When one is not in good humour, how one's very ftile is encumbred !]: The hint is this, That it is more than probable, it will be actually propofed to me, to take down with me to Northamptonshire this young lady-I, who want a governess myself, to be-But let it be proposed.

In a converfation that paffed juft now, between us women, on the fubject of Love (a favourite topic with all girls), this poor thing gave her opinion_unasked; and, for a young girl, was quite alert, I thought. She used to be more attentive than talkative.

I whispered Mifs Grandifon once, Don't you think Mifs Jervois talks more than she used to do, madam? I think she does, madam, re-whispered the arch lady.

I beg your pardon-Charlotte, then.

You have it, Harriet, then.-But let her prate. She is not often in the humour.

Nay,

Nay, with all my heart; I love Mifs Jervois: But I can't but watch when habits begin to change. And I am always afraid of young creatures expofing themfelves when they are between girls and women.

I don't love whispering, faid Mifs Jervois, more pertly than ever: But my guardian loves me ; and you, ladies, love me; and fo my heart is easy.

Her heart easy!-Who thought of her heart? Her guardian loves her!-Emily fha'n't go down with me, Lucy.

Sunday Morning, March 19. OBUT, Lucy, we are alarmed here on Mifs Jervois's account, by a letter which Dr. Bartlett received a little late laft night from Sir Charles; fo fhewed it us not till this morning as we were at breakfaft. The unhappy woman, her mother, has made him a vifit. Poor Emily! Dear child! what a mother fhe has!

I have fo much obliged the doctor by delivering into his hands the papers that our other friends have juft perufed (and, let me fay, with high approbation) that he made no fcruple of allowing me to fend this letter to you. I afked the favour, as I know you will all now be very attentive to whatever relates to Emily. Return every-thing the doctor fhall intruft me with by the first opportunity.

By the latter part of this letter you will find, that the doctor has acquainted Sir Charles with his fifter's wishes of a correfpondence with him by letter. He confents to it, you will all fee; but upon terms that are not likely to be complied with by any of his three fifters; for he puts me in. Three fifters! His third fifter! The repetition has fuch an officioufnefs in it. He is a good man; but he can be fevere upon our fex-It is not in woman to be unreferved.-You'll find that one of the reflections upon us: He adds; And to be impartial, perhaps they should not. Why fo?But is not this a piece of advice given to myself, to make me more reserved than I am? But he gives not

himself