ed woman, suffering, yet grateful. I have been at the dying bed of the aged man. I have enjoyed the conversation

of a being possessing the highest talents of mind, untainted by the curse of infidelity. — I have heard sentiments of the most exalted piety, uncontaminated by bigotry, uncharitableness, fanaticism, or austerity.

Camilla! - who can pity Camilla ? — Of all beings she is the most enviable. Untouched by remorse, suffering seems to have been necessary to bring out the deeper excellency of her character. The heroine of principle, she stood amidst the grandeur of nature through which we passed, a column worthy of the matchless glories of the temple. - Beautiful!- -The term is inadequate to express that quality which communicates an ineffable charm to her person. Never was the finest spiritual essence more perceptibly diffused over a human face, than in the radiant one with which she

has this day discoursed to me more eloquently than with her incomparable voice.

When our little circle met at the breakfast table, I was rejoiced to perceive the air of quiet and serene content which brightened the face of Miss Hastings. She conversed cheerfully with her kind protectors; they, with parental tenacity, dwelt chiefly on their son, and naturally thought that our minds must feel interest in a subject which was all-engrossing to theirs. She fell into their train of thought, and without affectation discovered for them many points of happiness precisely where they least looked for it. Hartley and his bride had unanimously declared for a London residence, thus placing a distance of two hundred miles between themselves and the homes of their youth. To those who are gradually declining into the vale of life, such an interval seems to place the separated parties almost at opposite polar extremi

ties. The heart of the gentle, placid mother of Hartley was especially prone to dwell with melancholy on this circumstance. But Camilla represented it as a means of ensuring to her the society of her children in a greater degree, than would have been probable, if they had resided in the country. They would certainly, she said, desire to leave the heated metropolis at that season, when whole flights of fashionable birds migrate from the thickly populated regions, and seek for health and coolness in their own hereditary halls. Hartley would find his father's house a very acceptable residence at such a time; the beauty of its situation - the excellence of the neighbourhood - the watering places in the vicinity would all be recommendations to him to make it his abode, three months in every year at the least. And had not his bride also affection to lead her as often as might be, to the society of her own parents?

And by this suggestion, the heart of the mother was comforted.

After breakfast Mr. Aubertin retired to his study. Mrs. Aubertin placed herself at her work-table, and Camilla and 1 were left to the charge of each other. The morning was not inviting, and I was not disposed to quit the society of a person whose character had first excited my curiosity, and has since become interesting to me in a degree unaccountable and uncommon. I cannot detect any peculiar spell by which she acquires her extraordinary ascendancy over the human mind. She is altogether fascination.

No-no- that is unworthy of her and myself that term may apply to manners merely, and those artificial. The characteristic grace of hers is their truth, and the simplicity of her eloquence is indicative equally of rectitude of character and of intellect. Her manners are distinctly inseparable from her

morals. It is evident that she acts well, because she thinks well.

"The burden of amusing an idle man is a heavy one," she said, smiling ; — " will you do me the favour, Sir William, of being sufficiently at home to employ yourself?"

"No I prefer being employed by you, Miss Hastings. Have you no silk to wind no cards to write

no verses

to copy - no album, whose " virgin pages" long marvellously to be stained by the rivulets of the sable stream?—I will not be independent of you; I have lived so much alone, that I love the novel importance of seeing myself an object of attention to a being like you. No-positively, Miss Hastings, I am compelled to declare my obduracy to all the pleading of your eyes I am at your sovereign disposal What will you

do with me?"

"Give you a genuine Wynkin de