position. But though an old maid, and confessedly an unhappy one, Lady Selina was not so entirely self-devoted as to restrain Emily from accepting her guardian's invitation. On the contrary, she rejoiced that he seemed at length inclined to execute the duties of his office; and though, from having once lived in the world, she well knew that happiness does not always ride about in a vis-a-vis with affluence, she was not displeased to find Sir Walter at least thought it possible that Emily might eventually prove the heiress of the Mandeville, as she already was of the Delamore, family. She had long foreseen her separation from her amiable charge. Lime Grove, although well adapted for the purposes of a nursery and a school, was an improper residence for a young lady of high expectations; and she was endeavouring to subdue her own reluct

ance to appear again in theworld, when the sudden death of Sir George Mandeville opened such vast views to her niece, that she felt bewildered in what manner to act, or how to secure her from those disadvantages which might result from an introduction under her own immediate auspices. While she was thus perplexed as to the mode of proceeding she should adopt, Emily's age convincing her that no more time must be lost, they received Sir Walter's letter. The propriety of restoring the young lady to her father's family, was indisputable. 'Tis true, he only invited her for a short time, and she had heard too much of his singularities, to suppose that the uncle and niece would become so much attached as to deprive her for ever of the society of her adopted. daughter; but there were great advantages annexed to this transitory emigration from Lime Grove, as it

would be the means of introducing her to society, to which in every form she was yet a stranger. As to herself, the summer was approaching, the severe infirmities from which she had so long suffered, generally relaxed their fury at that season, when, though she could not be said to enjoy health, pain yielded to the softer term indisposition. Her garden afforded her great amusement, and a few charitable institutions which she had formed in the village, satisfactorily employed her time and thoughts. She fancied she could live without Emily, at least she knew it to be a duty to endeavour to do so: and after giving her letters of introduction to the few ladies whom she knew in the vicinity of Mandeville Castle, the fair Emily was dismissed with many a blessing, and a few ill-concealed tears, on what proved an eventful expedi

tion.

Certainly there appeared nothing very reprehensible in this part of Lady Selina's conduct; but as morose illprincipled people will occasionally act in a creditable manner, and as one part of the moral which I mean to enforce is, the folly and danger of drawing hasty conclusions, I still intreat my readers to suspend their opinions of this mysterious recluse. I have acknowledged that melancholy threw a pensive shade over her character, and does not this circumstance alone, of her being unhappy, intimate that she had been criminal? I leave this question to be discussed by those writers, who, in describing the lot of innocence, seem to consider calamity as no longer one of the trials that virtue is doomed to undergo in this probationary state. Among the oblations which we daily offer to the god Prosperity, we now sacrifice the reputations of the mis

erable, and we not only say with

Young,

"Look into those we call unfortunate,

And closer view'd, we find they were unwise,"

-but with Pope's dealer in judgments, we often so far misapply the doctrine of a particular Providence, as to believe" the nodding temple is suspended, to crush the head of Chartres."

When youth is uncontaminated by affectation or duplicity, its feelings are always acute. Emily thought, as the carriage drove from Lime Grove, that she and happiness had bidden adieu till they should be again restored to each other in the society of her dear aunt, in the little cedar parlour. At this moment, she forgot that she had ever felt the sameness of their unvaried days; that she had wished to see a little more of life than their neighbouring markettown afforded, or was supplied by the