which they were zealously determined to bring forward with great force.

"Now, my dear Gertrude," said Lord St. Clair, "I wish you would take the first opportunity of propitiating the tradespeople and gentry of Kingsland. You can go and call yourself, and select things from the different shops; never mind the cost; if your own finances run low, I give you carte blanche on mine. I can trust to your tact for bringing in some flattering words of their remaining true to the St. Clair interest, and principles of independence and reform. From you, nothing of this kind will appear like a direct canvass, which I wish particularly to avoid. You will have a more dif ficult game, and a more tiresome one, too, in conciliating the yclept gentry of the town, but you must put on your most winning smiles, for I hear that both the doctor and lawyer incline to the opposition party."

"Well, well, my dear Lord, you may depend upon my exerting all my 'esprit de

guerre;' my heart, you know, is in the cause of our Queen and country, and I have turned Clara into a right good Whig; so we will go together this very day and try our powers of agreeableness. I will have my favourite equipage-I hope my ponies are all well and ready for use."

"Yes," said Lord St. Clair; " I can answer for that, for Banquo and I have been the round of the stables before breakfast, and I saw that the whole set out was in readiness for you. Your favourite horse, too, which you left an invalid when we went to town, is now quite recovered and in fine condition; I never saw him look handsomer."

"That is delightful," replied the Countess; "now then, I can make over to Clara's use the horse I rode in town, and I will return to the dear Sultan. Clara, we shall have some delicious gallops together now a delight denied to London riding. Well, I must own the country has many advantages."

VOL. I.

E

At two o'clock, the ladies were ready for their drive to Kingsland, and Clara was charmed with the beautiful little carriage which awaited them. In this, as in the whole mênage, and house, and furniture, taste and elegance were united with splendour. This phaëton, of the newest build, was of dark green, with merely an earl's coronet for decoration, the lining was of crimson figured satin, bound and trimmed with gold to match the St. Clair livery, with a tiger's skin for rug. The ponies were a light grey, with flowing tails and manes, and two more, an exact match, stood ready to be mounted by their tiny grooms, in crimson and gold liveries.

As the Countess took the reins, which, in the part to meet her delicate fingers, were covered with white satin, she considerately praised the fine condition of her ponies, and the nice order in which they, and the carri age had been kept during her absence; thus conciliating the love of all. The establishment

at St. Clair Park was noted for the oldest and best servants in the county.

It is certainly a true adage, that "good masters make good servants."

The road to Kingsland lay in an opposite direction to that by which they had come from London; thus Clara passed through a part of the park yet more beautiful than that she had already seen. On one side was a wood of majestic old oaks, almost amounting to forest in the wildness of its scenery, the effect of which was heightened by the large red deer, not often seen in England, starting up, and, with their wild bright eyes, looking defiance at the intruders. On the other side wound the beautiful river already mentioned, and beyond it could be seen the spire of Kingsland Church, at intervals, peeping through the trees, at about three miles distance.

A drive of two miles brought the ladies to the extremity of the park, in this direction, and a lodge, of architecture to suit the house,

opened upon a good turnpike road, over which the spirited ponies soon took them into the town of Kingsland, which possessed nothing remarkable in beauty, and had the usual appendage of a race-course, a Town Hall, over which were handsome Assembly Rooms, and a gaol.

All eyes were eager to catch a glimpse of Lady St. Clair's gay equipage, and while she and Clara alighted at the principal shop of the place, the ponies and the whole miniature set-out continued to fix the gaze of the passers by, and to rivet the attention of some curious eyes eagerly peeping at so attractive a novelty from the windows of the opposite house, which was inhabited by the lawyer before mentioned.

His two maiden daughters, of a nameless age, were carefully hid from sight by the folds of a muslin curtain, rather soiled in colour from the original white.

"Dear me, Arabella, who can that young lady be with Lady St. Clair?-but she looks a mere child."