Lord Belmour will discover the secret I would hide from all eyes, but more especially from his. I will write to Mr. Howard, and request him to send for me."

She wept as she thought of the necessity there was for her to avoid meeting a man whose society had always afforded her so much satisfaction.

Happy days of innocence and peace," sighed she," when in the dear shades of the Manor House we wandered hand in hand together, careless as the birds that warbled around us, or bounded with frolic feet over the wide-extended lawns, playful as the lambs, and, like them, as unconscious of future evil! Had we known that the incidents of a few years would make it almost a crime to think of each other, how it would have embittered our youthful happiness! but happily that pang was spared us. it was that I tasted happiness unalloyed, but never, never shall I again. With

Then

what pleasure do I remember every occurrence! How delightful was it, when seated on a summer's evening beneath the old mulberry-tree on the lawn, (that favourite seat of my lost friend,) to watch the declining rays of the setting sun! With what rapture have we beheld the rich purple and gold gradually giving way to the mild and sober grey, till meek twilight, with all her sweet soothing charms, has rivalled in our estimation the resplendent god of day! But even then the perfume of the flowers, the song of the nightingale, and the beauty of the heavenly bodies, gave me less pleasure, if Walter Stanley was away: his presence added charms to every scene. That time, alas! is past: but I cannot help remembering such things were, and were most pleasing.” The good sense she possessed prevented her indulging those reflections long; she

knew how injurious they were; she, therefore, sought for consolation in books that would amend the heart as well as amuse the fancy; and when her mind was composed, she had recourse to poetry, which afforded her the highest gratification. Impressed with the recollection of past scenes, she composed the following monody:

-When with my heart's first friend I lov❜d to stray,
His look, his voice, which now is heard no more,
Remembrance treasur'd, as her proudest store,
And said, "Bless'd hours, when ye are roll'd away,
"These images of bliss my heart shall keep ;"
And then with mingling joy I turn'd to weep,
And thought the mem'ry of each happy hour
In after days might as delightful prove,
As when, in pure affection's humble bow'r,
Young friendship seem'd to ripen into love:
Ah! days for ever gone! how I but woo

The shade of those endearments, and recal
The hill, the mead, the tree, the waterfall,
Where once we stray'd. Pack on the lovely view,

Alas! I turn my longing eyes in vain,

Whose sad remembrance but augments my pain. Yet not unpleasing is the pensive hour

When, far remov'd from fashion's idle train,
I feel her poor allurements, ah! how vain!
And find that virtue only has the pow'r,
In sunshine, or beneath cold fortune's show'r,

The self-approving conscience to sustain.

OD

CHAP. IX.

Canst thou not minister to a mind diseas'd ?
Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow?
Raze out the written troubles of the brain?
And, with some sweet oblivious antidote,
Cleanse the foul bosom of that perilous stuff,
Which weighs upon the heart?

I do repent me, as it is an evil,
And take the shame with joy.

SHAKESPEAR.

THE next day Lady Stanley's woman waited on Louisa, to acquaint her with the result of the inquiries which she had been directed to make concerning the young embroiderer: but the only information to be obtained was from Mrs. Mason, her landlady, who appeared unwilling to communicate more to Mrs. Martin than that the young lady was unfortunate." If," said she, "Miss Fitz