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Dear fcenes of sweet content, and careless eafe, Where in unchanging blifs the feafons roll'd, Where Winter's ftorm, or Summer's genial breeze, Could fome peculiar beauty ftill unfold.

The charmer Hope then perch'd on every bough, And fung of Friendfhip true, and Love fincere; While Fancy twin'd her wreath round youth's fair brow,

And Mem'ry's annals mark'd no tranfient tear.

But now the charmier Hope is heard no more! Gone are my youth's lov'd friends;-for ever gone!

The dear delufive dreams of blifs are o'er,

And all fair Fancy's airy train is flown!

Sąd Mem'ry now muft thefe lov'd haunts invade With the dark forms of many a heart-felt grief, With bofom'd forrows, filent as this fhade,

Sorrows from lenient Time that fcorn relief.

;

As to each well known object Mem'ry clings,
She bids the tear of deep regret to flow
To every former fcene of blits the brings
The throb of anguish, and the figh of Woe.

As the retraces every blifsful hour,

Here spent with cheerful Hope, and youthful joy, Hope loft! Joy gone for ever;

* * * * * *

The tears which had fallen on the remaining lines had rendered them totally illegible. Those which fuffused the blue eyes of the gentle Emma, ftopt her utter

ance, fhe haftily put the tablets in her pocket-and we proceeded in filence.

In a fpot that was peculiarly fheltered by a row of beeches, whofe leaves have now affumed the colour of the dried cinnamon, food the remains of an arbour, which had once been covered with the moft beautiful creepers this ungenial climate can produce, but which unfupported now fell upon the ground: ro bad emblem of the mind of their former miftrefs, who fat at the entrance of the arbour, on the trunk of a fallen tree. Her countenance wore the traces of melar choly, but the manner in which the received the falutations of my friends, fhewed that her heart was ftill capable of the moft animated affection. Me too fhe received with kindnefs, though the ideas affociated with my appearance gave a perceptible emotion to her already agitated fpirits. She made an effort to banish the melancholy ideas whichhad of late been fo familiar to her mind; and having fatisfied Emma as to the reafons that induced her to ftop at Morley-farm, the cheerfully acquiefced in her propofal of returning with us to Violet-dale, where he was received with the cordial welcome of fincere affection; and where,

in the happiness of her friends, her own forrows appear to be forgotten.

In this temple of domeftic bliss, the flight of time has been fo imperceptible, that a whole week, which has elapfed fince I laid down my pen, appears but as a day.

We know that one of the fourteen precious things which were produced in the churning of the ocean, was a learned phyfician: but which of the fages of the tribe of Vaidya ever contrived a remedy of fuch approved efficacy, as the converfation of a faithful and judicious friend?

Such a one has Mifs Percy experienced in the father of Denbeigh. He has already convinced her that the indulgence of melancholy, inftead of being an amiable weaknefs, rather deferving of admiration than cenfure, is, in reality, equally selfish and finful. It is, he fays, the height of ingratitude to the Giver of all good, peevishly to refuse the enjoyment of the many bleffings that are left us, because we are deprived of a few, which were in their very natures perishable." But, alas!" replied Miss Percy, "what is left to those whofe earliest and dearest friends have been fnatched from them by the hand of death?"

"Much is left to all," replied Mr. Denbeigh." No one, who enjoys the

bleffings of health, and a peaceful confcience, can, without ingratitude repine. The proper discharge of the duties of life is a fource of happiness to every well regulated mind."

"But how circumfcribed are the limits of thofe duties to a female, who has no longer any parent to attend on: no family to manage: no fortune to bestow in deeds of charity and who has it little in her power to be useful, even to a friend?"

"And is the gift of reafon then nothing?" retorted Mr. Denbeigh. "And are the powers of the mind to lie dormant, because, forfooth, you have not now the management of a family or the exercife of the benevolent affections to be given up, because you have not a fortune to build alms-houfes? Thefe are the meer fubterfuges of indolence. Believe me, my dear Charlotte, that whoever feriously refolves not to fuffer any opportunity of benefiting a fellow-creature to pass unemployed, will find, that the power of doing good is not circumfcribed within very narrow limits.

"Why, (let me ask you farther) should your mind, cultivated as it has been by education, and improved by liftening to the conversation of the enlightened and judicious; why should it not exert its

powers, not only for your own entertainment, but for the inftruction, or innocent amufement of others?"

"Ah! Sir," returned Charlotte, "you know how female writers are looked down upon. The women fear, and hate; the men ridicule, and dislike them."

"This may be the cafe with the mere mob, who receive every prejudice upon truft," rejoined Mr. Denbeigh; "but if the fimplicity of your character remains unchanged-if the virtues of your heart receive no alloy from the vanity of authorship; truft me, my dear Charlotte, you will not be the lefs dear to any friend that is deferving of your love, for having employed your leifure hours in a way that is both innocent and rational."

Thus did this venerable old man perfuade Miss Percy to reconcile her mind to the evils of her deftiny, and, by the exertion of activity, to feek the road to contentment. Nor has his attention been confined to her. Me alfo, he has honoured with much of his inftructive converfation. He has been particularly folicitous to know my opinions concerning all that I have seen in England; and expecting to reap advantage from his obfervations, I have put into his hands a copy of all my letters to you. Thefe it

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