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Printed for JOHN DONALDSON, corner of Arundel-street,
No. 195. in the Strand. Sold by T. WILSON, at York:
A. SMITH, Halifax: D. AKENHEAD, New-
caftle: W. DARLING, Edinburgh: V. BOYD,
Dumfries: W. ANDERSON, Stirling:

ANGUS and SoN, Aberdeen :
and L. FLIN, Dublin.

M,DCC,LXXVI.

THE

HISTORY

O F

Sir Charles Grandifon, Bart.

LETTER I.

Signor JERONYMO della PORRETTA, To Sir CHARLES

W

GRANDISON.

Bologna, Sunday, {

Sept. 24. Oct. 5:

E have at last, my Grandifon, fomes hopes. given us, that our dear Clementina will yield to our wishes.

The general, with his lady, made us a vifit from Naples, on purpose to make a decifive effort, as he called it; and vowed that he would not return till he left her in a difpofition to oblige us. The bifhop at one time brought the patriarch to reason with her; who told her, that the ought not to think of the veil, unlefs her father and mother confented to her affuming it.

Mrs Beaumont was prevailed upon to favour us with her company. She declared for us: And on Thursday

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Thursday laft Clementina was ftill harder fet. Her father, mother, the general, and his lady, the bifhop, all came into my chamber, and fent for her. She came. Then did we all fupplicate her to oblige us. The general was at firft tenderly urgent : The bithop befought her: The young marchionefs preffed her: My mother took her hand between both hers, and in filent tears could only figh over it: And, laftly, my father dropt down on one knee to her-My daughter, my child, faid he, oblige me. Your Jeronymo could not refrain from tears.

She fell on her knees-O my father, faid fhe, rife or I fhall die at your feet!-Rife, my father! Not, my dear, till you confent to oblige me. Grant me but a little time, my father! my dear, my indulgent father!

The general thought he faw a flexibility which we had never before feen in her on this fubject, and called upon her for her inftant determination. Shall a father kneel in vain! faid he Shall a mother in weeping filence in vain entreat? my fifter, comply-or-He fternly stopt.

-Now,

Have patience with me, faid fhe, but till the Chevalier's next letters come: You expect them foon Let me receive his next letter. And, putting her hand to her forehead-Rife, my father, or I die at your feet!

I thought the general pushed too hard. I begged that the next letters might be waited for.

Be it fo, faid my iather, rifing, and raising her: But whatever be the contents, remember, my deareft child, that I am your father, your indulgent father; and oblige me..

Will not this paternal goodnefs, my dear Clementina, faid the general, prevail upon you? Your father, mother, brothers, are all ready to kneel to you: Yet are we all to be flighted? And is a foreigner, an Englishman, an heretic (great and noble as is the man; a man, too, whom you have

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fo gloriously refused), to be preferred to us all! Who can bear the thoughts of fuch a preference!

And remember, my fifter, faid the bishop, that you already know his opinion. You have already had his advice, in the letters he wrote to you in the month's correfpondence which paffed between you before he left Italy. Think you that the Chevalier Grandifon can recede from an opinion folemnly given, the circumstances not having varied?

I have not been well. It is wicked to oppofe my father, my mother: I cannot argue with my brothers. I have not been well. Spare me, fpare me, my lords, to the general and the bifhop. My father gives me time: Don't you deny it me.

My mother, afraid of renewing her disorder, faid, Withdraw, my dear, if you chufe to do so, and compofe yourself: The intention is not to compel, but to perfuade you.

-

O madam! faid fhe, perfuafion fo ftrongly urgedby my parents is more than compulfion. I take the liberty you give me.

She hurried to Mrs Beaumont, and, throwing her arms about her, O madam, I have been oppreffed! Oppreffed by perfuafion! By a kneeling father! By a weeping mother! By entreating brothers!And this is but perfuafion!Cruel perfuafion!

Mrs Beaumont then entered into argument with her. She represented to her the general's inflexibility; her father's and mother's indulgence; the wishes of her two other brothers; fhe pleaded your opinion given as an impartial man, not merely as a Proteftant: She told her of an admirable young lady of your own country, who was qualified to make you happy; of whom fhe haď heard feveral of your countrymen speak with great distinction. This laft plea, as the intimate friendfhip between you and Mrs Beaumont is fo well

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known

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