Pretty well! pretty well! God grant that we meet with no put-offs ! I hardly longed fo much for my own day with my dame Selby there, as I have done, and do, to fee my Harriet Lady Grandifon-God, God bless you, my deareft love! and kiffed my cheek-You have been very, very good in the main And, but for dame Selby, would have been better, as far as I know. You don't do me justice, my dear, replied my aunt. Don't I!-Nor did I ever-taking kindly her hand. It was impoffible, my dear Sir Charles Grandifon, for fuch a man as I to do justice to this excellent woman. You never, Sir, will be fo froppifh as I have been: It was in my nature: I could not help it: But I was always forry for it afterwards-But if Harriet make you no worfe a wife than my dame Selby has made me, you will not be unhappy-And yet I was led a tedious dance after her before I knew what fhe would be at- I had like to have forgot that. But one thing I have to request, proceeded my uncle- -Mr Deane and I have been talking of it-God bless your dear fouls, all of you, oblige me-It is, that we may have a joyful day of it, and that all our neighbours and tenants may rejoice with us. I must make the village fmoak. No hugger-mugger doings-Let private weddings be for doubtful happiness O my uncle! faid I And O my niece, too: I must have it fo. Sir Charles, what fay you ? Are you for chamber-marriages? I say, that fuch are neither decent nor godly. But you would not allow Lady G. to come off fo-And in your own cafe Am for doing as in Lady G.'s. I must hope to pay my vows at the altar to this excellent lady. What fays my Mifs Byron? I, Sir, hope to return mine in the fame facred place place (my face, as I felt in a glow); but yet I fhall with to have it as private as poffible. Why, oy, to be fure-When a woman is to do any thing the is afhamed of, I think the is right to be private for example-fake. Shall you be afhamed, Sir Charles? Sir Charles has given it under his hand this very day, faid Lucy (interrupting him as he was going to fpeak), that he fhall glory in receiving my coufin's hand before ten thousand witneffes. Make but my dearest Mifs Byron eafy on this head, faid Sir Charles (that task, ladies, be yours); and, fo the church be the place, I fhall be happy in the manner. The ceremony, faid my grandmamma, cannot be a private one with us: Every body's eyes are upon us. It would be an affectation in us that would rather raise than allay curiofity. And I have as good as promised the two pretty Needhams, faid my uncle-and Miss Watson and her coufin are in expectation- O my uncle! Dear Harriet, forgive me! These are your companions from childhood! You can treat them but once in your life in this way. They would be glad at heart to return the favour. I withdrew: Lucy followed me-You, Lucy, I fee, faid I, are for these public doings-But you would not if it were your own cafe. Your cafe is my cafe, Harriet. I fhould hardly bear being made a fhow of with any other man: But with fuch a man as yours, if I did not hold up my head, I should give leer for ftare, to see how envy fat upon the women's faces. You may leer at the men for the fame reason. It will be a wicked day, after all, Harriet; for a general envy will poffefs the hearts of all beholders. Lucy, you know, my dear Lady G. is a whimfical girl. $ 2 So, So, my dear, the folemn day is fixed. If you could favour me with your fupporting prefenceI know, if you come, you will be very good, now I have not, as I hope you think, been guilty of much, no not of any parade.-Lucy will write letters for me to Lady D. to my coufins Reeves, and will undertake all matters of ceremony for her Harriet. May I but have the happinefs to know that Lady Clementina-What can I wish for Lady Clementina-But fhould the be unhappy-that would indeed be an abatement of my felicity! There is no fuch thing as thinking of the dear Emily. What a happiness, could I have feen Lady L. here!-But that cannot be. May the day that will in its anniversary be the happieft of my life, give to Lord and Lady L. their most earnest withes,! Sir Charles difpatches Frederick to-morrow to town with letters: He will bring you mine. Į would not go to reft till I had finished it. What have I more to say?—I feem to have a great deal. My head and my heart are full: Yet it is time to draw to a conclufion. Let me, my dearest Lady G. know, if I am to have any hopes of your prefence! Will you be fo good as to manage with Emily. My aunt bids me fuppofe to you, that fince we are to have all the world of our acquaintance, you fhould bring down your aunt Grandifon with you We have at both houses a great deal of room. Sir Charles juft now asked my grandmamma, Whether Dr Curtis would be fatisfied with a handfome prefent, if every one's dear Dr Bartlett were to perform the ceremony! My grandmamma anfwered, that Dr Curtis was one of my admiring friends. He had for years, even from my girlhood, prided himfelf with the hopes of joining my hand in marriage, especially if the office were performed in Northamptonfhire. She was afraid he would would think himself flighted; and he was a very worthy man. Sir Charles acquiefced. But, greatly as I refpect Dr Curtis, I fhould have preferred the venerable Dr Bartlett to any man in the world. A folemn, folemn fubject, though a joyful one! Adieu, adieu, my dear Lady G. Be fure, con tinue to love me. I will, if poffible, deferve your love. Witness HARRIET BYRON.. E LETTER XXVII. Lady G. To Mifs BYRON.. Friday Morning, Nov. 10.. XPECT a letter of hurry, in anfwer to one, two, three, four, five, fix, I don't know how many of yours; fome filled with tenderness, some with love, fome with nicety, fenfe, and nonfenfe. I fhall reckon with you foon for one of them, in which you take intolerable liberties with mė. O Harriet! tremble at my refentment. You are downright fcurrilous, my dear. I imputed extravagance to. Emily in my laft. The girl's a good girl. I was too hafty. I will fhew you two letters of hers, and one of my brother, which clears up the imputation. I love her more and more. Poor girl love peeps out in twenty places of hers: In his he is the best of men. -But that you knew before. And fo the honeft man kiffed you, kiffed your lip! O lud! O lud! how could you bear him afterwards in your fight?-- Forgiving creature! And fo you were friends with him before you had time to fhew your anger.-Nothing like doing impudent things in a hurry.-Sometimes refpectful, fometimes S. 3 fometimes free: Why this is the way of all the fellows, Harriet !-And fo they go on till the refpectfulness is drawn off, and nothing but the lees are left; and after two or three months are over, the once fqueamish palate will be glad of them. I like your uncle better than I like either your aunt or you-He likes me. What a miferable dog [take the word for fhortnefs; I am in hafte] is Sir Hargrave! Your plea againft Clementina being compelled, or over-perfuaded (the fame thing), I much like. You are a good girl. Betwixt her excellencies and yours, how must my brother's foul be divided! I wonder he thinks of either of you. Afs and two bundles of hay, Harriet. But my brother is a nobler, animal. He won't starve. However, I think in my confcience, that he should have you both. There might be a law made, that the cafe thould not be brought into precedent, till two fuch women should be found, and fuch a man, and all three in the like fituation. Bagenhall, a miferable devil! Excellent warningpieces! Wicked Harriet! You infected me with your horrible inferences from Greville's temper, threatnings, and fo forth. The conclufion of this letter left me a wretch!-If thefe megrims are the effect of love, thank Heaven. I never knew what it was. Devilifh girl, to torment me with your dreams! If you ever tell me any more of them, except they are of a different fort, woe be to you! I like your parting fcene, and all that. Your realities, thank Heaven, are more delightful than your reveries. I hope you'll always find them fo. And fo you were full of apprehenfions on the favour your aunt did me in employing me about your nuptial equipments. Long ago" you gave affectation to the winds." Good! But the winds would |