But a word about Caroline-Were it not for her being deprived of this pleasure, the good creature would be very happy. Lord L. and the are as fond as apes. She has quite forgot all her fufferings for him. He thanks her for his boy. She follows with her eye the little ftranger, and is delighted with all that is done with him, to him, for him→→→ Is pleased with every-body, even with the very fervants who croud in, by permiffion, to fee his little Lordship, and already claim an intereft in him. Upon my word she makes a very pretty fond mother. And aunt Nell, who by the way was at the crying-out, and was then fo frighted! fo thankful to God! and fo happy in her own fituation. [No, not for the world, would fhe be other than fhe was!] now grudges the nurfes half their cares.

What good creatures are we women!

Well, but I don't know what to do about Emily.. The first vice of the first woman was curiofity, and it runs thro' all her daughters. She has written to her guardian, and nothing but an abfolute prohi bition will hinder her from making one in your train. Did the dear girl know the ftate of her own heart, fhe would chufe to be a thousand miles off, rather than go. I have fet her woman and mine to difcourage her. I have reafoned with her myself; but there is no fuch thing as giving her one's true. reafons; nor would I, willingly: Becaufe the herfelf, having not found out her love to be love, ' Ihope the fire may be fmothered in her own heart,, by the aid of time and diferetion, before discovery; whereas, if the doors of it were to be opened, and the air let in, it might fet the whole tenement in a blaze. Her guardian's denial or affent will come perhaps in time; yet hardly, neither; for we fhalk fet out on Monday.. Aunt Nell is fo pleafed with her nursery of the little Peer, as the primly calls him, that you are rid of even her wishes to be with you. Being fure of this, I told her, that your aunt. T. 3. hadi

had hinted to me her defign to invite her in form; but that I had let you know, that Lady L. would not be able to live without her company, all the world, and the world's wife, attentive and engrof., fed by your affair. She, good creature! was pleafed So as fhe could but be thought of impor tance by fome-body, I knew fhe would be happy.. I told her that you invited nobody, but left all to your friends-Ay, poor dear foul, faid fhe; fhe has enough to think of, well as fhe loves your brother -And fighed for you-Worthy ancient! The figh a little deeper, perhaps, for some of her own recol. lections.

fhifts

Mr and Mrs Reeves would not ftay for us. What will you do with us all?Croud you, I fear. But difpofe of us at Shirley-manor, or Selby-houfe,. as you pleafe. Yours, and aunt Selby's and grandmamma Shirley's concern for us, is all we are folicitous about. But fervants' rooms, nay cocklofts, haylofts, will do. We like to be put to our now-and-then-Something to talk of But I can telll-you, if don't know it already, Lord W. and his lady are refolved to do you honour on this occafion; but they will be but little trouble to you. My lord's fteward has a half-brother, a gentleman farmer, in your neighbourhood.. -Sheldon-They will be there: But perhaps you know of this better way. They will make a fplendid part of your train. Gratitude is their in-. ducement.

you

Lord L. has juft now told me, that my fifter, in tendernefs to him, and in honour to you, has be fought him to be prefent. O Harriet! what will you do with yourfelf?-Aunt Nell and I have the heartburn for you. But Lord L. must be welcome: He is one of those who so faithfully kept your fecret.

So, in our equipages, will be Lord L. my honest man, Emily, and your Charlotte: Lord L's equi

pages

pages will be at the fervice of any of your guests; as will our fpare one--I with our Beauchamp could permit himself to be prefent (I hope he will) on the nuptials of the friend fo dear to him, with a lady he fo greatly admires.

My woman and Emily's will be all our female: attendants: One nook will ferve them both..

My poor man will be mad, before the day comes.. He does love you, Harriet. My brother, he fays, will be the happiest man in the world-himself excepted-A hypocrite! He just popt this in to fave himfelf-Why doft make this exception, friend? faid I Thou knoweft it to be a mere compliment -Indeed, indeed (two indeeds, which implied that. one might have been doubted) I am now (a farcafm in his word now) as happy as mortal man can: be-Ah, flatterer! and shook my head: A recog nition of my fovereignty, however, in his being afraid to fpeak his confcience. A little of the old leaven, Harriet !-I can't help it. It is got out of: my heart, half out of my head; but, when I take: the pen, it will tingle now and then at my finger's.

end.

Adieu, my love God bless you!-I can enter into your joy. A love fo pure, and fo fervent.. The man Sir Charles Grandifon. And into your pain alfo, in a view of a folemnity fo near, and to you fo awful. With all my roguery, Ifympathize with you. I have not either a wicked or unfeeling, heart. Such as yours, however, are the true fpirits; fuch as mine are only bully and flash..

Lucy, you are a good girl.. I like the whim of your concluding for Harriet. I also like your tenants' dining-room, and other managements, as the affair muft unavoidably be a public one.

Neither of you fay a word of good Mr Deane. I hope he is with you. He cannot be a cypher wherever he comes, except on the right-fide of the figure, to increafe its confequence. Don't be

afraid of your uncle: I, I, I will manage him, never fear.

There are other paffages, Harriet, in your laft letter, which I ought to have anfwered to-But for give me, my dear! I had laid it by (tho' pleafed with it in the main); and, having anfwered the moft material part, by difpatching your things, for got it as much as if I had not received it, till the moment I came to conclude. Once more, Adieu, my dearest Harriet.

CH. G.

LETTER XXX...

Mifs JERVOIS, To Sir CHARLES GRANDISON.

N

Friday, Nov. 10.

O fooner, dear and honoured Sir, is one boon granted me, but I have another to beg; yet I blush as I write, for my troublesomeness.. I told you, Sir, I had furnished myself with new cloaths, on a very joyful occafion-Indeed it is on a very joyful occafion. You would lay me under a new obligation to your goodnefs, if you would be pleafed to allow me to attend Lady G. in her journey down. I fhall know by this fresh favour, that you have. quite forgiven your dutiful ward. I prefume not to add another word-But I dare fay, dear Mifs Byron, that now is, will not be against it, if you are not. God bless you, my honoured good Sir-But God, I hope, I am fure, will bless you; and fo thall I, as furely I ought, whether you grant this favour, or not, to

Your ever obliged, and grateful

EMILY JERVOIS.

LETTER

LETTER XXXI.

Sir CHARLES GRANDISON, To Mifs JERVOIS.

Sunday, Nov. 12.

T would give me great pain to deny to my good I Mifs Jervois the grant of any request the thall think fit to make to me. You fhall know, you say, by the grant of this favour, that I have quite forgiven my ward-Was such a tesft wanted, my dear? I affure you, that what you have lately done for your mother, though I was not confulted in it, has heightened my opinion of the worthiness of your heart.

As to your request, I have pleasure in leaving every-thing relating to the happy event to my beloved Mifs Byron and her friends. I will entreat her to under-write her mind on this fubject. She grieves that the folemnity cannot be private; which, beloved as the is in this neighbourhood, would be vain to attempt.

If her aunt has no objection from want of room, there cannot, my dear Emily, be any from Your affectionate and true friend

CHARLES GRANDISON.

Underwritten.

My dearest Mifs Jervois will excufe me, that I gave her not a formal invitation, when I intimated my wishes for Lady G.'s prefence on the ap proaching folemn occafion, though at fo many miles diftance. It is a very folemn one. One's heart, my dear, cannot be fo much difengaged, as to attend to invitations for the very day, as it might on its anniversary. We fhall have too great a number of friends. O my dear! can you bear to make one in fo large a company? I fhall not be

able