able to attend to any of my friends on the day: No, not to you, my love. Can you bear with my inattention to every body, to every fubject, but one? Can you defire to fee your Harriet (joyful as the occafion is, and the chofen with of her heart) look and behave like a foolish creature? If you can, and Lady G. will take charge of my lovely young friend, all mine will rejoice in being able to contribute to your pleasure, as well as Your ever-affectionate

HARRIET BYRON.

LETTER XXXIL

Lady G. To Lady L.

Selby-houfe, Tuesday, Nov. 14.

ELL, my fifter, my friend, my dear Lady L. how do you? As well as can be expected, I hope: The answer of a thousand years old, to every enquirer, careful or ceremonious. And how does my dear little boy? As well as can be expected, too-I am glad of it.

Here we are!-Every body well, and happy.

I was afraid my brother would have looked more polite upon us than familiar, as he invited us not: But no!-He was all himself, as Harriet fays.. He met us at the coach-door. He handed out his ward. She could not fpeak. Tears were in her eyes. I could have beat her with my fan. He kissed her cheek. My dear child, I thank you moft fincerely for your goodness to your mother.

I was afraid that her joy would then have been too much for her. She expanded, the collected her plumes. Her fpréad arms (foon, however, closed). thewed me, that the with difficulty reftrained herfelf from falling at his feet. He turned from her to

me..

me. My beft Charlotte, how do you? The journey, I hope, has not incommoded you. He led me out, and, taking each of the honeft men by the hand, My dear lords, you do me honour. He then con

gratulated Lord L. on the present you had made him and the family.

At the inner gate met us our sweet Harriet, with joy upon one brow, half the cares of this mortal life on the other. She led us into the cedar-parlour (my brother returning to welcome in the two honeft men), and threw her arms about my neck-My deareft Lady G. how much does your prefence rejoice me! I hope (and looked at me) your journey-Be quiet, Harriet. You must not think fo much of these matters, my love. She was a little abashed. Don't be afraid of me; I will be very good, faid I. Then will I be very thankful, replied the.

My lovely Emily, turning to her: How does my fweet friend? Welcome, once more, to Selby-house.

The girl's heart was full. She (thanking her only by a deep courtefy) abruptly withdrew to the window; and, trying for a third hem, in hopes to ftifle her emotion, it broke into a half-fob, and tears followed.

Harriet and I looked; he compaffionately, I vexedly, I believe; and both fhook our heads at each other.

Take no notice, faid I, feeing Harriet move towards the window to her-It will go off of itself. Her joy to fee her. Harriet, that's all.

But I must take notice (for the found that Emily heard her)-My dear Emily, my lovely young friend-why

I will tell ycu, madam, interrupted fhe, and threw her arms about Harriet's neck, as Harriet (fitting in the window) clafped hers about her waist; and I will tell you truth, and nothing but the truth-You wrote fo cool to me about my com

ing

ing-And yet I to come! But I could not help it

And I thought you now looked a little feverely upon me-But love, and I will fay, duty to you, my dearest Mifs Byron, AND NOTHING ELSE, made me fo earnest to come. Say you forgive me.

Forgive you, my dearest Emily!--I had only your fake, my dear, in view. If I wrote with lefs warmth than you expected, forgive me. Confider my situation, my love. You are, and ever will be, welcome to me. Your griefs, your joys are mineGive me which you please.

The girl burst into fresh tears-I, I, I am now as unable, fobbed she, to bear your goodness, as before I was your difpleafure-But hide, hide me! Here guardian!—What now, when he fees me

comes my

thus, will become of me?

She heard his voice at the door, leading in the two lords; and they followed by Mr Selby, Mrs Selby, Lucy, Nancy.

Sir Charles went to the two young ladies. Harriet kept her feat, her arms folded about Emily. Sweet emotion! faid he: My Emily in tears of joy!

-What a charming picture!-O my Mifs Byron, how does your tenderness to this amiable child obligé me! I fever you not; clafping his generous arms about them both.

I have afflicted my dear Emily, Sir, without intending it. I wrote coldly, my precious young friend thinks; and her love for me makes her fweetly fenfible of my fuppofed ingratitude. But believe me, my dear, I love you with a true fifterly tenderness.

I took the dear girl afide, and gently expoftulated with her upon the childishnefs of her behaviour, and the uneafinefs the would give to Mifs Byron, as well as to herfelf, by repetitions of the like weaknefs of mind.

She

She promised fair; but, Lady L. I with there were more of the child, and lefs of the woman, in this af fair. Poor thing! she was very thankful for my ad. vice; and expreffed how wrong fhe was, becaufe it might difcourage her guardian and Mifs Byron, that now was, from letting her live with them: But for my life, faid fhe, whatever was the matter with me, I could not help my foolishness.

Mifs Nancy Selby took Emily up with her; and uncle Selby and I had a little lively hit at each other, in the old stile. We drew my brother in. I had not tried his ftrength a good while: But, as Harriet faid in one of the faucieft letters fhe ever wrote, I foon found he was the wrong perfon to meddle with. Yet he is such a charming rallier, that I wonder he can rest his talent. No wonder, Harriet would fay; because he has talents fo fuperior to that which, fhe fays, runs away with his poor fifter.

Emily came down to us very composed, and be haved prettily enough: But had my brother as much mannith vanity as fome of the forry fellows have, who have no pretence for it, he would difcern the poor Emily's foible to have fome little fufceptibility in it. I am glad he does not; for it would grieve him. I have already told him of the fufferings of poor Lady Anne S. on her hearing he is near marriage; and he expreffed great concern upon it for that really worthy

woman.

Mr Reeves, his wife, and Mr Deane, were abroad when we arrived. They came in to tea. Our mutual congratulations on the expected happy event, cheared our own hearts, and would have delighted yours. Charming, charming is the behaviour of my brother to his bride-elect. You can have no notion of it; because at Colnebrook we al ways faw him acting under a restraint; owing, as VOL. VII.

U

fince

fince we have found, to honour, confcience, and a prior love.

He diverts and turns the course of subjects that he thinks would be affecting to her, yet in fuch a manner as it is hardly perceiveable to be his intention to do fo: For he makes fomething of the begun ones contribute to the new ones; fo that, before uncle Selby is aware of it, he finds himself in one that he had not in his head when he fet out. -And then he comes with his "What a pize was I going to fay? But this is not what I had in my head." And then, as my brother knows he miffes his fcent, only because it has not afforded the merry mortal fomething to laugh at, he furnishes him with some lively and innocent occafion which produces that effect, and then Mr Selby is fatisfied. Mrs Selby and Lucy fee how my brother manages him, and are pleafed with it; for it is fo delicately done, that fomething arifes from it that keeps the honeft man in credit with himself and with every body elfe, for his good humour, good heart, and thofe other qualities which make him in his worst subjects tolerable, and in his best valuable.

Venerable Mrs Shirley is to be here all to-mor row and next day. Mr Deane has chofen Shirley. manor for his abode for the time he stays; fo has James Selby, in order to make more room at Selby-houfe for us women. There too Mr and Mrs Reeves take up, of choice, their lodgings, though here all day.

Poor Harriet! She told me once, that fear makes cowards loving. She is fo fond of me and Lucy, and her aunt at times, it would be a fin not to pity her. Yet Lucy once toffed up her head upon my faying fo-Pity her! why, yes, I think I do, now you have put me in the head of it: But I don't know whether fhe is not more to be envied. Lucy is a polite girl. She loves her Harriet. But

fhe