upon me. I will welcome it. Adieu, adieu, my dear ladies! Felicitate, I am fure you will, Your ever-obliged, ever-devoted,

HARRIET BYRON.

LETTER V.

Mifs BYRON. In Continuation..

Sunday Noon, Oct. 15.

E were told there would be a crouded church this morning, in expectation of feeing the new humble fervant of Mifs Byron attending her thither: For it is every-where known, that Sir Charles Grandifon is come down to make his addreffes to the young creature, who is happy in every one's love and good wifhes; and all is now faid to have been fettled between him and us, by his noble fifter, and Lord G. and Dr Bartlett, when they were with us. You see what credit you did us by your kind vifit, my dear. And we are. to be married-O my dear Lady G.! you cannot imagine how foon.

Many of the neighbourhood feemed disappointed when they faw me led in by my uncle, as Mr Deane led my aunt, and Nancy and Lucy only attended by their brother. But it was not long before Mr Greville, Mr Fenwick, and Sir Charles entered, and went into the pew of the former, which is over against ours. Mr. Greville and Mr Fenwick bowed low to us, feverally, the moment they went into the pew, and to feveral others of the gentry.

Sir Charles had firft other devoirs to pay: To falfe fhame, you have faid, he was always fuperior.. I was delighted to fee the example he fet. He paid? us his fecond compliments with a grace peculiar to himfelf

D. 3

himself. I felt my face glow, on the whifpering that went round. I thought I read in every eye admiration of him, even through the sticks of fome of the ladies' fans.

What a difference was there between the two men and him in their behaviour, throughout both the fervice and fermon! Yet who ever beheld two of the three fo decent, fo attentive, fo reverent, I may fay, before? Were all who call themselves gentlemen (thought I, more than once) like this, the world would yet be a good world.

Mr Greville had his arm in a fling. He feemed highly delighted with his gueft; fo did Mr Fenwick. When the fermon was ended, Mr Greville held the pew-door ready opened to attend our movements; and when we were in motion to go, he taking officioufly Sir Charles's hand bent towards us. Sir Charles met us at our pew-door :: He approached us with that eafy grace peculiar to himfelf, and offered, with a profound refpect, his hand to me.

This was equal to a public declaration. It took every body's attention. He is not afhamed to avow in public what he thinks fit to own in pri

vate.

I was humbled more than exalted by the general notice. Mr Greville (bold, yet low man!) made a motion as if he gave the hand that Sir Charles took, Mr Fenwick offered his hand to Lucy. Mr Greville led my aunt; and not speaking low (fubtle as a ferpent!) My plaguy horfe, faid he, looking at his fling, knew not his matter.. I invite myfelf to tea with you, madam, in the afternoon. You will fupply my lame arm, I hope,. yourself.

There is no fuch thing as keeping private one's movements in a country-town, if one would. One of our fervants reported the general approbation.. It is a pleasure furely, my dear ladies, to be ad

dreffed

dreffed to by a man of whom every one approves. What a poor figure must she make, who gives way to a courtship from a man commonly deemed unworthy of her! Such women indeed commonly confefs indirectly the folly, by carrying on the af fair clandeftinely.

Sunday Evening.

O My dear! I have been ftrangely difconcerted by means of Mr Greville. He is a strange man. But I will lead to it in course.

We all went to church again in the afternoon. Every body who knew Mr Greville took it for a high piece of politenefs in him to his guest, that he came twice the fame day to church. Sir Charles edified every body by his chearful piety. Are you not of opinion, my dear Lady G. that wickednefs. may be always put out of countenance by a perfon who has an established character for goodnefs, and who is not afhamed of doing his duty in the public eye? Methinks I could with that all the profligates in the parish had their feats around that of a man who has fortitude enough to dare to be good. The text was a happy one to this purpose: The words of our saviour: "Whosoever thall be • afhamed of me and of my words, in this adulterous and finful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be afhamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels." Sir Charles led my aunt to her coach, as Mr Greville officioufly, but properly for his views, did

me.

We found Mr Fenwick at Selby-house talk.. ing to my grandmamma on the new fubject. She dined with us; but, not being very well, chofe to retire to her devotions in my clofet, while we went to church, fhe having been at her own in the morn ing.

We all received Mr Greville with civility. He affects to be thought a wit, you know, and a great

joker.

joker. Some men cannot appear to advantage without making their friend a butt to fhoot at. Fenwick and he tried to play upon each other, as ufual. Sir Charles lent each his fmile; and, whatever he thought of them, fhewed not a contempt of their great-boy fnip-fnap. But, at laft, my grandmamma and aunt engaged Sir Charles. in a converfation, which made the gentlemen fo filent, and fo attentive, that had they not flashed a good deal at each other before, one might have thought them a little difcreet.

Nobody took the leaft notice of what had paffed between Mr Greville and Sir Charles, till Mr Greville touched upon the subject to me... He defired an audience of ten minutes, as he faid; and, upon his declaration, that it was the last he would ever afk of me on this fubject; and upon my grandmamma's faying, Oblige Mr Greville, my dear, I permitted him to draw me to the win. dow.

His addrefs was nearly in the following words.; not speaking fo low, but every one might hear him, though he faid aloud, Nobody muft but me.

I

I must account myfelf very unhappy, madam, in having never been able to incline you to fhew me favour. You may think me van: I believe I am fo: But I may take to myfelf the advantages and qualities which every body allows me. have an estate that will warrant my addresses to a woman of the first rank; and it is free, and unincumbered. I am not an ill-natured man. I love my jeft, 'tis true; but I love my friend. You good women generally do not like a man the lefs for having fomething to mend in him.. I could fay a great deal more in my own behalf, but that Sir Charles Grandifon (looking at him) quite eclipfes me. Devil fetch me, if I can tell how to think myfelf any-thing before him. I was always afraid of him. But when I heard he was gone

abroad

abroad, in pursuit of a former love, I thought I had another chance for it.

Yet I was half-afraid of Lord D. His mother would manage a Machiavel. He has a great eftate; a title; he has good qualities for a nobleman. But when I found that you could so steadily refuse him, as well as me, There must be fome man, thought I, who is lord of her heart. Fenwick is as fad a dog as I; it cannot be he. Orme, poor foul! fhe will not have fuch a milk-fop as that neither

Mr Orme, Sir, interrupted I, and was going to praise him-But he faid, I will be heard out now: This is my dying fpeech; I will not be interrupted.

Well then, Sir, fmiling, come to your last words as foon as you can.

I have told you before now, Mifs Byron, that I will not bear your fmiles: But now, fmiles or frowns, I care not. I have no hopes left; and I am refolved to abuse you before I have done.

Abufe me! I hope not, Sir.

"Hope not!" What fignify your hopes, who never gave me any? But hear me out. I fhall fay fome things that will displease you; but more of another nature. I went on guefling who could be the happy man. That fecond Orme, Fowler, cannot be he; thought I. Is it the newlyarrived Beauchamp? He is a pretty fellow enough [I had all your footsteps watched, as I told you I would]. No, anfwered I myself, the refufed Lord D. and a whole tribe of us, before Beauchamp came to England-Who the devil can he be? But when I heard that the dangerous man, whom I thought gone abroad to his matrimonial destiny, was returned unmarried; when I heard that he was actually coming northward, I began to be again afraid of him.

Laft