young women. You may not have considered this matter. Do you imagine, that your curiosity will yield you pleasure? Don't you know what to expect from the magnificent and bountiful spirit of him, to whose memory you owe duty?'

They recollected themselves, blushed, and desired Mrs. Oldham to lock up the chest. She did; and seemed pleased to be excused from the mortifying task.

Ah, my Lucy, one thing I am afraid of; and that is, that Sir Charles Grandison, politely as he behaves to us all, thinks us women in general very contemptible creatures. I wish I knew that he did; and that for two reasons: that I might have something to think him blameable for: and to have the pride of assuring myself, that he would be convinced of that fault, were he to be acquainted with my grandmamma and aunt.

But do you wonder, that the sisters, whose minds were thus opened and enlarged by the example of such a brother, blazing upon them all at once, as I may say, in manly goodness, on his return from abroad, whither he set out a strippling, should, on all occasions, break out into raptures, whenever they mention THEIR brother? Well may Miss Grandison despise her lovers, when she thinks of him and of them at the same time.

Sunday. Sir Charles is in town we hear: came thither but last night.-Nay, for that matter, his sisters are more vexed at him than I am.-But what pretence have I to be disturbed? But I say of him, as I do of Lady D. he is so good, that one would be willing to stand well with him. Then is he my brother, you know.

LETTER XXII.

MISS BYRON. IN CONTINUATION.

AFTER Sir Charles had inspected into every thing in this house, and taken minutes of papers, letters, writings, &c. and locked up the plate, and other valuables, in one room, he ordered his servants to carry into Mrs. Oldham's apartment all that belonged to her; and gave her the key of that; and directed the housekeeper to be assisting to her in the removal of them, at her own time and pleasure, and to suffer her to come and go, at all times, with freedom and civility, as if she had never left the house,' were his words.

How the poor woman curtsied and wept! The dear girls, I am afraid, then envied her, and perhaps expressed a grudging spirit; for they said, this was their brother's address to them at the time :

'You may look upon the justice I aim at doing, to persons who can claim only justice from me, as an earnest, that I will do more than justice to my beloved sisters: and you should have been the first to have found the fruits of the love I bear you, had I not been afraid, that prudence would have narrowed my intentions. The moment I know what I can do, I will do it; and I request you to hope largely: if I have ability, I will exceed your hopes.

6 My dear sisters,' continued he, and took one hand of each, I am sorry, for your spirits' sake, that you are left in my power. The best of wo men was always afraid it would be so. But the moment I can, I will give you an absolute inde

pendence of your brother, that your actions and conduct may be all your own.'

'Surely, sir,' said Caroline, (and they both wept) < we must think it the highest felicity, that we are in the power of such a brother. As to our spirits, sir-'

She would have said more, but could not; and Charlotte took it up where her sister left off: 'Best of brothers,' said she,' our spirits shall, as much as possible, (I can answer for both) be guided hereafter by yours. Forgive what you have seen amiss in us.-But we desire to depend upon our good behaviour. We cannot, we will not, be independent of you.'

We will talk of these matters,' replied he, 'when we can do more than talk. I will ask you, Caroline, after your inclinations-and you, Charlotte, after yours-in the same hour that I know what I can do for you both, in the way of promoting them. Enter, mean time, upon your measures; reckon upon my best assistance; banish suspense. One of my first pleasures will be, to see you both happily married.'

They did not say, when they related this to me, that they threw themselves at his feet, as to their better father, as well as brother: but I fancy they did.

He afterwards, at parting with Mrs. Oldham, said- I would be glad to know, madam, how you dispose of yourself: every unhappy person has a right to the good offices of those who are less embarrassed. When you are settled, pray let me know the manner: and if you acquaint me with the state of your affairs, and what you propose to do for and with those who are entitled to your first care, your confidence in me will not be misplaced.'

'And pray, and pray,' asked I of the ladies, "what said Mrs. Oldham? How did she behave upon this?'

Our Harriet is strangely taken with Mrs. Old, ham's story,' said Miss Grandison.- Why, she wept plentifully, you may be sure. She clasped her hands, and kneeled to pray to God to bless him, and all that. She could not do otherwise.'

See, Lucy!-But am I, my grandmamma-am I, my aunt, to blame? Is it inconsistent with the strictest virtue to be charmed with such a story?— May not virtue itself pity the lapsed?-O yes, it may! I am sure, you, and Sir Charles Grandison, will say it may. A while ago, I thought myself a poor creature, compared to these two ladies: but now I believe I am as good as they in some things. But they had not such a grandmamma and aunt as I am blessed with: they lost their excellent mother while they were young; and their brother is but lately come over; and his superior excellence, like sun-shine, breaking out on a sudden, finds out, and brings to sight, those spots and freckles, that were hardly before discoverable.

Sir Charles desired Mrs. Oldham would give in writing what she proposed to do for herself, and for those who were under her care. She did, at her first opportunity. It was, That she purposed going to London, for the sake of the young people's education; of turning into money what jewels, clothes, and plate, she should think above her then situation in life; of living retired in a little genteel house; and she gave in an estimate of her worth; to what amount the ladies knew not; but this they know, that their brother allows her an annuity, for the sake of her sons by his father; and they doubt not but he will be still kinder to them, when they are old enough to be put into the world.

This the ladies think an encouragement to a guilty life. I will not dare to pronounce upon it, because I may be thought partial to the generous man: but should be glad of my uncle's opinion. This, however, may be said, that Sir Charles Grandison has no vices of his own to cover by the extensiveness of his charity and beneficence; and if it be not goodness in him to do thus, it is greatness, and this, if it be not praiseworthy, is the first instance that I have known goodness and greatness of soul separable.

The brother and sisters went down, after this, to Grandison Hall; and Sir Charles had reason to be pleased with the good order in which he found every thing there.

LETTER XXIII.

MISS BYRON. IN CONTINUATION.

THE next thing the ladies mentioned was, Sir Charles's managemeut with the two stewards.

I will not aim at being very particular in this part of the family history.

When Sir Charles found that his father had left the inspection of each steward's account to the other, he entered into the examination of the whole himself; and though he allowed them several disputable and unproved charges, he brought them to acknowledge a much greater balance in his favour, than they had made themselves debtors for. This was the use he made of detecting them, to his sisters. You see, sisters, that my father was not so profuse as some people thought him. He had partners in his estate; and I have reason VOL. II.