place here ?But tell me, Mifs Byron, how you like Dr Bartlett? Ay, tell us, Harriet, faid Mifs Grandifon, how you like Dr Bartlett? Pray Lady L. don't anticipate me: I propofe to give our new filter the hiftory of us all: And is not Dr Bartlett one of us? She has already given me the hiftory of all her friends, and of herfelf: And I have communicated to you, like a good fifter, all she has told me. I confidered Dr Bartlett, I faid, as a faint; and at the fame time, as a man of true politeness. He is indeed, faid the Countefs, all that is worthy and amiable in man. Don't you fee how Sir Charles admires him? Pray, Lady L. keep clear of my province. Here is Sir Charles. He will not let us break into parties. Sir Charles heard this laft fentence-Yet I wonder not, faid he, joining us, that three fuch women get together: Goodnefs to goodness is a natural attraction. We men, however, will not be exclu ded. Dr Bartlett, if you pleafe The doctor approached in a moft graceful manner-Let me again, Mifs Byron, prefent Dr Bartlett to you, as a man that is an honour to his cloth; and that is the fame thing, as if I faid, to human nature the good man bowed in filence]; and Mifs Byron to you, my good doctor (taking my hand), as a lady most worthy your diftinguished regard. You do me too much honour, Sir, faid I. I fhall hope, good Dr Bartlett, by your instructions, to be enabled to deferve fuch a recommendation. My dear Harriet, faid the Countefs, fnatching my other hand, you are a good girl; and that is more to your honour than beauty. Be quiet, Lady L. faid Mifs Grandifon. Mr Grandifon came up-What? Is there not another hand for me? I was vexed at his interruption. It prevented Dr Bartlett from faying fomething that his lips were opening to speak with a smile of benignity. How the world, faid Sir Charles, fmiling, will push itself in! Heart, not hand, my dear Mr Grandifon, was the fubject. Whenever you, Sir Charles, and the doctor, and thefe ladies, are got together, I know I must be unfeasonable: But if exclude me fuch company, how fhall I ever be what you and the doctor would have me to be. you Lord L. and Lord G. were coming up to us: See your attraction, Mifs Byron! faid the Countefs. But, joined in Mifs Grandison, we will not leave our little Jervois by herself, expecting and longing! Our coufins Reeves-(only that when they are together, they cannot want company)-fhould not be thus left. Is there more than one heart among us?—This man's excepted, humouroufly pushing Mr Grandifon, as if from the company-Let us be orderly, and take our seats, How cruel is this! faid Mr Grandifon, appealing to Sir Charles. Indeed I think it is a little cruel, Charlotte. Not fo: Let him be good then.-Till when, may all our fex fay, to fuch men as my cousin has been -" Thus let it be done by the man, whom, if he were good, good perfons would delight to ho nour." Shame, if not principle, faid Lord L. fmiling, would effect the cure, if all ladies were to act thus. Don't you think fo, coufin Everard? Well, well, faid Mr Grandifon, I will be good as fast as I can: But doctor, what fay you ?— Rome was not built in a day. I have great hopes of Mr Grandifon, said the Doctor. But, ladies, you must not, as Mr Grandifon obferved, exclude from the benefit of your conversation, converfation, the man whom you wish to be good. What! Not till he is good? faid Mifs Grandifon. Did I not fay, we thould delight to honour him when he was? But, what, Sir Charles (come, I had rather take my cue from you than any body), what are the figns which I am to give to be allowed-? Only thefe, my coufin-When you can be ferious on serious subjects; yet so chearful in your ferioufnefs, as if it fat eafy upon you; when you can, at times, prefer the company and converfation of Dr Bartlett, who is not a folemn or feveré man, to any other; and, in general, had rather stand well in his opinion, than in that of the gayeft man or woman in the world. Provided yours, Sir Charles, may be added to the Doctor's— Command me, Mr Grandifon, whenever you two are together. We will not opprefs you with our fubjects. Our converfation fhall be that of men, of chearful men. You fhall lead them and change them at pleafure. The first moment (and I will watch for it) that I fhall imagine you to be tired or uneafy, I will break off the converfation; and you shall leave us, and purfue your own diverfions, without a question. You were always indulgent to me, Sir Charles, faid Mr Grandifon; and I have retired, and blufhed to myfelf, fometimes, for wanting your indulgence. Tea was preparing. Sir Charles took his own feat next Lord L. whom he fet in to talk of Scotland. He enjoyed the account my Lord gave of the pleasure which the Countefs, on that her firit journey into those parts, gave to all his family and friends; as Lady L. on her part acknowledged fhe had a grateful fenfe of their goodness to I rejoice, her. B. 3 I rejoice, faid Sir Charles, that the fea divides us not from fuch worthy people as you, my Lord, have given us a relation to. Next vifit you make (Charlotte, I hope, will accompany me) I intend to make one in your train, as I have told your Lordship before. You will add to our pleasure, Sir Charles. All my relations are prepared to do you honour. But, my Lord, did not the ladies think a little hardly of your Lordship's engagement? that a man of your merit fhould go from Scotland for a wife? I do affure you, my Lord, that, in all the countries I have been in, I never faw finer women than I have seen in Scotland; and, in very few nations, though fix times as large, greater numbers of them. I was to be the happiest of men, Sir Charles, in a Grandifon-I thank you, bowing. It is one of my felicities, my Lord, that my fifter calls herself yours. Lady L. whifpering me, as I fat between her and Mifs Grandison, the two worthiest hearts in the world, Mifs Byron! my Lord L.'s, and my brother's! With joy I congratulate your ladyship on both, re-whispered I. May God long continue to you two fuch bleflings! I thought of the vile Sir Hargrave at the time. I can tell you how, faid Mr Grandifon, to repay that nation-You, Sir Charles, fhall go down, and bring up with you a Scottish lady. I was vexed with myself for starting. I could not help it. Don't you think, Lucy, that Sir Charles made a very fine compliment to the Scottish ladies ?—I own that I have heard the women of our northern countries praised alfo. But are there not, think you, as pretty women in England? My My fifter Harriet, applied Sir Charles to me, you need not, I hope, be told, that I am a great admirer of fine women. I had liked to have bowed-I fhould not have been able to recover myself, had I fo feemed to apply his compliment. I had the lefs wonder that you are, Sir Charles, because, in the word fine, you include mind as well as perfon. That's my good girl! faid Mifs Grandison, as fhe poured out the tea: And fo he does. My dear Charlotte, whispered I-Pray, fay fomething encouraging to Lord G. He is pleafed with every body; but no body fays any thing to him; and he, I fee, both loves and fears you. Hufh, child, whispered fhe again. The man's best when he is filent. If it be his day to love, it is his day to fear. What a deuce! fhall a woman's time be never? That's good news for my lord: Shall I hint to him, that his time will come? Do, if you dare. I want you to provoke me. She spoke aloud. I have done, faid I. My lord, what do you think Mifs Byron fays? Pray, madam, let me know, faid my Lord. You will know Mifs Grandifon in time, faid Sir Charles. I trust her not with any of my fecrets, Mifs Byron. The more ungenerous you, Sir Charles; for you get out of me all mine. I complained of you, Sir, to Mifs Byron, for your referves at Colne brook. Be fo good, madam, faid my Lord Nay, nothing but the mountain and the mouse. Mifs Byron only wanted to fee your collection of infects. |