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THE

HISTORY

OF

Sir Charles Grandifon, Bart.

LETTER I.

Mifs HARRIET BYRON, To Mifs LUCY SELBY.

M

Wedn. Night, March 1.

He

R Fowler fet out yesterday for Glou cefterfhire, where he has an estate. propofes to go from thence to Caermarthen, to the worthy Sir Rowland. He paid a vifit to Mr Reeves, and desired him to prefent to me his best wishes and refpects. He declared, that he could not poffibly take leave of me, though he doubted not but I would receive him with goodness, as he called it. But it was that which cut him to the heart: So kind, and fo cruel, he faid, he could not bear it.

VOL. II.

A

I hope poor Mr Fowler will be more happy than I could make him. Methinks, I could have been half-glad to have feen him before he went : And yet but half-glad; fince, had he shewn much concern, I should have been pained.

Take now, my dear, an account of what paffed this day in St James's-fquare.

There were at Sir Charles Grandifon's, befides Lord and Lady L. the young Lord G. one of Mifs Grandifon's humble fervants; Mr Everard Grandifon; Mifs Emily Jervois, a young lady of about fourteen, a ward of Sir Charles; and Dr Bartlett, a divine; of whom more by and by.

Sir Charles conducted us into the drawingroom adjoining to the dining-room, where only were his two fifters. They received my coufins and me with looks of love.

I will tell you, faid Sir Charles, your company, before I prefent them to you. Lord L. is a good man. I honour him as fuch; and love him as my fifter's husband.

Lady L. bowed, and looked round her, as if fhe took pride in her brother's approbation of her Lord.

Mr Everard Grandifon, proceeded he, is a fprightly man. He is prepared to admire you, Mifs Byron. You will not believe, perhaps, half the handfome things he will fay to you; but yet will be the only perfon who hears them that will

not.

Lord G. is a modeft young man: He is genteel, well-bred; but is fo much in love with a certain' young lady, that he does not appear with that dignity in her eye [why bluthes my Charlotte?] that otherwife, perhaps, he might.

Are not you, Sir Charles, a modest man?

No comparifons, Charlotte. Where there is a double prepoffeffion; no comparisons !-But Lord G. Mifs Byron, is a good kind of young man. You'll

You'll not diflike him, though my fifter is pleafeed to think

No comparifons, Sir Charles.

That's fair, Charlotte. I will leave Lord G. to the judgment of Mifs Byron. Ladies can better account for the approbation and dislikes of ladies, than we men can.

He is learned,

Dr Bartlett you'll also fee. prudent, humble. You'll read his heart in his countenance the moment he fmiles upon you. Your grandpappa, madam, had fine curling filver hair, had he not? The moment I heard that you owed obligation to your grandfather's care and delight in you, I figure to myfelf, that he was just fuch a man, habit excepted: Your grandfather was not a clergyman, I think. When I have friends whom I have a ftrong defire to pleafe, I always endeavour to treat them with Dr Bartlett's company. He has but one fault; he fpeaks too little: But were he to fpeak much, every one else would wish to be filent>

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My ward Emily Jervois is an amiable girl. Her father was a good man but not happy in his nuptials. He bequeathed to my care, on his deathbed, at Florence, this his only child. My filter loves her. I love her for her own fake as well as for her father's. She has a great fortune: And I have had the happinefs to recover large fums, which her father gave over for loft. He was an Italian merchant, and driven out of England by the unhappy temper of his wife. I have had fome trouble with her; and, if the be living, expect more.

Unhappy temper of his wife, Sir Charles! You are very mild in your account of one of the most abandoned of women.

Well, but, Charlotte, I am only giving brief hints of Emily's ftory, to procure for her an intereft in Mifs Byron's favour, and to make their

A 2

first

first acquaintance eafy to each other. Emily wants no prepoffeffion in Mifs Byron's favour. She will be very ready herself to tell her whole ftory to Mifs Byron. Mean time, let us not fay all that is just to say of the mother, when we are speaking of the daughter.

I ftand corrected, Sir Charles.

Emily, madam (turning to me), is not conftantly refident with us in town. She is fond of

being every where with my Charlotte.

And where you are, Sir Charles, faid Miss Grandifon.

Mr Reeves whispered a question to Sir Charles, which was feconded by my eyes; for I gueffed what it was: Whether he had heard any thing further of Sir Hargrave?

Don't be anxious, faid Sir Charles. All must be well. People, long ufed to error, don't, without reluctance, fubmit to new methods of proceeding.

All must be well.

Sir Charles, ftepping out, brought in with him Mifs Jervois. The gentlemen feemed engaged in converfation, faid he. But I know the impatience of this young lady to pay her refpects to Mifs Byron.

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He prefented her to us: This dear girl is my Emily. Allow me, madam, whenever Mifs Grandifon fhall be abfent, to claim for her the benefit of your inftruction, and your general countenance, as the fhall appear worthy of it.

There are not many men, my Lucy, who can make a compliment to one lady, without robbing, or, at leaft, depreciating another. How often have you and I observed, that a polite brother is a black fwan?

I faluted the young lady, and told her, I should be fond of embracing every opportunity that fhould offer to commend myself to her favour. Mifs Emily Jervois is a lovely girl. She is tall, genteel,

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