of the other's accompanying him abroad, to make him easy. And, would you believe it? and can you forgive me?-I have brought Sir Hargrave to consent to give Wilson the promised 1007. To induce him to do this, Merceda (influenced by the arguments I urged, founded on the unhappy fellow's confessions in that letter) offered 50%. more for his past services to himself; and both as a proof of the sincerity of the promised reformation. Wilson shall not have the money, but upon his marrying the girl to whom he is contracted: and on my return from a little excursion I am making to Canterbury, I shall put all in a train. And now, let me ask you, once more, can you forgive me for rewarding, as you may think it, a base servant?

O sir! how can I answer you?-You told me at Colnebrook, that we were to endeavour to bring good out of the evil from which you had delivered me. This indeed is making your words true in a very extensive sense: to make your enemies your friends; to put wicked men into a way of reformation; and to make it a bad man's interest to be good-Forgive you, sir!— From what I remember of that poor wretch's letter, I was obliged to him myself; though vile, he was less vile than he might have been. The young woman behaved with tenderness to me at Paddington; let me therefore add 50l. to Mr Merceda's 501. as an earnest that I can follow a noble example.

You charm me, madam, said he; I am not disappointed in my opinion of you-Wilson, if he give hope of real penitence, shall not want the fourth 50%.-It would be too good in you, so great a sufferer as you were by his wickedness, to give it; but it will become a man to do it, who has not been injured by him, and who was the occasion of his losing the favour of his employer; and the rather, as he was an adviser to his fellow-agents to fly, and not to fire at my servants, who might have suffered from a sturdier villain. He has promised repentance and reformation: this small sum will give me a kind of right to enforce the performance.—But no more of this just now.

Miss Jervois just then looking as if she would be glad to speak with her guardian, he arose, and taking her hand, led her to the window. She was in a supplicating attitude, as if asking a favour. He seemed to be all kindness and affection to her-Happy girl!-Miss Grandison, who had heard enough of what he said of Wilson, to be affected, whispered me, Did I not tell you, Harriet, that my brother was continually employed in doing good? He has invention, forecast, and contrivance; but you see how those qualities are all employed.

O Miss Grandison, said I, I am such a nothing!-I cannot, as Sir Hargrave says, bear my own littleness.

Be quiet, said she-You are an exceeding good girl! But you have a monstrous deal of pride.

Early I saw that. You are not half so good as the famous Greek, who losing an election for which he stood, to be one of three hundred only, thanked the gods, that there were in Athens (I think it was) three hundred better men than himself. Will you not have honour enough, if it can be said, that next to Sir Charles Grandison, you are the best creature in the world? Sir Charles led his ward to a seat, and sat down by us.

Cousin Charlotte, said Mr Grandison, you remember your treatment of me, for addressing Miss Byron, in an open, and, I thought, a very polite manner; pray, where's your impartiality? Sir Charles has been shut up in his study with a lady, who would not be seen by anybody else. But Sir Charles may do anything.

I am afraid it is too late, cousin, said Miss Grandison; else it would be worth your while to try for a reputation.

Has Charlotte, Mr Grandison, said Sir Charles, used you ill? Ladies will do as they please with you gallant men. They look upon you as their own; and you wish them to do so. You must bear the inconvenience for the sake of the convenience.

Well, but, Sir Charles, I am refused to be of the Colnebrook party-absolutely refused. Will you accept of my company? Shall I attend you to Canterbury?

Are you in earnest, cousin Grandison? Will you oblige me with your company?

With all my heart and soul, Sir Charles. With all mine, I accept your kind offer. This agreeably surprised his sisters as well as me; but why then so secret, so reserved, to them? Mr Grandison immediately went out to give orders to his servant for the journey.

A good-natured man! said Sir Charles.Charlotte, you are sometimes too quick upon him-Are you not?

Too quick upon him!-No, no! I have hopes of him; for he can be ashamed; that was not always the case with him. Between your gentleness and my quickness, we shall make something of him in time.

Mr Grandison immediately returned; and we lost something that Sir Charles was going to reply. But, by some words he dropt, the purport was to blame his sister for not sparing Mr Grandison before company.

I imagine, Sir Charles, that if you take Mr Grandison with you, one may venture to ask a question, Whether you go to any family at Canterbury, that we have heard of?-It is to do good, I am sure.

Your eyes have asked me that question several times, Charlotte. I aim not at making secrets of anything I do. I need not on this occasion. Yet you, Charlotte, have your secrets. He looked grave.

Have I my secrets, Sir Charles?-Pray, what do you mean?

LETTER LII.

MISS HARRIET BYRON TO MISS LUCY SELBY.

Sunday, March 5. My cousins will have it, that I am far gone in a certain passion, [they speak quite out; and with a man that has given no encouragement Encouragement! how meanly sounds that word! But I hope they are mistaken. I cannot say, but I might prefer, if I were to have my choice -one man to another-But that is a different thing from being run away with by so vehement a folly as they are ready to ascribe to me.

Well, but, under this notion, they are solicitous that I should not neglect any opportunity [what a poor creature do they think me!] of ingratiating myself with the sisters; and therefore I must, by all means, accept of Miss Grandison's invitation to tea.

I insisted, however, that they should accompany me, as they likewise were invited; and they obliged me I may say themselves too; for they admire the brother and sisters as much as I do.

We found together Lord and Lady L, Miss Grandison, Miss Jervois, Dr Bartlett, and Mr Grandison. Sir Charles was in his drawing-room adjoining to the study; a lady with him, they said. What business had I to wish to know whether it was an elderly or a young lady? But I must tell you all my follies. When we alighted, a very genteel chair made way for our coach.

Mr Grandison made up to me; and, as heretofore, said very silly things, but with an air, as if he were accustomed to say such, and to have them received as gallant things, by those to whom he addressed them. How painful it is to a mind not quite at ease, to be obliged to be civil, when the ear is invaded by contemptible speeches, from a man who must think as highly of himself for uttering them, as meanly of the understanding of the person he is speaking

to!

Miss Grandison saw me a little uneasy, and came up to us. Mr Grandison, said she, I thought you had known Miss Byron's character by this time. She is something more than a pretty woman. She has a soul, sir; the man who makes a compliment to her on her beauty, depreciates her understanding.

She then led me to her seat, and sat down

next me.

Mr Grandison was in the midst of a fine speech, and was not well pleased. He sat down, threw one leg over the knee of the other, hemmed three or four times, took out his snuffbox, tapped it, let the snuff drop through his fingers, then broke the lumps, then shut it, and

twirled it round with the fore-finger of his right hand, as he held it between the thumb and forefinger of the other; and was quite like a sullen boy; yet, after a while, tried to recover himself, by forcing a laugh at a slight thing or two said in company, that was not intended to raise

one.

I think, my dear, I could have allowed a little more for him, had not his name been Grandison.

We soon adjusted everything for the little journey. Mr Grandison told Miss Grandison, that if she would make him amends for her treatment of him just now, she should put Lord L upon inviting him. Lord and Lady L-joined to do so. But Miss Grandison would not admit of his going; and I was glad of it.

But, not to affront you, cousin, said she, Miss Byron and I want to have a good deal of particular conversation; so shall not be able to spare you an hour of our company at Colnebrook. But one thing, sir; iny brother sets out for Canterbury to-morrow; tell him that we won't be troubled with your company; ask him, if he will.

Not in those words neither, cousin Charlotte; but I will offer attendance; and, if he accepts of it, I shall be half as happy as if I went to Colnebrook; and only half, bowing to me.

Why, now, you are a good docible kind of a man! I want to hear what will be my brother's answer; for we know not one syllable, nor can guess at his business at Canterbury.

The tea-equipage being brought in, we heard Sir Charles's voice, complimenting a lady to her chair; and who pleaded engagement for declining to drink tea with his sister. And then he entered the parlour to us. He addressed my cousins, who were next him, with his usual politeness. He then came to me: How does my good Miss Byron? Not discomposed, I hope, by your yesterday's visitors. They are all of them in love with you. But you must have been pained I was pained for you, when I heard they had visited you. But extraordinary merit has some forfeitures to pay.

I am sure then, thought I, you must have a great many. Every time I see him, I think he rises upon me in the gracefulness of his behaviour.

I have one agreeable piece of news to tell you, madam. Sir Hargrave will go abroad for a twelvemonth. He says, he cannot be in the same kingdom with you, and not see you. He hopes, therefore, to lessen the torment, by flying from the temptation. Mr Bagenhall and Mr Merceda will go with him.

Then whispering me, he said, From a hint in the letter of the penitent Wilson, that Mr Bagenhall's circumstances are not happy, and that he is too much in the power of Sir Hargrave; I have prevailed on the latter, in consideration

of the other's accompanying him abroad, to make him easy. And, would you believe it? and can you forgive me?-I have brought Sir Hargrave to consent to give Wilson the promised 1007. To induce him to do this, Merceda (influenced by the arguments I urged, founded on the unhappy fellow's confessions in that letter) offered 501. more for his past services to himself; and both as a proof of the sincerity of the promised reformation. Wilson shall not have the money, but upon his marrying the girl to whom he is contracted: and on my return from a little excursion I am making to Canterbury, I shall put all in a train. And now, let me ask you, once more, can you forgive me for rewarding, as you may think it, a base servant?

Ŏ sir! how can I answer you?-You told me at Colnebrook, that we were to endeavour to bring good out of the evil from which you had delivered me. This indeed is making your words true in a very extensive sense: to make your enemies your friends; to put wicked men into a way of reformation; and to make it a bad man's interest to be good-Forgive you, sir! From what I remember of that poor wretch's letter, I was obliged to him myself; though vile, he was less vile than he might have been. The young woman behaved with tenderness to me at Paddington; let me therefore add 50l. to Mr Merceda's 501. as an earnest that I can follow a noble example.

You charm me, madam, said he; I am not disappointed in my opinion of you-Wilson, if he give hope of real penitence, shall not want the fourth 501.-It would be too good in you, so great a sufferer as you were by his wickedness, to give it; but it will become a man to do it, who has not been injured by him, and who was the occasion of his losing the favour of his employer; and the rather, as he was an adviser to his fellow-agents to fly, and not to fire at my servants, who might have suffered from a sturdier villain. He has promised repentance and reformation: this small sum will give me a kind of right to enforce the performance. But no more of this just now.

Miss Jervois just then looking as if she would be glad to speak with her guardian, he arose, and taking her hand, led her to the window. She was in a supplicating attitude, as if asking a favour. He seemed to be all kindness and affection to her-Happy girl!-Miss Grandison, who had heard enough of what he said of Wilson, to be affected, whispered me, Did I not tell you, Harriet, that my brother was continually employed in doing good? He has invention, forecast, and contrivance; but you see how those qualities are all employed.

O Miss Grandison, said I, I am such a nothing!-I cannot, as Sir Hargrave says, bear my own littleness.

Be quiet, said she-You are an exceeding good girl! But you have a monstrous deal of pride.

Early I saw that. You are not half so good as the famous Greek, who losing an election for which he stood, to be one of three hundred only, thanked the gods, that there were in Athens (I think it was) three hundred better men than himself. Will you not have honour enough, if it can be said, that next to Sir Charles Grandison, you are the best creature in the world? Sir Charles led his ward to a seat, and sat down by us.

Cousin Charlotte, said Mr Grandison, you remember your treatment of me, for addressing Miss Byron, in an open, and, I thought, a very polite manner; pray, where's your impartiality? Sir Charles has been shut up in his study with a lady, who would not be seen by anybody else. But Sir Charles may do anything.

I am afraid it is too late, cousin, said Miss Grandison; else it would be worth your while to try for a reputation.

Has Charlotte, Mr Grandison, said Sir Charles, used you ill? Ladies will do as they please with you gallant men. They look upon you as their own; and you wish them to do so. You must bear the inconvenience for the sake of the convenience.

Well, but, Sir Charles, I am refused to be of the Colnebrook party-absolutely refused. Will you accept of my company? Shall I attend you to Canterbury?

Are you in earnest, cousin Grandison? Will you oblige me with your company?

With all my heart and soul, Sir Charles. With all mine, I accept your kind offer. This agreeably surprised his sisters as well as me; but why then so secret, so reserved, to them? Mr Grandison immediately went out to give orders to his servant for the journey.

A good-natured man! said Sir Charles.Charlotte, you are sometimes too quick upon him-Are you not?

Too quick upon him!-No, no! I have hopes of him; for he can be ashamed; that was not always the case with him. Between your gentleness and my quickness, we shall make something of him in time.

Mr Grandison immediately returned; and we lost something that Sir Charles was going to reply. But, by some words he dropt, the purport was to blame his sister for not sparing Mr Grandison before company.

I imagine, Sir Charles, that if you take Mr Grandison with you, one may venture to ask a question, Whether you go to any family at Canterbury, that we have heard of?-It is to do good, I am sure.

Your eyes have asked me that question several times, Charlotte. I aim not at making secrets of anything I do. I need not on this occasion. Yet you, Charlotte, have your secrets. He looked grave.

Have I my secrets, Sir Charles?-Pray, what do you mean?

She coloured, and seemed sensibly touched. Too much emotion, Charlotte, is a kind of confession. Take care. Then turning it off with a smile-See, Mr Grandison, I am revenging your cause. Alarming spirits love not to be alarmed.

So, Harriet! (whispering to me,) I am silenced. Had I told you all my heart, I should have half suspected you. How he has fluttered me !— Lady L, this is owing to you, whispering her behind my chair.

I know nothing; therefore could tell nothing. Conscience, conscience! Charlotte, re-whispered Lady L

She sat still, and was silent for a little while; Lord and Lady L-smiling, and seeming to enjoy her agreeable confusion. At last-But, Sir Charles, you always had secrets. You got out of me two or three of mine, without exchange-You

Don't be uneasy, my Charlotte. I expected a prompt, not a deliberate reply. My life is a various life. Some things I had better not have known myself. See, Charlotte, if you are serious, you will make me so. I have not any motives of action, I hope, that are either capricious or conceited-Surely, Lucy, he cannot have seen what I wrote to you about his reserves! I thought he looked at me]-Only this one hint, my sister: whenever you condescend to consult me, let me have everything before me, that shall be necessary to enable me to form a judgment -But why so grave, Charlotte? Impute all I have said, as a revenge of Mr Grandison's cause, in gratitude for his obliging offer of accompanying me to Canterbury.

Cannot you reward him, Sir Charles, but by punishing me?

A good question, Charlotte. But do you take what I have said in that light?

I have done for the present, sir; but I hope, when you return, we shall come to an eclaircissement.

Needs it one?-Will not better and more interesting subjects have taken place by that time? -And he looked at her with an eye of particular meaning.

Now is he beginning to wind about me, whispered she to me, as I told you at Colnebrook. Were he and I alone, he'd have me before I knew where I was. Had he been a wicked man, he would have been a very wicked one.

She was visibly uneasy; but was afraid to say any more on the subject.

Lady L whispered-Ah! Charlotte, you are taken in your own toils. You had better let me into your secret. I would bring you off if I could.

not have the pleasure of Miss Jervois's company said I, to the sisters.

Emily bowed to me, and smiled.

The very thing that Miss Jervois was petitioning to me for, said Sir Charles; and I wished, ladies, to have the motion come from one of you.

Emily shall go with us, I think, said Miss Grandison.

Thank you, madam, said she: I will take care not to break in upon you impertinently. What! dost thou too think we have secrets, child?

Consent with your usual grace, Charlotte: Are you not too easily affected? Sir Charles spoke this smiling.

Everything you say, Sir Charles, affects me. I ought then to be very careful of what I say. If I have given my sister pain, I beg her to forgive me.

I am afraid to go on, whispered she to me. Were he and I only together, my heart would be in his hand in a moment.

I have only this to observe, Miss Grandison, whispered I-When you are too hard upon me, I know to whom to apply for revenge.

Such another word, Harriet, and I'll blow you up!

What could she mean by that?-Blow me up? I have locked up my aunt's last letters, where so much is said about entangling, and inclination, and so forth. When anything occurs that we care not to own, I see by Miss Grandison, that it is easy for the slightest hint to alarm us.

But Sir Charles to say so seriously as he did, "That his life was a various life;' and that he had better not have known some things himself,' affects me not a little. What can a man of his prudence have had to disturb him? But my favourite author says,

Yet, with a sigh o'er all mankind, I grant,
In this our day of proof, our land of hope,
The good man has his clouds that intervene,
Clouds that obscure his sublunary day,
But never conquer. E'en the best must own,
Patience and resignation are the pillars
Of human peace on earth.-

NIGHT THOUGHTS.

But so young a man! so prudent! as I said; and so generally beloved! But that he is so, may be the occasion.-Some lady, I doubt !-What sad people are we women at this rate! Yet some women may have the worst of it. What are your thoughts on all these appearances, Lucy?

Miss Grandison, as I said, is uneasy. These are the words that disturb her: Only this one hint, my sister: whenever you condescend to consult me, let me have everything before me, that shall be necessary to enable me to form a judgment.'-And so they would me in her case. But it seems plain, from Sir Charles's hint,

that he keeps to himself (as Miss Grandison once indeed said in his favour) those intelligences which would disturb her, and his other friends, to know. The secret which he would have made of the wicked challenge; his self-invited breakfasting with Sir Hargrave; are proofs, among others, of this: and if this be his considerate motive, what a forward, what a censorious creature have I been, on so many occasions, to blame him for his reserves, and particularly for his Canterbury excursions! I think I will be cautious for the future, how I take upon me to censure those actions, which, in such a man, I cannot account for.

Miss Grandison, on her brother's withdrawing with Dr Bartlett, said, Well, now that my cousin Grandison will accompany my brother to Canterbury, we shall have that secret out in

course.

Lady L. It seems to be your fault, Charlotte, that we have not had it before.

Miss Gr. Be quiet, Lady L

Mr Gr. Perhaps not. You'll find I can keep a secret, cousin; especially if I am desired to do

Mr Gr. I believe it; and hope you never design to marry, for that reason.

Miss Gr. What a wretch is my cousin! Must a woman stand in awe of her husband? Whether, sir, is marriage a state of servitude or of freedom to a woman?

Mr Gr. Of freedom, as women generally make it-of servitude, if they know their duty.-Pardon me, ladies.

Miss Gr. Don't pardon him. I suppose, sir, it is owing to your consciousness, that you have only the will, and not the spirit, to awe a woman of sense, that you are a single man at this day. Lady L. Pray, my lord, what have I done, that you treat me with so much contempt ? Lord L. Contempt! my best life!-How is that?

Lady L. You seem not to think it worth your while to overawe me.

Miss Gr. Lord, my dear! how you are mistaken in applying thus to Lord L-! Lord

L is a good man, a virtuous man. None but rakes hold those overawing doctrines. They know what they deserve; and live in continual fear of meeting with their deserts; and so, if they marry, having the hearts of slaves, they become tyrants. Miss Byron

Mr Gr. The devil's in it, if you two ladies want help. I fly the pit.

Lord L. And I think, Mr Grandison, you have fought a hard battle.

Mr Gr. By my soul, I think so too. I have held it out better than I used to do.

Miss Gr. I protest I think you have. We shall brighten you up among us. I am mistaken if there were not two or three smart things said by my cousin. Pray, did anybody mind them? I should be glad to hear them again. Do you recollect them yourself, cousin?

Mr Gr. You want to draw me on again, cousin Charlotte. But the d-l fetch me, if you do. I'll leave off while I am well.

Miss Gr. Would you have thought it, Lady L-? My cousin has discretion as well as smartness. I congratulate you, sir: a new discovery!-But hush! 'Tis time for both to have done.

Sir Charles entered. Mr Grandison a sufferer again? said he.

Mr Gr. No, no! Pretty well off this bout! -Miss Byron, I have had the better end of the staff, I believe.

Har. I can't say that, sir. But you got off, I think, in very good time.

Mr Gr. And that's a victory, to what it used to be, I can assure you. Nobody ever could awe Miss Grandison.

Miss Gr. Coward !-You would now begin again, would you?-Sir Charles loves to take me down.

Mr Gr. Never, madam, but when you are up and laughed heartily.

Miss Gr. Witty too!-A man of repartee. A verbal wit! And that's half as good as a punster, at any time.

Sir Ch. Fight it out, cousin Grandison. You can laugh on, though the laugh of every other person should be against you.

Mr Gr. And thou, Brutus ?-It is time to have done.

As I think these conversations characteristic, I hope the recital of them will be excused. Yet I am sensible, those things that go well off in conversation, do not always read to equal advantage.

They would fain have engaged us to stay supper; but we excused ourselves. I promised to breakfast with them.

I chose not to take my maid with me. Jenny is to be made over to me occasionally, for the time of my stay. Dr Bartlett had desired to be excused. So our party is only the two sisters, Lord L- Miss Jervois, and I.