of your lord-But I think rather fonder of mine -A criterion, Lady L-!

As for Lord G, he is in the situation of Harriet's Singleton-He is prepared to laugh the moment Mr Selby opens his mouth; especially when he twists his neck about, turns a glass upside down, and looks under his bent brows, at the company round, yet the table always in his eye: for then we know, that something is collected, and ready to burst forth.

Well, good night! good night! good night! -Has my godson elect done crying yet? What a deuce has he to cry at? Unswaddled, unpinioned, unswathed, legs and arms at full liberty: but they say crying does good to the bratsopens their pipes-and so forth-But tell him, that if he does not learn to laugh, as well as to cry, he shall not be related to

CHARLOTTE G

LETTER CCLIII.

LADY G

[In continuation.]

Wednesday, Nov. 15. WEDNESDAY is come, and, as Harriet says, to-morrow is Thursday. Ah, Harriet! rich as content! poor as patience!

I have been talking to her: half-comforting her, half-laughing at her. She says, I am but half good.

All the world is come-Lord Wand his ever agreeable lady. Beauchamp, as I am alive, with them! I wish I could see this rogue Emily in love with him. He is certainly in love with

her.

"I know it-I know it!-Do you go down about your business."

Only Lord G come to tell me what I knew before.

Harriet's gone down to be complimented. She has hardly spirits to compliment.

"Well, well, I'll only tell Lady L

who is come. Does not the poor soul keep her bed? And are we not to be as complaisant to our ill friends, as our well?—I am coming, child."

Emily, with her pretty impertinence. Neither Lord G― nor Emily can be anything, when strangers come, and I stand not by them to shew their signification.

Deuce! a third messenger-O! Mrs Selby herself. I'll tell you more by and by, Lady L. "Your servant, Mrs Selby. I attend you."

THE two Misses Needham, Miss Watson, Miss Barclay, the two Misses Holles, Mr Deanc.

So, so, so, Harriet, said I, what is the meaning of this?"-My uncle's doings! I have no spirits. Sir Charles should not have been so passive; he, and nobody else, could have prevailed upon my uncle. My aunt has held him in, till her arms ached. O the dear restiff man! She has now let go; and you see how he prances over the whole meadow, the reins upon his neck. Dear girl! said I, I am glad you are so fanciful.

I would fain be lively, if I could, said she. Never any creature had more reason, Lady G. My heart is all gratitude, and, I will say, love.

Good girl, hold up your head, my dear, and all will be as it should be.

Sir Charles staid to attend hither the most venerable of women. Mr and Mrs Reeves are to come with them.

You must, as you expect me to be minute, be content with bits and scraps, written by snatches of time. I pity you for your still-life, my dear Lady L, and think your request, that I will so write as to make you suppose yourself on the spot, a reasonable one.

Here is come the man of men!

WITH what respect (all his respect has love in it) did he attend Mrs Shirley to her seat! And then hastening to Lord and Lady Whe saluted them both, and acknowledged the honour done him by their presence; an honour, he said, that he could not have expected, nor therefore had the thought, the distance so great, of asking it.

He then paid his compliments, in the most affectionate manner, to his amiable friend Beauchamp; who, on his thanking him for his uninvited presence, said, he could not deny himself being present at a solemnity that was to complete the happiness of the best of men, and best of friends.

Sir Charles addressed himself to the young ladies who were most strangers to him; apologizing to them, as they were engaged with Mr Selby, Mr Deane, and Lord G, that he did not at first. He sat a few minutes with them: what he said, I heard not; but they smiled, blushed, and looked delighted upon each other. Everybody followed him in his motions, with their eye. So much presence of mind never met with so much modesty of behaviour, and so charming a vivacity.

The young ladies came only intendedly to breakfast; and that at Mr Selby's odd invitation. They had the good sense to apologize for their coming this day, as they were to make part of the cavalcade, as I may call it, to-morrow. But the odd soul had met the four at a neighbouring lady's, where he made a gossiping visit, and would make them come with him.

I observed, that nobody cared to find fault with him; so I began to rate him; and a very whimsical dialogue passed between us at one end of the room.

I made the honest man ashamed of himself; and everybody in our circle was pleased with us. This misled me to go on; and so, by attending to his nonsense, and pursuing my own, I lost the opportunity of hearing a conversation, which, I dare say, would have been worth repeating to you by pen and ink. Harriet shall write, and give it you.

Mr Orme and his sister, we are told, set out yesterday for London. Mrs Selby and Harriet are yet afraid of Greville.

The gentlemen and some of the ladies, myself (but not Harriet) among them, have been to look at the preparations made in the lesser park, for the reception of the tenants. Mr Selby prided himself not a little on his contrivances there. When we returned, we found Harriet at one end of the great parlour, sitting with Emily; her grandmother, Mrs Selby, Lucy, in conversation at the other; the good girl's hand in hers, Emily blushing, looking down, but delighted, as it seemed; Harriet, with sweetness, love, and compassion, intermingled in her aspect, talking to her, and bending over her fine neck. I thought I never saw her look so lovely. Elder sister like, and younger; one instructing in love, the other listening with pleasure.

They took everybody's attention, as the room filled with the company, who all crowded about Mrs Shirley, affecting not to heed the two friends. What would I give, said Lady W to Sir Charles and her lord, for a picture of those two young ladies, Emily just then kissed the hand of her lovely friend with emotion, and Harriet lifted up Emily's to her lips, if love, dignity, and such expression, could be drawn in the face of one lady; and that reverence, gratitude, and modest attention, in the other! I congratulate you, Sir Charles, with all my heart. I have observed with rapture, from every look, every word, and from the whole behaviour of Miss Byron, that your goodness to hundreds will be greatly recompensed. O my good Lord Wturning to him, Miss Byron will pay all our debts!

Every attitude, every look, of Miss Byron, said my lord, would furnish out a fine picture. Wherever she is, I cannot keep my eye from following her.

My brother bowed, delighted.

How pleased was Mrs Shirley, Mrs Selby Everybody! But what a different man is Lord W, to what he once was! lifted up from low keeping, to a wife, who, by her behaviour, good sense, politeness, gives him consequence. Önce I thought him one of the lowest of men. I denied him, in my heart, a relation to my mother, and thought him a savage.

The two young ladies, finding themselves observed, stood up, in a parting posture; but Emily, seeming eager to detain her dear friend's attention, Harriet took a hand of Emily's in each of hers.

I had sidled that way-Yes, my dear, said the lovely Harriet, a friendship unalterable, as you say, by time or fate. Dearest Emily, command me ever.

Emily looked about her-O madam, I want to kneel to you. I will ever, ever-My good Lady G- said Harriet, approaching me, one of Emily's hands in hers, we have promised a friendship that is to continue to the end of our lives. We are to tell each the other all her faults. How causelessly has my Emily been cusing herself!-The most ingenuous of human hearts is hers.

She left Emily's hand in mine, and bent towards Mrs Shirley, and the whole circle of friends surrounding her chair.

O my dear Lady G! said Emily, whisperingly, as we followed the meek-eyed goddess of wisdom, [such her air, her manner, her amniableness, seemed in my thought, at that time, to make her, never, never, was such graciousness! I cannot bear her goodness. What a happy creature shall I be, if I follow her example, and observe her precepts!-You cannot, my dear, said I, have a better guide; but, love, you must not be capricious, as you were at first coming. She professed she would not. I have been excusing myself to her, madam, said the dear girl, and am forgiven.

My brother met the lovely creature. He took her hand, and leading her towards her grandmother, We have been attentive, my dearest life, to you and Emily. You love her: she adores you.-My Beauchamp, you know not the hundredth part of the excellencies of this admirable

Harriet curtseyed to Beauchamp. Her face was overspread with a fine crimson; but she attempted not to speak. She squeezed herself, as it were, between the chairs of her grandmamma and aunt; then turned about, and looked so charmingly! Miss Jervois, sir, said she, to my brother, has the best of hearts. She deserves your kind care. How happy is she, in such protection!

And how much happier will she be in yours, madam! replied he. Of what a care, my Emily, turning to her, has this admirable lady already relieved my heart! The care the greater, as you deserve it all. In everything take her direction: it will be the direction of love and prudence. What an amiable companion will you make her! and how happy will your love of each other make me! Emily got behind me, as it were. Speak for

me to my guardian; promise for me, madamYou never, never shall break your word through my fault.

Beauchamp was affected. Graciousness, said he, looking at Harriet, and goodness, looking at Emily, how are they here united! What a happy man will he be, who can entitle himself to a lady formed upon such an example!

A sun-beam from my brother's eye seemed to play upon his face, and dazzle his eyes. The fine youth withdrew behind Lady W- 's chair. Mr Selby, who had been so good as to give us his silent attention, then spoke, with a twang through his nose. Adad, adad, said he, I do not know what to make of myself-But go on, go on; I love to hear you.

Your good lord, my dear, enjoyed the pleasure we all had mine tossed up his head, and seemed to snuff the wind: and yet, my dear Lady L, there was nothing so very extraordinary said; but the manner was the thing, which shewed a meaning, that left language behind it.

My brother is absolutely passive as to the economy of the approaching solemnity. Mrs Shirley, Mrs Selby, Lady W- , your Charlotte, and Lucy, are the council appointed; but uncle Selby will put in, to marshal this happy proceeding. What a pize, he says, is not Harriet his daughter? Will it not be his day?

Mrs Selby tries to smile off his oddity; but now and then we see her good-naturedly redden at it, as if for his sake. Lucy looks at her uncle as if she could hardly excuse his particularities; but Mrs Shirley has always something to say for him. She enters into his character; she knows the honesty, as well as generosity, of his heart: that it all proceeds from joy and love; and always allows for him-as I would have my friends allow for me: and, to say truth, I, for my own part, like him the better for wanting allowances; because his case, in that respect, is mine. Ah, my dear! it is the thoughtful, half asleep, half awake, blinking cat, that catches the mouse. Such as your Charlotte, with their kit tenish tricks, do but frighten away the prey; and, if they could catch it, had rather play with it than kill it.

Harriet is with her virgins: her dress is left to her own choice. I stept in just now-She met me at her dressing-room door, and looked so lovely! so silly! and so full of unmeaning meaningness Do you understand me, Lady L- She sighed-What would my Harriet say to me? said I, taking her hand-I don't know; again sighed-But love me, Lady G———. Can I help it? said I; and, putting my arms about her, kissed her cheek.

Uncle Selby has provided seven gentlemen of the neighbourhood, to match the number of the ladies; for there will be sixteen of us: Mr Godfrey, Mr Steele, Mr Falconbridge, three agree able young men, sons of gentlemen in the neigh

bourhood, Mr Selby's chosen friends and companions in his field-sports; his cousin Holles, brother to the Misses Holles, an admirer of Miss Needham; young Mr Roberts, an admirer of Miss Barclay; Mr Allestree, a nephew of Sir John, a young man of fine qualities, engaged to Miss Dolly Needham; and Lord Reresby, of Ireland, (related to Mr Selby's favourite Sir Thomas Falconbridge ;) a young nobleman of shining parts, great modesty, good nature, and, what is worth them all, Mr Shirley says, a man

of virtue.

Lord W- was very desirous of giving so rich a jewel as Harriet to his nephew, in return, as he said, for as rich a jewel which he had presented to him; but Mr Selby would not admit of that. I told him, on his appeal to me, that he was right, once in his life.

Mr Selby talks much of the music he has provided for to-morrow. He speaks of it as a band, I assure you.

We have had a most agreeable evening. My brother was the soul of the company. His address to his Harriet was respectfully affectionate, yet, for her sake, not very peculiar. Everybody, in turn, had his kindest notice, and was very happy in it. To-morrow's solemnity was often hinted at by Mr Selby, and even by my flippant lord-But Sir Charles always insensibly led to more general subjects; and this supported the spirits of the too-thoughtful Harriet, and she behaved, on the whole, very prettily. His joy visibly was joy; but it seemed to be of so fa miliar and easy a nature, as if it would last.

He once occasionally told the happy commencement of his acquaintance with Miss Byron; on purpose, I saw, to remind her, that he ought not to be thought of as a stranger to her, and to engage her in easy familiarity. But there was a delicacy observed by him in this remembrance. He began not from the time that he rescued her from Sir Hargrave; but from the first visit she made me in St James's Square; though she, with great gratitude, carried it back to its real date.

Mrs Shirley retired soon, as is her custom, her Harriet attending her. The old lady is lame, and infirm; but, as she sits, is a very fine woman; and everybody sees that she was once a beauty. I thought I never saw beauty in full bloom so beautiful as when it supported beauty in ruins, on the old lady's retiring, with a face so happy, leaning one arm on her lovely grandchild, a neat crutch-stick in the other, lightening her weight to the delicately-formed supporter of her old age. It was so striking a picture, that every soul, all standing up, from reverence, on her retreating, observed it; nor took off their eyes till the door shut out the graceful figures.

The old lady's lameness is owing, it seems, to a strained sinew, got in leading up a dance, not many years ago, proposed by herself, in order to crown the reconciliation which she had brought about, between a couple that had, till then, been unhappy; and which her good-nature and joy made her not sensible of till she sat down. Pity that anything should have hurt so benign, so cheerful, so benevolent a woman! Why did not Harriet tell us this circumstance? It would have heightened our value for her: and the more, if she had told us, as is the truth, that she never considers it as a hurt, (so honourably come by,) but when she thinks she is troublesome to those about her.

Harriet returned to the company more cheerful than when she left it, enriched with her grandmother's blessings, and prayers for her and my brother, (as she whispered me,) and in having been allowed to support the tottering pa

rent.

Harriet, said I, aloud, you were a very naughty girl to accuse me, as once you did, of reflecting upon age. You never, in my eyes, looked more lovely than you did half an hour ago, support ing the best of old ladies.

We are all of your ladyship's mind, said Lady W A new grace, believe me, my dear, shone out in every graceful feature.

Your kind notice, ladies, bowing to me and Lady W—, does me honour; but more to your own hearts.

Most gracefully does the dear girl receive and return a compliment: but this, Lady L—, I need not now say to you: we have both admired her on these occasions. How happy will she make a man, who can be so sensible of his happiness! And how happy will he make her! He, who has the most grateful and enlarged of human hearts!

Soon after tea [I tell you things out of course, Lady L, as they come into my head we most of us withdrew, to hear read the marriage articles: When they were ready to sign, Harriet was sent for in. She would not come before. She begged, she prayed she might not. The first line of each clause, and the last, for form-sake, were run over, by Mr Deane, as fast as he could read. How the dear creature trembled when she came in, and all the time of the shortened reading! But when the pen was given her, to write her name, she dropt it on the parchment, out of her trembling hand. Sir Charles saw her emotion with concern; and held her up, as she stood. My dearest life, said he, Take time-Be composed-putting the pen with reverence in her fingers.

She tried to write; but her pen would not touch the parchment, so as to mark it. She soon, however, made another effort, his arm round her waist-She then signed them; but Sir Charles held her hand, and the parchments in them,

when she delivered them." As your act and deed, my dearest love?" said Sir Charles."Yes, indeed," replied she, and made him a curtsey; hardly knowing what she did.

She must hear of this, when she can bear it. You charged me to be very minute on the behaviour of our Harriet: you was sure it would be a pattern. But, no; you see she is too timid.

She accompanied me to my chamber when we retired for the night. She sighed. I took notice of it.-O my Charlotte! said she, to-morrow! to-morrow!

Will be the beginning of your happiness, my Harriet!-What virgin heart, said I, but must have had joy, on her contemplating the man of sense and politeness, had his behaviour of this night only been the test of her judgment of him?

True; and I have joy: but the circumstance before me is a solemn one: and does not the obligation lie all on his side?

Does he behave to you, my love, as if he thought any of it did?"

O no, no! but the fact is otherwise; and as I know it, the obligation is heightened by his polite goodness to me.

Dearly does he love his Harriet. (To-morrow will you be his Harriet for life.) Are you not convinced that he loves you ? I am, I am!-But

But what, my dear?

I never can deserve him. Hapless, hapless Clementina! she only could! Let a fortnight after to-morrow be over, and she be not unhappy, and what a thrice happy creature shall I be!

I kissed her glowing cheek-Support yourself like a heroine to-morrow, my dear. You will have a task, because of the crowds which will attend you; but it is the tax you pay for being so excellent, and so much beloved.

Is it not strange, Lady G—————, that my grandmamma should join to support my uncle in his vehemence for a public day? Had it been only his command, I would have rebelled!

The pride they take in the alliance with my brother, not for his situation in life, but for his transcendent merit, is their motive; your grandmother's particularly. She considers the day as one of the happiest of her life: she has begged of me to support you in undergoing it. She says, if there should be a thousand spectators, she knows it will give pleasure to as many hearts; and to hers the more, for that reason. And you will be, continued I, so lovely a pair, when joined, that every beholder, man and woman, will give him to you; you to him.

You are very good, my dear Lady G, to encourage me thus: but I told my grandmother, this night, that she knew not the hardship she had imposed on me, by insisting on a public day; but I would not begin so great a change, whatever it cost me, by an act of opposition and