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scious merit, while it but reproaches when applied to the undeserving! What a new, what a gay creation it makes at once in a diffident or dispirited heart!

And now, Belford, was it not worth while to be sick? And yet I must tell thee, that too many pleasanter expedients offer themselves, to make trial any more of this confounded ipecacuanha.

M

MISS CLARISSA HARLOWE TO MISS HOWE.

Saturday, May 27.

R. LOVELACE, my dear, has been very ill. Suddenly taken. With a vomiting of blood in great quantities. Some vessel broken. He complained of a disorder in his stomach over-night. I was the more affected with it, as I am afraid it was occasioned by the violent contentions between us.-But was I in fault?

How lately did I think I hated him!—But hatred and anger, I see, are but temporary passions with me. One cannot, my dear, hate people in danger of death, or who are in distress or affliction. My heart, I find, is not proof against kindness, and acknowledgment of errors committed.

He took great care to have his illness concealed from me as long as it could. So tender in the violence of his disorder!-So desirous to make the best of it !—I wish he had not been ill in my sight. I was too much affected— everybody alarming me with his danger-the poor man, from such high health, so suddenly taken !—And so unprepared!

I

He is gone out in a chair. I advised him to do so. fear that my advice was wrong; since quiet in such a disorder must needs be best. We are apt to be so ready, in cases of emergency, to give our advice, without judgment, or waiting for it!—I proposed a physician indeed; but he would not hear of one. I have great honour for

the faculty; and the greater, as I have always observed, that those who treat the professors of the art of healing contemptuously, too generally treat higher institutions in the same manner.

They indeed

I am really very uneasy. For I have, I doubt, exposed myself to him, and to the women below. will excuse me, as they think us married.

But if he be

not generous, I shall have cause to regret this surprise; which (as I had reason to think myself unaccountably treated by him) has taught me more than I knew of myself.

You will not wonder that I am grave on this detection -detection, must I call it? What can I call it ?-Dissatisfied with myself, I

what I have written.

am afraid to look back upon

But I will not add another word, after I have assured you, that I will look still more narrowly into myself: and that I am

Your equally sincere and affectionate

CL. HARLOWE.

MR. LOVELACE TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.

Saturday Evening.

HAD a charming airing. No return of my

malady. My heart perfectly easy, how could my stomach be otherwise?

But when I came home, I found that my sweet soul had been alarmed by a new incident-the enquiry after us both, in a very suspicious manner, and that by description of our persons, and not by names, by a servant in a blue livery turned up and trimmed with yellow.

Dorcas hurried up to her lady, and alarmed her not only with the fact, but with her own conjectures; adding, that he was an ill-looking fellow, and she was sure could come for no good.

The livery and the features of the servant were parti

cularly enquired after, and as particularly describedLord bless her! no end of her alarms, she thought! And then did her apprehensions anticipate every evil that could happen.

She wished Mr. Lovelace would come in.

Mr. Lovelace came in soon after; all lively, grateful, full of hopes, of duty, of love, to thank his charmer, and to congratulate with her upon the cure she had performed. And then she told the story, with all its circumstances; and Dorcas, to point her lady's fears, told us, that the servant was a sun-burnt fellow, and looked as if he had been at sea,

I see your causeless terror, my dearest life, said I, and your impatience-Will you be pleased to walk downand without being observed (for he shall come no farther than the parlour-door) you may hear all that passes?

She consented. We went down. Dorcas bid the man come forward. Well, friend, what is your business with Mr. or Mrs. Lovelace ?

Bowing, scraping, I am sure you are the gentleman, sir. Why, sir, my business is only to know if your honour be here, and to be spoken with; or if you shall be here for any time?

Whom came you from?

From a gentleman who ordered me to say, if I was made to tell, but not else, it was from a friend of Mr. John Harlowe, Mrs. Lovelace's eldest uncle.

What is his name?

I don't know if I should tell.

There can be no harm in telling the gentleman's name, if you come upon a good account.

That I do; for my master told me so; and there is not an honester gentleman on the face of God's earth.-His name is Captain Tomlinson, sir.

I don't know such a one.

I believe not, sir. He was pleased to say, he don't

know your honour, sir; but I heard him say, as how he should not be an unwelcome visitor to you for all that.

Do you know such a man as Captain Tomlinson, my dearest life (aside) your uncle's friend?

No; but my uncle may have acquaintance, no doubt, that I don't know.-But I hope (trembling) this is not a trick.

Well, friend, if your master has anything to say to Mr. Lovelace, you may tell him, that Mr. Lovelace is here; and will see him whenever he pleases.

The dear creature looked as if afraid that my engagement was too prompt for my own safety; and away went the fellow-I wondering, that she might not wonder, that this Captain Tomlinson, whoever he were, came not himself, or sent not a letter the second time, when he had reason to suppose that I might be here.

Meantime, for fear that this should be a contrivance of James Harlowe, who, I said, loved plotting, though he had not a head turned for it, I gave some precautionary directions to the servants, and the women, whom, for the greater parade, I assembled before us and my beloved was resolved not to stir abroad till she saw the issue of this odd affair.

Sunday, May 28.

This story of Captain Tomlinson employed us not only for the time we were together last night, but all the while we sat at breakfast this morning. She would still have it, that it was the prelude to some mischief from Singleton. I insisted that it might much more probably be a method taken by Colonel Morden to alarm her, previous to a personal visit.

She had had so many disagreeable things befal her of late, that her fears were too often stronger than her hopes.

And this, madam, makes me apprehensive, that you

will get into so low-spirited a way, that you will not be able to enjoy the happiness that seems to await us.

Her duty and her gratitude, she gravely said, to the Dispenser of all good, would secure her, she hoped, against unthankfulness. And a thankful spirit was the same as a joyful one.

So, Belford, for all her future joys she depends entirely upon the Invisible good. She is certainly right; since those who fix least upon second causes are the least likely to be disappointed and is not this gravity for her gravity?

She had hardly done speaking, when Dorcas came running up in a hurry-she set even my heart into a palpitation-thump, thump, thump, like a precipitated pendulum in a clock-case-flutter, flutter, flutter, my charmer's, as by her sweet bosom rising to her chin I

saw.

Captain Tomlinson, sir!

Captain Devilson, what care I-Do you see how you have disordered your lady?

Good Mr. Lovelace, said my charmer, trembling (see, Jack, when she has an end to serve, I am good Mr. Lovelace) if-if my brother, if Captain Singleton should appear-pray now-I beseech you-let me beg of you-to govern your temper-my brother is my brother-Captain Singleton is but an agent.

My dearest life, folding my arms about her (when she asks favours, thought I, the devil's in it, if she will not allow of such innocent freedoms as this, from good Mr. Lovelace too) you shall be witness of all that passes between us.-Dorcas, desire the gentleman to walk up.

Let me retire to my chamber first!-Let me not be known to be in the house!

She withdrew to listen-and though this incident has not turned out to answer all I wished from it, yet is it necessary, if I would acquaint thee with my whole circu

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