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many pleasing sensations which are not easily cribed. Yet I was not much better pleased some of the fine buildings of the country than those of the town. In many places I coul help regretting the Gothic grandeur of a castles, displaced by modern showy edifices. of their owners, I fancy, are of my mind; was informed that their fathers used to reside a mansions in their former state nine months in year; but that the present possessors of thos gant houses are scarcely seen there at all. could I refrain, as I passed along, from droppi tear over the ruins of our religious houses; wh however they might have been perverted from original purposes of their erection, I could not considering as splendid monuments of the piet our ancestors. Some of them I saw that had more tender ties upon my mind. I rememb having played when a boy, under arches, w time had since mouldered away, with compani the echo of whose voices was still fresh in my mory, though they, alas! as well as those arch were now crumbled into dust!

Were I to go on, I find I should be in dan of growing too serious. Recalling to remembra days long past, and the juvenile society of those w are now no more, is an awful operation of the man mind; and, while it speaks loudly of the tru of St. Paul's observation, that the fashion of t world passeth away,' imperceptibly leads to a tr of thinking that might be here out of place, thou it is neither unpleasing nor unsuitable to the ch racter of a rational being, who hath been taug and accustomed to consider himself as an immort part of the creation.

N° 95. SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 1780

SIR,

To the AUTHOR of the MIRROR.

As you have, by several of your publications, given proof that you do not think the occurrences of a domestic life unworthy your attention, I shall without farther preface, address you on a subject full as deserving of it as any yet offered to your consideration. It is now above four years since I became the wife of a gentleman, my equal in rank and fortune; and what was more material, of a disposition and turn of mind every way suitable to mine. His estate lies at a considerable distance from the capital; but as it is situated in an agreeable neighbourhood, and as we have both a taste for reading, and Mr. B. is not averse to rural employments, we spent our time as happily as possible till about half a year ago, that my ill stars directed me to renew my acquaintance with a young lady, who had been my companion at school, and who now came on a visit to a relation who lived at no great distance from our house.

Before I proceed in my story I must beg a candid consideration of it. From the introduction to the disagreeable part of it, you will be apt to imagine that I am one of those self-tormentors justly ridiculed by the ingenious author of the Jealous Wife. No such thing, Mr. MIRROR; my husband's attention to other women never gave me the slightest uneasiness. Convinced of his attachment, satisfied with his treatment of me, I never expected him

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to be blind to the charms of a beautiful wo insensible of the merit of an agreeable one; I the mistaken policy of many wives, of ne fering a tolerable female to enter my door courting the intimacy of some tall elderly that I might gain by the comparison. No, depended wholly upon my unremitting atten please Mr. B. for the continuance of his attac Nor can I in the least reproach myself with cause for the abatement I too plainly perceiv But to return to my story. I was much ple seeing my old school-fellow: we had been many years, and I found the wild lively rom proved into an elegant woman. She still, ho retained a good deal of the heedless manne marked her childish days; and, though she excellent undertanding, she never seemed to use of it in the regulation of her conduct haviour. She expressed herself much pleas finding me so happily settled: Mr. B. appear her a most amiable man, and my children ( cularly my little Bess) she said were angels. attention to them, I own, endeared me to very much; though, indeed, Mr. MIRROR, n can help loving them, for they are charming dren. Her good-humoured playful ways mad little creatures doat on her. At my return walking, I have frequently found her on her on the floor, building card-houses for their e tainment. Mr. B. has observed to me, on t occasions, how amiable it was in a young adm woman, who spent her life in the usual roun folly and dissipation, to preserve such natural right feelings. He generally concluded his ob vations with saying, that he believed she wo make a most excellent wife.I for a long t agreed with him in opinion, and used to tell

before his face, the fine things Mr. B. said of her. She received them in a rattling good-humoured way, insisting that her conduct in the married state would depend on her husband's: for she declared that she did not find in herself that exalted turn of mind to love virtue for its own sake, and she believed she would make but an indifferent wife to half the men

in the world. Such conversation generally produced an arguument between her and Mr. B. which, as it was carried on with spirit and temper, had no other effect than making them still more pleased with one another. If she found the argument growing serious, she would call over the children, and, putting them on their father's knee, desire them to kiss him into good humour, which never failed having the effect; or if she said a flippant thing to him, with which he seemed half offended, she used to take his hand, and smile so sweetly in his face, it was impossible for him to continue displeased with her; and generally a kiss, and a game at billiards, sealed their reconciliation. I own to you, I began not to relish her behaviour; yet it seemed so unpremeditated, and so perfectly corresponding with her general character, that I did not know how to make her sensible of the impropriety of it. I even doubted my own judgment of the matter. I had, for some time, lived so much out of the gay world, that I did not know but Maria's very great freedom of manner might be the fashionable behaviour of the people she had been accustomed to see: if so, how was she to blame? or why should I be uneasy, knowing her to be a woman of honour, surely incapable of so base an action as endeavouring to alienate my husband's affections from me? By such reasoning I strove to quell the first emotions (jealous, if you will have them so) that rose in my breast. But, alas, Mr.

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MIRROR, to what purpose! I have ever fresh cause of uneasiness. About a week went suddenly into the parlour, and found sitting on Mr. B.'s knee, her head leaning shoulder: he looked a little out of counte but she was not in the least distressed at my a ance, but asked me, with her usual good-hu what made me look so grave? then, slappin B. gently on the cheek, said, It is your faul harsh thing you! when I knew her formerl used to be all life and spirits.' He ans (coldly I thought), that it was his wish ever me in spirits, and that he was sorry he was happy as to hit on a method to make me s turned my head aside, to hide the starting Maria, as if guessing at my emotion, put he about my neck, and, drawing round my averted said, in a loud whisper, My dear Mrs. B. can you indulge such weakness?' Mr. B. snat up his hat, and left the room; I heard the

childish,' as he shut the door. I remember time when he could not bear the least cloud on looks, without tenderly inquiring the cause; now he seems often to forget that I am prea while Maria engrosses his whole attention. I been for some days deprived of his company, have spent the time in reflecting seriously on situation. The more I consider it, the mor appears to me of a particular and distressing nat I have at last determined to request your opin of it, and, through the channel of your paper, give Maria a hint, that to keep clear of the gr ness of vice, is not sufficient for the delicacy of female character; and that the woman, who, by alluring and refined coquetry, engages the thoug and interests the feelings of a married man, is more dangerous, and perhaps not a less crimin

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