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DON ALVARO,

A SPANISH TALE.

(Continued.)

I

"THEY were not content with representing her gentleness and good nature, they praised her wisdom and virtue, to which they paid the greatest homage. These encomiums charmed me, yet must confess that they struck me less forcibly than her beauty,Combining all that I had heard of the poverty of her situation, with the detestable and guilty hope of triumphing over virtue which might become weary of indigence, and might yield to my splendid offers, I instantly set about the fulfilment of my guilty wishes, and was incessantly employed with the means of seducing her.

"I carefully sought and soon obtained the means of being introduced to her father; I mani

fested the desire I had of being better acquainted with him. He received me with a sort of gratitude, thinking himself honored by the pleasure I appeared to take in his conversation. I availed myself of the campaigns which he

had made, the engagements which he had been in, and the feats of valour which were attributed to him; and the worthy old man was quite elated with my praise, and gave me a long account of all his military atchievements. This beginning, which succeeded beyond my most sanguine wishes, gave me the means of often seeing his daughter. I flattered her much more on the score of her beauty than the tender solicitude which she display. ed towards her father, for the comforts which her filial piety sought to procure him, and the care which she took to alleviate the sufferings caused by his infirmities. I seemed to take a lively interest in her situation, which appeared far from easy. On learning the injustice of government

towards her father, who had so gloriously served his country, I expressed a wish of repairing the ingratitude of the one, and of alleviating the labours of the other. It is by flattering people's pride that the road is easily found to the heart. She assured me that she was very grateful for my kindness. These few words emboldened me to ask for more. I made her uns

understand that it depended entiręly upon her to spend her days in happiness, and to procure for her father all the comforts which his age required; that to obtain all this, she had only to agree to the means offered by one who greatly pitied her situation, and whose happiness would consist in rendering it more fortunate. I spread before her imagination all the charms of elegant ease, which are generally so much prized by the female sex, which tempt, so often seduce, and effect a triumph over

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To all my promises I added some valuable presents; I left no sophistical argument untried; but she, calm in the midst of all my splendid offers, listened to me without displaying the smallest emotien, but with a mild firmness rejected my suit; and which, far from having dazzled her, as I expected, she viewed in no other light than that of an insult offered to her delicacy, and which had severely wounded her feelings.I, however, had the temerity to renew my arguments.; but all the reward I obtained was, that whenever I entered her father's dwel ling, she immediately found some excuse for withdrawing, and did not again appear until I had left it. I now felt the injustice of my conduct, and as a punishment formed the project of never beholding her again. But this was a task I could not fulfil. Her image followed me incessantly; I sighed I existed for her alone-Astonished at finding such vi tu

ous sentiments united with so much beauty, and now convinced that neither the one nor the other can be too much honored, and, in short, that the passion of love, when joined with these, ought to equalize all ranks, and excuse all the follies which prejudice and false pride attach to it, I resolved to offer her my hand.

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"The next day I opened my heart to her father: I told him the affection with which his daughter had inspired me, and the desire I had of becoming his sonin-law. The worthy man could scarcely contain his astonishment and joy. What, seriously,' he exclaimed, you think of my Eli za; you wish to make her your wife?' "Yes, I replied, I ask her of you, with the fervour of a man who renders still more homage to her virtues than her charms; and so earnest am I in my entreaties, that your acceptance or refusal will decide the happiness or misery of my life.'My refusal,' said he, that you surely do not fear.' What! hastily rejoined I, can there be any other obstacle?" one, signior; the difference of our fortunes. You are rich, and I have only a very slender pension, which is not even sufficient to afford me the common necessaries of life, and which dies with meFrom this you will perceive that Eliza has nothing to offer you."— She has all that my most san

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guine wishes could aspire to,' replied I, she is the daughter of a respectable man, and a brave officer, who is covered with laurels ; she possesses every virtue; these endowments far surpass all riches.' The old man's eyes were filled with tears; he took my hand, and affectionately pressing it, led me in silence to his daughter. The modest dignity with which she received my proposals, only encreased my love. Her answer was, that she depended on her fa ther; but that should he agree to my offers, she could not yield to them, if she must be separated from him. This obstacle

was

soon overcome; I assured her that her father should accompany her, and that we would live together in this mansion, where all my felicity would consist in their society.

"We were shortly married; and for three years lived in a state of the most uninterrupted happi

ness.

a tolerable musician and painter, and also occupied himself successfully at agriculture. I had rendered him some important services, and he passed the greatest part of his time at my house; his attachment, which I fancied sincere, and his seeming kind attentions, rendered him very dear to me. A lovely wife and a sincere friend, united the tenderest affections; thesc I thought I possessed, and was completely happy.

"We often took the diversion of hunting, but my friend Cornelio left me almost always before the termination of the chase; sometimes he complained of fatigue, and at others a sudden indisposition recalled him to the house.— An honest heart is unacquainted with suspicion I adored my wife, I esteemed her; how could it have entered my mind to watch her actions? I should have con sidered even the shadow of a doub an irreparable injury to her. Be sides, what had I to fear fron Cornelio? He possessed no at tractions, his manners had nothin agreeable in them; he was roug and often silent; I also thougi I had remarked that my wife aj

Our first grief was the loss of her worthy father, who about that time departed this life. I mourned his loss with the same sincerity as if he had been my own parent; and this I certainly owed him for his many virtues,peared civil to him merely on m and for the felicity I enjoyed by the gift of his lovely daughter.

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account. Notwithstanding, th frequency of his leaving me durir the chace, and the various pr tences he made use of to excu himself from accompanying r in my visits to my neighbou could not fail to excite astonis ment; and I once took an opp

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