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of the hand. The other officers || due. The old general was delighted; filocked round La Croix, eager to he declared that the nuptials of his solicit his friendship, and to prevail daughter and La Croix should be on him to be present at an entertain-celebrated the moment the consent ment which they determined to give of his father was obtained.--"Ah!" in his honour. He would have de- cried Eugenie, extending her hand clined this public acknowledgment to La Croix, “ heaven be praised of the superiority of his conduct, that thou art safe! I will not reproach but they were too pressing to be re- thee, but yet- "_" But yet I fused; he agreed to accept it, and should have done better not to have they all returned amicably to the met him: is not that what my Eugeparade together.

nie meant to say?"_“Yes." -"Fool. · The subsequent conduct of Val- || ish girl!" said the general, frowning. mont proved, that he was not un--" No," cried La Croix, “ she is worthy of the generous forgiveness right. I have but half acquitted he had received. He published every myself to my conscience: it is only where the particulars of the rencon- in refusing a challenge altogether tre, and gave to his antagonist all that a man can prove himself posthe merit which was so justly his sessed of true courage."

THE CONFESSIONS OF MY UNCLE.

No. IV.

(Continued from p. 30.) : It was from the death of her dear || persuaded that a modest female could papa that my aunt Micklethwaite appear at either; and aunt Mickey, dated all her misfortunes, and "as which she was called for shortness, my poor papa used to say" became believed that those who protested a common preface or finale to all against these amusements were a her proverbial utterances. Poor pa-degree below humanity. Thus mutual pa indeed she might say in the squabbles took place between them, strictest sense of the word. Her re- which were equally and as wisely suslations were the kind of people of all tained on both sides. Otherwise others least congenial to her taste : her relations seemed perfectly happy poor things! they were never at Ra- | in the situation in which they were nelagh or Mary-bone Gardens in all placed; they neither knew nor cared their lives; nay, they expressed a | aught about any other. Here, alas! thorough contempt for all who occa- || she was obliged to attend to and sionally went to these places. It is make her own habiliments, and to very extraordinary that persons may endeavour-but the endeavour was not indulge their separate tastes | feeble-to make herself useful. Her without being condemned by, or con- Sundays too were allotted to religion, demning those who differ from them: or rather an attempt at the observyet such was the case. The good | ance of it, and the evening to sitwoman of the house would never be ting and hearing a sermon, instead · Vol. VI. No. XXXIII.

of being allowed to talk idly or play | what she might be quite as happy as “Nancy Dawson." She complained the wife of a gentleman of small forbitterly to Betty, the servant of all tune as the wife of a nobleman. It work, of the different way of life may be seriously imagined by some, which she now led from the late fa- that all these troubles would have shionable one in Thames-street; and humbled my aunt in the dust, that at length hinted her determination they would have proved a grave to to change her residence the first op- all ambitious or even genteel ideas: portunity. Her relations had as yet but this was not the case; for alforborne to acquaint her, that her though she now was certain, that she “ poor papa" had left her nearly des- was quite dependent upon the honest titute, a circumstance which she had people who consented to harbour not at all calculated upon; and while her, she yet imagined herself to be flattering herself on her emancipa- some superior person, and as such, tion from the Drowzier family, she claimed all the attentions which she was seized with a fever, which at received as a matter of right instead length terminated in the small-pox. of favour. Mrs. Drowzier was a Genius of Jenner! at that time of good - natured woman, aye a very day we were constantly meeting hu-good-natured woman; she had deman beings with faces like crumpets, clared, that she would work her finand eyes turned from their sockets; gers to the bone afore any of her before thy discovery was known, poor brother's children should want. how many fell never to rise again! || She acknowledged that miss, a term But the precautions of which we she always used in addressing her are now able to avail ourselves the niece, “had been brought up very elemother of aunt Micklethwaite would gantly; but she did not see why, in never have resorted to; it was in return for all her attentions, she vain for her that Lady Mary Wort- was to be treated as quite the scum ley Montague wrote. She never of the earth, as one unworthy even could imagine, she said, that Nature to wipe her niece's shoes. The child's did any thing for man to mend; and father, it is true, had doted on the declared that inoculation was flying | very ground she trod on; he had nein the face of the Almighty, and en- | ver suffered her to fetch water to deavouring to thwart his purpose. wash her own hands; and she verily She preferred her daughter taking believed, that if she had wanted it in the natural way, and she took | gold to eat, she might have had it: it so very naturally, that her face be- | but yet a little gratitude, a little concame as one complete cribbage-board, || sideration from miss, she thought and the disorder threatened one eye would not spoil her complexion. Dab with dissolution. Poor aunt Mickey! | wash, or month's wash, it was all the her mortifications seemed never to same, her bell continually rung, and have an end; but sickness, teaches | Betty must leave the work, and wipe us humility, and on her recovery she her hands covered with suds, to help became comparatively happy for a to dress Miss Molly." There are time. Slie naturally observed, that some people who, the worse they are the disease had not altered her shape, treated, the better they behave: this and therefore she did not see but was the case with Mrs. Drowzier,

who seemed literally to revel in com- of which I have often heard my fa. plaints of ingratitude. Woe be to ther detail the circumstances. The hér worthy helpmate if he ventured party were all assembled by five to pity her situation, and to offer o'clock in the little back parlour, that that deprecation which his wife's the master might be handy for waitcomplaints seemed to demand! Sheing on a customer should he be wantimmediately changed sides; asked ed: but no Miss Molly arrived ; six him what he could expect from one o'clock came, but no Miss Molly. brought up like a lady; and would The question had often been asked, even accuse him of wanting " bowels "How do you take your tea, madam?" for his own relations;" for so she i-and " I'd thank you for a little said hers were, and had an equal more of the grocer," retorted right to his purse. Purchase after “ As much sugar as you like," repurchase, and present after present, turned the witty hostess, “ but no did she shower on the gentleman's more of the grocer;" the muffins daughter, without the smallest thanks: were declared excellent, although yet did she continue to present, and they had indeed been kept too long be affronted, snubbed, and abused, at the fire, when at length a gentle when half these peace - offerings tap silenced the boisterous laugh of which she bestowed on her ill-con- people who had met with a determiditioned niece would have insured nation to be happy, and, cold as an her the constant gratitude of twenty icicle, entered my aunt, with her more obliging and as near relations. armis folded before her, and with all Was it that she thought money the dignity of offended consequence, thrown away on those who were con- She did indeed venture on an apotent, or that she really pitied the logy for keeping the company waitunhappy disposition of her relation? ing by a pretended head-ache, and But we become dainty in our appre- for a time the whole of the guests ciations as well as in our appetites, assembled seemed to pity and enter which are both liable to be diseas- into her feelings. It would answer ed; and we often pretend to feel no end to detail the commonplace obgreater pleasure in giving to those servations which were indulged in who do not want our favours, than while waiting for the great lady opento such from whom no rays of great-ing her mouth; but on finding that ness are reflected..

they had nothing to expect in return, It was upon this her everlasting they proceeded to treat her with principle of conciliation that Mrs. that indifference which she richly Drowzier prevailed on her good man | merited, and entered into a converto invite an evening party for the sation among themselves. gratification of Miss Micklethwaite,

(To be continued.)

THE FLOWER OF CHIVALRY.

(Concluded from p. 95.) "All the information I procur- || I awoke before three next morning, ed," continued Lord Seabourne," set | hastily equipped myself in a hunting a keener edge upon my curiosity. garb, and let myself out. A fowl. ing-piece and pointer furnished some appear, and willing to shew I was excuse for scouring the thickets; a not disposed to intrude. An old man, long walk brought me to the verge with some visible alarm, asked who of a white paling, and I looked in or what I wanted. I replied, “ I unall directions to reconnoitre the derstand an Englishman and his wife place. Several acres had been clear- live here. I too am of England, and ed from wood, and were covered with wish to leave with my country-folks rich verdure. By a gradual ascent some game I shot this morning.' the ground rose to the site of the il "You have the air and address of house; a small garden was laid out in a gentleman,' said the old man, 'and tasteful compartments before the being a stranger, may be excused for principal entrance, and the fine va- intrusion, if you tell your name.' riety of flowers led me to suspect “My name is William Essex. that there were some inhabitants who Now, friend, having satisfied you on attended more to pleasure than pro- that point, I crave to know your defit. Behind I saw roots, pulse, and signation.' such produce as suited culinary pre- “1, sir, have never been ashamed parations; and the house and gar- to tell my name, though I got it by den were screened from the squally an ancestor who was beheaded.' - north by a range of mountains, “. Perhaps,' said I, é some of my clothed with a diversity of trees and ancestors may have also laid their watered by sparkling streams. One heads on the block at Tower-Hill.' of these rivulets made a serpentine " But, sir, my ancestor was basely course through the garden, mean- put to death, without a legal wardered along the lawn, and tried to | rant, by a tyrannical commander. hide itself in the forest; but I could His head was severed from his body observe its limpid progress betrayed in a desert island off Port St. Julian.' by reflecting the sunbeams, which ". Then I am to understand your were now bright in the east, and name is Thomas Doughty, a depierced the foliage of elms and oaks, scendant of the gentleman so unjustwaving in the morning breeze. Ily executed by Sir Francis Drake.” wished to advance farther, and could “ Sir, you are certainly a gentlehave vaulted over the rails, but was man of reading and correct memory. restrained by respect for the fair vi. Will you be pleased to walk in, and sion I had descried from the cliff of take a jug of ale brewed by English the islet. · A gate fronting the house | hands? was locked: however, I was too ea- | “ To be frank with you, Mr. ger to be discouraged, and going to- Doughty, I left all the inmates of wards what seemed to be the pali- Lord Seabourne's house fast asleep šade of a park, 'I found the gate ajar. |at four o'clock this morning, and I took the liberty of going in, and breakfast will be over with the counshut the gate, for which I had thanks || tess before I join her ladyship.' from a decent-looking old woman, || " Sir, we shall be proud to lay who blamed herself for leaving it breakfast for you, and please to walk without the padlock. She made all | straight forward to the parlour.' the haste she could to the house; I “ Doughty bustled about to get stopped, expecting she would re- breakfast; and seeing he brought but one eup, I asked if I was not to be fa- || She said she was milking the cows, voured with his company.

and asked the old lady how she “Sir,' said he, drawing up his cut her hand. aged figure to the utmost height, “ Lavinia was combing her hair,'

all that I retain of my ancestors is replied the old lady, and I foolishtheir honour; and I support that ho- ly attempted to reach a glass of wanour by acting as a faithful servant. ter. I believe it was the hearth-rug Be pleased to sit to table, sir; I shall which tripped me; down I came, be happy to wait upon you. broke the glass, cut my thumb, and

"I came near the table, and grati- but for that gentleman should have fied the honest man by continuing bled to death. Lavinia was near to talk of the act by which Sir Fran- fainting: yet, to do her justice, she cis Drake tarnished his reputation, commanded her terrors, and assisted I did not expect to be so much be- me like a heroine. This gentleman, holden to the first circumnavigator, I confess, was more expert, and actnor to his victim Thomas Doughty, led with a self-possession more cool and congratulated myself upon re-than my poor Lavinia's. He laid me collecting particulars I had not read in bed, and I shall always acknowsince boyhood, when adventure by ledge my obligation to his promptisea or land was my passion. In the tude and skill. Sir, allow me to ask, midst of our strictures upon the ca- are you a surgeon? You are well enpital error of Drake, in pursuing for || titled to pecuniary remuneration.' plunder some hulks belonging to the 1 “ I dare not presume to claim any Hanse towns, when he should have knowledge of the healing art, maexhibited lights for the fleet of Lord | dam,' I replied, rising to be gone. Effingham Howard, sent out to at- The lovely Lavinia courtesied to me, tack the Spanish armada, a circum- saying, 'Sir, we are unspeakably stance which Doughty happened not obliged to you. I left her, well conto know, and seemed to regard with vinced she had not bestowed a exultation, a terrifying scream from a thought upon the disorder of her female voice in an opposite cham- || dress. The old lady had mentioned, ber hurried the old man from me. || that Lavinia was combing her hair In a little time I was summoned by when alarmed by the accident. The Doughty calling aloud, Wife! wife! || beautiful hair still hung in rich silken Mr. Essex! gentleman!' I followed | masses over a neck more snowy than the sound involuntarily, and in a mo || her morning robe of the purest white ment was beside an old lady bleeding calico; and her hands, exquisite in copiously, and a beautiful girl, min- shape and colour, came in contact gling the purple stains with showers with mine in helping the old lady to from her bright eyes, was tying up a bed, leaving an impression never to wounded hand; but the tremor of be effaced from my heart. As her her slender fingers hardly permitted | eyes, still moistened with tears, like the service. I begged leave to offer | dewy violets, were fixed upon her my aid, and had succeeded in stanch- parent, I could, without offence, coning the effusion of blood before the template the fine contour of her face: old woman I first saw appeared with the returning bloom of her cheeks Doughty, who had run to seek her. | as her fears abated, and when she

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