youngest of those pupils to whom I hurried over the customary routine of philosophical lessons: my whole mind was fixed on Amelia and my rose trees. : "The death of the greater number of my elèves however, soon lightened my labour; more than half of them never struck root. I flung them into the fire a fourth part of those that remained, after unfolding some little leaves, stopped there: several assumed a blackish yellow tint, and gave me hope of beautifying some flourished surprisingly, but only in leaves: others, to my great joy, were covered with buds; but in a few days they always got that little yellow circle, which the gardeners call the collar, and which is to them a mortal malady. Their stalks twisted-they drooped-and finally fell one after the other to the earth-not a single bud remaining on my poor trees. Thus withered my hopes; and the more care I took of my invalids-the more I hawked them from window to window, the worse they grew. At last, one of them, and but one, promised to reward my trouble -thickly covered with leaves, it formed a handsome bush, from the middle of which sprang out a fine vigorous branch, crowned with six beautiful buds that got no collar-grew, enlarged, and even discovered through their calices, a slight rose tint. There were still six long weeks before the new year; and, certainly, four, at least, of my precious buds would be blown by that time. K Behold me now recompensed for all my pains; hope re-entered my heart, and every moment I looked on my beautiful introducer with complacency."—I have filled my letter at present, and shall therefore give you the conclusion of the story in my next, which, as it would be cruel to make you wait long, you may expect by the post to-morrow; meanwhile, I remain, Yours, &c. LETTER XIII. "The little Rose that laughs upon its stem, If tender'd as a token of esteem." Cunningham. MY DEAR ANNE, I 66 SHALL now, according to my promise, transcribe the remainder of the story begun in my last:-"On the 27th of November," continued the relater, a day which I can never forget, the sun rose in all its brilliance; I thanked heaven, and hastened to place my rose-tree, and such of its companions as yet survived, on a peristyle in the court. (I have already mentioned that I lodged on the ground floor;) I watered them, and went, as usual, to give my philosophical lecture. I then dined— drank to the health of my Rose; and returned to take my station in my window, with a quicker throbbing of the heart. "Amelia's mother had been slightly indisposed; for eight days she had not left the house, and, consequently, I had not seen my fair one. On the first morning, I had observed the physician going in uneasy for her, I contrived to cross his way, questioned him, and was comforted. I afterwards learned that the old lady had recovered, and was to make her appearance abroad on this day, at a grand gala given by a baroness, who lived at the end of the street. I was then certain to see Amelia pass by, and eight days of privation had enhanced that thought; I am sure Madame de Belmont did not look to this party with as much impatience as I did. She was always one of the first; it had scarcely struck five, when I heard the bell of her gate. I took up a book—there was I at my post, and presently I saw Amelia appear, dazzling with dress and beauty, as she gave her arm to her mother; never yet had the brilliancy of her figure so struck me: this time there was no occasion for her to speak to catch my eyes; they were fixed on her's, but her's were bent down; however, she guessed that I was there, for she passed slowly to prolong my happiness. I followed her with my gaze, until she entered the house; then only she turned her head for a second; the door was shut, and she disappeared, but remained present to my heart. I could neither close my window, nor cease to look at the baroness's hotel, as if I could see Amelia through the walls; I remained there till all objects were faded into obscurity. The approach of night, and the frostiness of the air, brought to my recollection that the rose-tree was still on the peristyle: never had it been so precious to me; I hastened to it; and scarcely was I in the anti-chamber when I heard a singular noise, like that of an animal browsing, and tinkling its bells. I trembled, I flew; and I had the grief to find a sheep quietly fixed beside my rose-trees, of which it was making its evening repast with no slight avidity. "I caught up the first thing in my way; it was a heavy cane; I wished to drive away the gluttonous beast; alas! it was too late! he had just bitten off the beautiful branch of buds; he swallowed them, one after another; and in spite of the gloom, I could see, half out of his mouth, the finest of them all, which in a moment was champed like the rest. I was neither ill-tempered nor cruel; but at this sight I was no longer master of myself. Without well knowing what I did, I discharged a blow of my cane on the animal, and stretched it at my feet. No sooner did I perceive it motionless, than I repented of having killed a creature unconscious of the mischief it had done; was this worthy of the professor of philosophy, the adorer of the gentle Amelia? But thus to eat up my rose-tree, my only hope to get admittance to her! when I thought on its annihilation, I could not consider myself so culpable. However, the night darkened; I heard the old servant crossing the lower passage, and I called her. 'Catharine,' said I, 'bring your |