MISS GR. What a deuse ails the girl!

Then humorously telling on her fingers-ORME, one; FENWICK, two; GREVILLE, three; FOWLER, four;-I want another finger; but I'll take in my thumb-Sir HARGRAVE, five-And now (putting the fore-finger of one hand on the thumb of the other) Lord DAnd none of them the man!-Depend upon it, will have a fall.

~, six !—

girl, pride

What could she mean by that?-Sir Charles Grandison's sisters, I hope, will not- ut I believe she meant nothing. Have I pride, Miss Grandison? coldly and gravely asked I, as my cousin observed to me afterwards.

MISS GR. Have you pride?—Yes, that you have; or you have worse.

What could this mad lady mean by this?-And what could I mean? For I had tears in my eyes. I was very low spirited at that moment.

LADY L. Well, but Miss Byron, shall we be impertinent, if we stay to see the lady?—I have a great value for her. She has been an admirable executrix and trustee for her son; and was as good a wife. I was just going; but, as she goes out of town to-morrow, will stay to pay my compliments to her. We can withdraw till you have had your talk.

MISS GR. Does she come to persuade you, Harriet, to retract your refusal ?

HAR. I know not her business. I wrote my mind to my aunt Selby. But I believe my aunt could not have written, and the countess received what she wrote, by this time. But do not go: we can have no private talk.

MISS GR. Well, but now I will tell you, without punishing your curiosity further, what Lord D's character is. He is as sober a man as most of the young

nobility. His fortune is great. In sense he neither abounds, nor is wanting; and that class of men, take my word for it, are the best qualified of all others to make good husbands to women of superior talents. They know just enough to induce them to admire in her, what they have not in themselves. If a woman has prudence enough to give consequence to such a one before folks, and will behave as if she thought him her superior in understanding, she will be able to make her own will a law to him; by the way of I will, shall I?—Or, If you please, my dear, I will do what I think fit. But a fool and a wit are the extreme points, and equally unmanageable. And now tell me, Harriet, what can be your motive for refusing such a man as this?

HAR. I wish, my dear, you would not talk to me of these men. I am sick of them all-Sir Hargrave has

cured me

MISS GR. You fib, my dear-But did you ever see Lord D- -?

HAR. No, indeed!

MISS GR. No, indeed!'--Why then you are a simpleton, child. What, refuse a man, an earl too! in the bloom of his years, 12,000 good pounds a year! yet never have seen him-Your motives, child! Your motives!I wish you are not already-There she stopt.

HAR. And I wish, Miss Grandison, with all my heart, if that would tame you, that you were in love over head and ears, and could not help it!

MISS GR. And wish you me that for spite, or to please me? I am in love, my dear; and nothing keeps me. in countenance, but having company among the grave ones. Dearly do I love to find girls out. Why, I found out Lady L

before she would own a tittle of the

matter. So prim ! And how can you think so, Char'lotte? Who, I, in love! No, indeed! No man has a place in my heart! Then I was resolved to have her secret out. I began with my roundabouts, and my supposes's-A leer-as thus-[I was both vexed and pleased with her archness]-And then a suppose-Then came a blush- Why, Charlotte, I cannot but say, that if I were obliged to have the one man or the other Then

came a sigh, endeavoured in haste to be returned to the heart whence it came; and when it could not find its way back, to be cut into three halves, as the Irishman said; that is, into two half sighs, and a hem; and a Get you gone, for an impertinent.'-As much as to say, 'You have it!'-And when I found I had, and she owned it; why then I put my mad head to her grave one; and we had but one heart betwixt us.

LADY L. [laughing]-Out of breath, Charlotte, I hope. MISS GR. Not yet-How often have I kept watch and ward for her! Sometimes have I lent her my dressingroom for their love meetings: yet, for the world, she would not marry without her papa's consent: no, but like the rest of us, she would suffer her affections to be engaged, without letting him know a syllable of the matter. Very true, Lady L-~, what signifies looking serious?

LADY L. Strange creature!

MISS GR. Once or twice did I change dresses with her. In short, I was a perfect Abigail to her in the affair. And let me tell you, two sisters, agreed to manage a love affair, have advantages over even a lady and her

MISS GR. All this I did for her without fee or reward; only from the dear delight of promoting the good work, and upon the Christian principle of, Do as you would be done by. Is not all this true, Lady L-? Deny it if

you can.

LADY L. And have you done, Charlotte? Ah! my dear Miss Byron, you'll never do any thing with this girl, 'except you hear all she has to say. And if you have a secret, 'tis better to let her know it at first. Charlotte is a generous girl, after all; but sometimes, as now, a very impertinent one

What could these ladies mean by this, I wonder? If they suspect me to love somebody, surely this is not the way, that two such ladies, in generosity, should take; when they think I have no engagement; and know that the doubt must lie on their brother's side, whom, with all their roundabouts, as they call them, they cannot fathom. I would give any thing, methinks, to know if Sir Charles was ever in love.

Just then a rapping at the door made us suppose it was the countess. It was. After compliments to Mrs. Reeves and me, she embraced Lady L very affectionately, and Miss Grandison kindly; asking the first after Lord L's health, and the other after her brother: he is the man of all men, Miss Grandison, said she, that I want to see. We shall be in town soon, for a month or two; and then you must make me known to one, whom every body calls the best of men: as here, said she, coming up again to me, I have longed to be acquainted with one of the best of women.

LADY L. Miss Byron is, indeed, an excellent young woman. We do ourselves the honour of calling her sister.

LADY D. What an encouragement is that to be good! Even in this age, bad as it is, true merit will never want admirers. And let me say, that where beauty and goodness meet, as here, they adorn each other.

Agreeable Lady D-! thought I: my heart will not suggest a thought in favour of your son; but I shall easily be in love with you. The heart hardly deserves praise, my Lucy, that is not fond of it from the worthy.

Her ladyship took Lady L-- aside, and said something to her. Lady L

answered with a no, as I sup

replied, I am glad of that;

pose to which Lady D. adding, I am not afraid of saying any thing to a person of Lady L's known prudence.

Ah! my Lucy! she asked Lady L, I dare say, whether the acknowledged sisterhood extended to the brother, as a brother, or as-something else-And by her cheerful and condescending court to me afterwards, and to Mrs. Reeves, was satisfied by Lady L-'s answer, I make no doubt, that there is room for Lord D- 's address, for any thing on Sir Charles's part.

I will not be mean, Lucy! Greatly as I admire somebody, these excellent sisters shall not find me entangled in an hopeless passion.

Her ladyship took my hand, and led me to the window. I was brought to town, said she, on an extraordinary occasion, two days ago; and must set out on my return in the morning. I thought I would not miss the opportunity of paying my compliments to a young lady, of whom I had heard every body speak with great commendation. I make no doubt but your good aunt Selby has-There she stopt.

My aunt has sent me up two of your ladyship's letters, and copies of her answers.