the bishop of the diocese, to direct and animate the devotion of such a society, and to guard it from that superstition and enthusiasm which soars to wild heights in almost all nunneries, would confirm it a blessing to the kingdom. I have another scheme, my lord, proceeded Sir Charles-An hospital for female penitents; for such unhappy women, as, having been once drawn in, and betrayed by the perfidy of men, find themselves, by the cruelty of the world, and principally by that of their own sex, unable to recover the path of virtue, when, perhaps, (convinced of the wickedness of the men in whose honour they confided,) they would willingly make their first departure from it the last. These, continued he, are the poor creatures who are eminently entitled to our pity, though they seldom meet with it. Good-nature, and credulity, the child of good-nature, are generally, as I have the charity to believe, rather than viciousness, the foundation of their crime. Those men who pretend they would not be the first destroyers of a woman's innocence, look upon these as fair prize. But what a wretch is he, who, seeing a poor creature exposed on the summit of a dangerous precipice, and unable, without an assisting hand, to find her way down, would rather push her into the gulf below, than convey her down in safety! Speaking of the force put upon a daughter's inclinations in wedlock; Tyranny and ingratitude, said Sir Charles, from a man beloved, will be more supportable to a woman of strong passions, than even kindness from a man she loves not: Shall not parents, then, who hope to see their children happy, avoid compelling them to give their hands to a man who has no share in their hearts? But would you allow young ladies to be their own choosers, Sir Charles? said Mr Reeves. Daughters, replied he, who are earnest to choose for themselves, should be doubly careful that prudence justifies their choice. Every widow who marries imprudently, (and very many there are who do,) furnishes a strong argument in favour of a parent's authority over a maiden daughter. A designing man looks out for a woman who has an independent fortune, and has no questions to ask. He seems assured of finding indiscretion and rashness in such a one, to befriend him. But ought not she to think herself affronted, and resolve to disappoint him? But how, said Lady G-, shall a young creature be able to judge? By his application to her, rather than to her natural friends and relations; by his endeavouring to alienate her affections from them; by wishing her to favour private and clandestine meetings (conscious that his pretensions will not stand discussion); by the inequality of his fortune to hers; and has not our excellent Miss Byron, in the letters to her Lucy, (bowing to me,) which she has had the goodness to allow us to read, helped us to a criterion?" Men in their addresses to young women," she very happily observes, "forget not to set forward the advantages by which they are distinguished, whether hereditary or acquired; while love, love, is all the cry of him who has no other to boast of." And by that means, said Lady Gertrude, setting the silly creature at variance with all her friends, he makes her fight his battles for him; and become herself the cat's paw to help him to the ready-roasted chesnuts. But, dear brother, said Lady G—, do you think love is such a staid, deliberate passion, as to allow a young creature to take time to ponder and weigh all the merits of the cause? Love at first sight, answered Sir Charles, must indicate a mind prepared for impression, and a sudden gust of passion, and that of the least noble kind; since there could be no opportunity of knowing the merit of the object. What woman would have supposed herself capable of such a tindery fit? In a man, it is an indelicate paroxysm; but in a woman, who expects protection and instruction from a man, much more so. Love, at first, may be only fancy. Such a young love may be easily given up, and ought, to a parent's judgment. Nor is the conquest so difficult as some young creatures think it. One thing, my good Émily, let me say to you, as a rule of some consequence in the world you are just entering into-Young persons, on arduous occasions, especially in love-cases, should not presume to advise young persons; because they seldom can divest themselves of passion, partiality, or prejudice; that is, indeed, of youth; and forbear to mix their own concerns and biases with the question referred to them. It should not be put from young friend to young friend, What would you do in such a case? but, What ought to be done? How the dear girl blushed, and how pleased she looked, to be particularly addressed by her guardian! Lady Gertrude spoke of a certain father, who, for interested views, obliged his daughter to marry at fifteen, when she was not only indifferent to the man, but had formed no right notions of the state. And are they not unhappy? asked Sir Charles. I knew such an instance, returned he. The lady was handsome, and had her full share of vanity. She believed every man who said civil things to her, was in love with her; and had she been single, that he would have made his addresses to her. She supposed that she might have had this great man, or that, had she not been precipitated: And this brought her to slight the man who had, as she concluded, deprived her of better offers. They were unhappy to the end of their lives. Had the lady lived single long enough to find out the difference between compliment and sincerity, and that the man who flattered her vanity meant no more than to take advantage of her folly, she would have thought herself not unhappy with the very man with whom she was so dissatisfied. Lady L, speaking afterwards of a certain nobleman, who is continually railing against matrimony, and who makes a very indifferent husband to an obliging wife: I have known more men than one, said Sir Charles, inveigh against matrimony, when the invective would have proceeded with a much better grace from their wives' lips than from theirs. But let us inquire, would this complainer have been, or deserved to be, happier in any state than he now is ? A state of suffering, said Lady L-, had probably humbled the spirit of the poor wife into perfect meekness and patience. You observe rightly, replied Sir Charles: And surely a most kind disposition of Providence it is, that adversity, so painful in itself, should conduce so peculiarly as it does to the improvement of the human mind: It teaches modesty, humility, and compassion. You speak feelingly, brother, said Lady Lwith a sigh. Do you think, Lucy, nobody sighed but she? I do, said he. I speak with a sense of gratitude. I am naturally of an imperious spirit: But I have reaped advantages from the early stroke of a mother's death. Being for years, against my wishes, obliged to submit to a kind of exile from my native country, which I considered as a heavy evil, though I thought it my duty to acquiesce, I was determined, as much as my capacity would allow, to make my advantage of the compulsion, by qualifying my self to do credit, rather than discredit, to my father, my friends, and my country. And, let me add, that if I have in any tolerable manner succeeded, I owe much to the example and precepts of my dear Dr Bartlett. The Doctor blushed and bowed, and was going to disclaim the merit which his patron had ascribed to him; but Sir Charles confirmed it in still stronger terms: You, my dear Dr Bartlett, said he, as I have told Miss Byron, were a second conscience to me in my earlier youth: Your precepts, your excellent life, your pure manners, your sweetness of temper, could not but open and enlarge my mind. The soil, I hope I may say, was not barren; but you, my dear paternal friend, were the cultivator: I shall ever acknowledge it—And he bowed to the good man, who was covered with modest confusion, and could not look up. And think you, Lucy, that this acknowledgment lessened the excellent man with any one present? No! It raised him in every eye; and I was the more pleased with it, as it helped me Thursday, April 13. FOR Heaven's sake, my dearest Harriet! dine with us to-day; for two reasons; one relates to myself; the other you shall hear by and by: To myself, first, as is most fit-This silly creature has offended me, and presumed to be sullen upon my resentment. Married but two days, and shew his airs!-Were I in fault, my dear, (which, upon my honour, I am not,) for the man to lose his patience with me, to forget his obligations to me, in two days!-What an ungrateful wretch is he! What a poor powerless creature your Charlotte! Nobody knows of the matter, except he has complained to my brother-If he has! But what if he has?-Alas, my dear, I am married; and cannot help myself. We seem, however, to be drawing up our forces on both sides-One struggle for my dying liberty, my dear !-The success of one pitched battle will determine which is to be the general, which the subaltern, for the rest of the campaign. To dare to be sullen already!—As I hope to live, my dear, I was in high good humour within myself; and when he was foolish, only intended little play with him; and he takes it in earnest. He worships you; so I shall rally him before you; but I charge you, as the man by his sullenness has taken upon him to fight his own battle, either to be on my side, or be silent. I shall take it very ill of my Harriet, if she strengthen his hands. Well, but enough of this husband-HusBAND! What a word!-Who do you think is arrived from abroad?-You cannot guess for your life-Lady OLIVIA !-True as you are alive! accompanied, it seems, by an aunt of hers; a widow, whose years and character are to keep the niece in countenance in this excursion. The pretence is, making the tour of Europe; and England was not to be left out of the scheme. My brother is excessively disturbed at her arrival. She came to town but last night. He had notice of it but this morning. He took Emily with him to visit her: Emily was known to her at Florence. She and her aunt are to be here at dinner. As she is come, Sir Charles says, he must bring her acquainted with his sisters, and their lords, in order to be at liberty to pursue the measures he has unalterably resolved upon; the bishop of the diocese, to direct and animate the devotion of such a society, and to guard it from that superstition and enthusiasm which soars to wild heights in almost all nunneries, would confirm it a blessing to the kingdom. I have another scheme, my lord, proceeded Sir Charles-An hospital for female penitents; for such unhappy women, as, having been once drawn in, and betrayed by the perfidy of men, find themselves, by the cruelty of the world, and principally by that of their own sex, unable to recover the path of virtue, when, perhaps, (convinced of the wickedness of the men in whose honour they confided,) they would willingly make their first departure from it the last. These, continued he, are the poor creatures who are eminently entitled to our pity, though they seldom meet with it. Good-nature, and credulity, the child of good-nature, are generally, as I have the charity to believe, rather than viciousness, the foundation of their crime. Those men who pretend they would not be the first destroyers of a woman's innocence, look upon these as fair prize. But what a wretch is he, who, seeing a poor creature exposed on the summit of a dangerous precipice, and unable, without an assisting hand, to find her way down, would rather push her into the gulf below, than convey her down in safety! Speaking of the force put upon a daughter's inclinations in wedlock; Tyranny and ingratitude, said Sir Charles, from a man beloved, will be more supportable to a woman of strong passions, than even kindness from a man she loves not: Shall not parents, then, who hope to see their children happy, avoid compelling them to give their hands to a man who has no share in their hearts? But would you allow young ladies to be their own choosers, Sir Charles? said Mr Reeves. Daughters, replied he, who are earnest to choose for themselves, should be doubly careful that prudence justifies their choice. Every widow who marries imprudently, (and very many there are who do,) furnishes a strong argument in favour of a parent's authority over a maiden daughter. A designing man looks out for a woman who has an independent fortune, and has no questions to ask. He seems assured of finding indiscretion and rashness in such a one, to befriend him. But ought not she to think herself affronted, and resolve to disappoint him? But how, said Lady Gcreature be able to judge? shall a young By his application to her, rather than to her natural friends and relations; by his endeavouring to alienate her affections from them; by wishing her to favour private and clandestine meetings (conscious that his pretensions will not stand discussion); by the inequality of his fortune to hers; and has not our excellent Miss Byron, in the letters to her Lucy, (bowing to me,) which she has had the goodness to allow us to read, helped us to a criterion?" Men in their addresses to young women," she very happily observes, "forget not to set forward the advantages by which they are distinguished, whether hereditary or acquired; while love, love, is all the cry of him who has no other to boast of." And by that means, said Lady Gertrude, setting the silly creature at variance with all her friends, he makes her fight his battles for him ; and become herself the cat's paw to help him to the ready-roasted chesnuts. But, dear brother, said Lady G—, do you think love is such a staid, deliberate passion, as to allow a young creature to take time to ponder and weigh all the merits of the cause?" Love at first sight, answered Sir Charles, must indicate a mind prepared for impression, and a sudden gust of passion, and that of the least noble kind; since there could be no opportunity of knowing the merit of the object. What woman would have supposed herself capable of such a tindery fit? In a man, it is an indelicate paroxysm; but in a woman, who expects protection and instruction from a man, much more so. Love, at first, may be only fancy. Such a young love may be easily given up, and ought, to a parent's judgment. Nor is the conquest so difficult as some young creatures think it. One thing, my good Emily, let me say to you, as a rule of some consequence in the world you are just entering into Young persons, on arduous occasions, especially in love-cases, should not presume to advise young persons; because they seldom can divest themselves of passion, partiality, or prejudice; that is, indeed, of youth; and forbear to mix their own concerns and biases with the question referred to them. It should not be put from young friend to young friend, What would you do in such a case? but, What ought to be done? How the dear girl blushed, and how pleased she looked, to be particularly addressed by her guardian! Lady Gertrude spoke of a certain father, who, for interested views, obliged his daughter to marry at fifteen, when she was not only indifferent to the man, but had formed no right notions of the state. And are they not unhappy? asked Sir Charles. I knew such an instance, returned he. The lady was handsome, and had her full share of vanity. She believed every man who said civil things to her, was in love with her; and had she been single, that he would have made his addresses to her. She supposed that she might have had this great man, or that, had she not been precipitated: And this brought her to slight the man who had, as she concluded, deprived her of better offers. They were unhappy to the end of their lives. Had the lady lived single long enough to find out the difference between compliment and sincerity, and that the man who flattered her vanity meant no more than to take advantage of her folly, she would have thought herself not unhappy with the very man with whom she was so dissatisfied. Lady L, speaking afterwards of a certain nobleman, who is continually railing against matrimony, and who makes a very indifferent husband to an obliging wife: I have known more men than one, said Sir Charles, inveigh against matrimony, when the invective would have proceeded with a much better grace from their wives' lips than from theirs. But let us inquire, would this complainer have been, or deserved to be, happier in any state than he now is? A state of suffering, said Lady L-, had probably humbled the spirit of the poor wife into perfect meekness and patience. You observe rightly, replied Sir Charles: And surely a most kind disposition of Providence it is, that adversity, so painful in itself, should conduce so peculiarly as it does to the improvement of the human mind: It teaches modesty, humility, and compassion. You speak feelingly, brother, said Lady L, with a sigh. Do you think, Lucy, nobody sighed but she? I do, said he. I speak with a sense of gratitude. I am naturally of an imperious spirit: But I have reaped advantages from the early stroke of a mother's death. Being for years, against my wishes, obliged to submit to a kind of exile from my native country, which I considered as a heavy evil, though I thought it my duty to acquiesce, I was determined, as much as my capacity would allow, to make my advantage of the compulsion, by qualifying my self to do credit, rather than discredit, to my father, my friends, and my country. And, let me add, that if I have in any tolerable manner succeeded, I owe much to the example and precepts of my dear Dr Bartlett. The Doctor blushed and bowed, and was going to disclaim the merit which his patron had ascribed to him; but Sir Charles confirmed it in still stronger terms: You, my dear Dr Bartlett, said he, as I have told Miss Byron, were a second conscience to me in my earlier youth: Your precepts, your excellent life, your pure manners, your sweetness of temper, could not but open and enlarge my mind. The soil, I hope I may say, was not barren; but you, my dear paternal friend, were the cultivator: I shall ever acknowledge it-And he bowed to the good man, who was covered with modest confusion, and could not look up. And think you, Lucy, that this acknowledgment lessened the excellent man with any one present? No! It raised him in every eye; and I was the more pleased with it, as it helped me to account for that deep observation, which LETTER CXXXIV. LADY G TO MISS BYRON. Thursday, April 13. FOR Heaven's sake, my dearest Harriet ! dine with us to-day; for two reasons; one relates to myself; the other you shall hear by and by: To myself, first, as is most fit-This silly creature has offended me, and presumed to be sullen upon my resentment. Married but two days, and shew his airs!-Were I in fault, my dear, (which, upon my honour, I am not,) for the man to lose his patience with me, to forget his obligations to me, in two days!-What an ungrateful wretch is he! What a poor powerless creature your Charlotte! Nobody knows of the matter, except he has complained to my brother-If he has! But what if he has ?-Alas, my dear, I am married; and cannot help myself. We seem, however, to be drawing up our forces on both sides-One struggle for my dying liberty, my dear!-The success of one pitched battle will determine which is to be the general, which the subaltern, for the rest of the campaign. To dare to be sullen already!—As I hope to live, my dear, I was in high good humour within myself; and when he was foolish, only intended a little play with him; and he takes it in earnest. He worships you ; so I shall rally him before you; but I charge you, as the man by his sullenness has taken upon him to fight his own battle, either to be on my side, or be silent. I shall take it very ill of my Harriet, if she strengthen his hands. Well, but enough of this husband-HusBAND! What a word!-Who do you think is arrived from abroad?-You cannot guess for your life-Lady OLIVIA!-True as you are alive! accompanied, it seems, by an aunt of hers; a widow, whose years and character are to keep the niece in countenance in this excursion. The pretence is, making the tour of Europe; and England was not to be left out of the scheme. My brother is excessively disturbed at her arrival. She came to town but last night. He had notice of it but this morning. He took Emily with him to visit her: Emily was known to her at Florence. She and her aunt are to be here at dinner. As she is come, Sir Charles says, he must bring her acquainted with his sisters, and their lords, in order to be at liberty to pursue the measures he has unalterably resolved upon; and this, Harriet, is my second reason for urging you to dine with us. Now I do wish we had known her history at large. Dr Bartlett shall tell it us. Unwelcome as she is to my brother, I long to see her. I hope I shall not hear something in her story, that will make me pity her. Will you come? I wonder whether she speaks English or not. I don't think I can converse in Italian. I won't forgive you, if you refuse to come. Lady L, and her good man will be here. We shall therefore, if you come, be our whole family together. -'s My brother has presented this house to me, till his return. He calls himself Lord Gguest and mine; so you can have no punctilio about it. Besides, Lord W will set out tomorrow morning for Windsor. He dotes upon you; and perhaps it is in your power to make a new-married man penitent and polite. So you must come. No more, madam, no more, I beseech youWell, sir, not a word more, since you arePray, madam Well, well, give me your hand-You must leave Harriet and me together. She humorously curtseyed to him as he bowed to me, taking the compliment as to herself. She nodded her head to him, as he turned his back when he was at the door; and when he was gone, If I can but make this man orderly, said she, I shall not quarrel with my brother for hurrying me, as he has done. You are wrong, excessively wrong, Charlotte. You call my lord a silly man, but can have no proof that he is so, but by his bearing this treatment from you. None of your grave airs, my dear. The man is a good sort of man, and will be so, if you and Lady L don't spoil him. I have a vast deal of roguery, but no ill-nature in my heart. There is luxury in jesting with a solemn man, who wants to assume airs of privilege, and thinks he Hang me, if I sign by any other name, while has a right to be impertinent. I'll tell you how this man is in his fits, than that of CHARLOTTE GRANDISON. LETTER CXXXV. MISS BYRON TO MISS SELBY. Thursday, April 13. I SEND you enclosed a letter I received this morning from Lady G. I will suppose you have read it. Emily says, that the meeting between Sir Charles and the lady mentioned in it, was very polite on both sides; but more cold on his than on hers. She made some difficulty, however, of dining at his house; and her aunt, Lady Maffei, more. But on Sir Charles's telling them, that he would bring his elder sister to attend them thither, they complied. When I went to St James's Square, Sir Charles and Lady L - were gone in his coach to bring the two ladies. Lady G met me on the stairs-head leading into her dressing-room. Not a word, said she, of the man's sullens: He repents: A fine figure, as I told him, of a bridegroom would he make in the eyes of foreign ladies, at dinner, were he to retain his gloomy airs. He has begged my pardon; as good as promised amendment; and I have forgiven him. Poor Lord G- -! said I. Hush, hush! He is within; he will hear you; and then perhaps repent of his repentance. She led me in: My lord had a glow in his cheeks, and looked as if he had been nettled; and was but just recovering a smile, to help to carry off the petulance. O how saucily did her eyes look! Well, my lord, said she, I hopeBut you say, I misunderstood I will manage-I believe I shall often try his patience, and when I am conscious that I have gone too far, I will be patient if he is angry with me; so we shall be quits. Then I'll begin again; he will resent; and if I find his aspect very solemn-Come, come, no glouting, friend, I will say, and perhaps smile in his face: I'll play you a tune, or sing you a song-Which, which? Speak in a moment, or the humour will be off. If he was ready to cry before, he will laugh then, though against his will: and as he admires my finger, and my voice, shall we not be instantly friends? It signified nothing to rave at her; she will have her way. Poor Lord G-! At my first knowledge of her, I thought her very lively; but imagined not that she was indiscreetly so. Lord G- -'s fondness for his saucy bride was, as I have reason to believe, his fault. I dared not to ask for particulars of their quarrel; and if I had, and found it so, could not, with such a rallying creature, have entered into his defence, or censured her. I went down a few moments before her. Lord G-whispered me, that he should be the happiest man in the world, if I, who had such an influence over her, would stand his friend. I hope, my lord, said I, that you will not want any influence but your own. She has a thousand good qualities. She has charming spirits. You will have nothing to bear with but from them. They will not last always. Think only, that she can mean nothing by the exertion of them, but innocent gaiety; and she will every day love your lordship the better for bearing with her. You know she is generous and noble. to I see, madam, said he, she has let you in She has not acquainted me with the particulars of the little misunderstanding; only has |