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With every possible disqualification for a man of fashion, he seemed to have no aim but to stand at the height of the mode; and whatever folly was most in fashion, in that he laboured to be most egregiously extravagant. Overlooking his own real talents, his learning, and his wit, he endeavoured only at a gay impertinence, a profound noncha'ance, which was contra❤ dicted by every feature in his mind and face. Never did man make more sacrifices to become what nature never intended him.

Many other persons of characters equally singular were introduced to me in the course of the evening, but as I had afterwards more detailed opportunities of know

cation than what he had derived from the first forms of a free grammar school, having been removed early even from these elementary studies, that he might lose no time in walking over the course of his fortune. Having passed twenty years in India, he had now amassed a princely fortune, and returned to England to enjoy it. His first step was to marry the lady who now figures as his wife, and to this indeed he owes all the respect and estimation which he now enjoys. And to do him justice, he seems full aware of the virtues of this truly amiable and lovely woman, and though in many respects they were very ill paired, they seemed happy in each other. I cannot but here make the cursory remark that nothing is more errone-ing them, I shall say nothing further of ous, and in many cases more prejudicial, than the doctrine inculcated in novels, that the union of all virtues and of all perfections, is necessary to render the married state happy. My own experience amongst the immediate circle of my own acquaintance, has convinced me to the contrary; I know at this instant more than one or two happy couples, who neither in personal nor mental endowments, have any thing to distinguish them beyond what is common to their fellow creatures. The truth seems to be, that no supereminent endow ments are necessary to happiness. It is within the reach of almost all who try for it. To attain it is only strenuously to attempt it.

In the motley assembly which met together at this rout, it is not much to say that I had some admirers. My fortune and family being known, I was generally regarded as an object of interest and attraction. The old flattered me by kind attention, the young endeavoured to recommend themselves to my notice by the display of their accomplishments.

My aunt particularly introduced me to a Captain Medley, one of the most reputed of the modern men of fashion. With an air of the most extreme insiguificance, Sir Laurence was neither destitute of dignity or understanding; he was elegantly and almost profoundly read, and wanted nothing to be a valuable character but a due estimation of the qualities in which he really did excel, and a due contempt for those in which he only attempted to excel.

The

them in this place. One remark particu-
larly suggested itself, that from the gene-
ral frivolity of the fashionable world, or
some other equally perversive cause, one
universal trait characterized every person
in this fashionable circle. However they
might differ in what might be called their
specific character, their general feature
was an insignificance, a levity, an appa-
rent want of the power of discrimina ing
between things of no moment, and things
of importance. Every thing appeared to
them of equal importance, and they talked
of every thing in the same tone.
singing of Catalani, the total defeat of the
Austrians, an accidental shower in the
Park, and the slaughter of thousands on
the Rhine and Danube, were mentioned
and conversed upon in the same indiscui-
minating tone. I know not whether to
attribute this seeming apathy to want of
feeling, or that habitual vacancy of all
thought, which is so unhappily introduced
by fashionable manners and fashionable
habits. From a ca m review of what I have
seen, and indeed daily do see in the fashion-
able world, I have no hesitation to say,
that the people of fashion have the same
hearts and minds as the vulgar, but the
fashionable world has an atmosphere so
peculia ly is own as gradually to assimi.
late every thing to itself. A winter course
in town, a daily, or rather a nightly inter-
course with truly fashionable society.
would oss ify the best heart. This is my
deliberate opinion of the effects of fashion-
able habits.

In the course of a few days I had a visit in form from several of the gentlemen to whom I had been more particularly introduced in this rout at Mrs. Pagod's. The first was from Captain Beaufoy.

The person of the Captain was such as might have satisfied any woman, but as if in despite of nature, and to degrade her gifts, he seemed to spare no efforts to sink the gentleman, and to assume something which can only be described in detail. His warm ambition, it would appear, was to be the leading charioteer of the day. He had accordingly established a club, the sole and exclusive business of which was to drive coaches in the resemblance of stages from London to Bedfont, and from Bedfont to London. This was not the diversion of the club, but their business, that for which they lived, and to which they devoted every moment and hour of their time. Something might have been allowed to young men just emancipated from the restraints of the minority or collegiate discipline, but Captain Beaufoy had not this excuse; he had attained his full maturity of age and understanding. I was really grieved that a man really possessed of sense, as was this Captain, should thus lose himself in frivolities, for though all his pursuits were trifling, he was in reality not without sense, and possessed even some talents which might have rendered him respectable in the more important business of life.

I need not say, I hope, that I rejected the proposals of this gentleman; I was resolved not to take a husband from the stable, and not to have a man of whom his friends could say nothing but that he was

a DRIVER.

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My next lover, (if so I may call them who made their addresses, with the most perfect sang froid, as if they were buying a horse, or bespeaking a carriage,) my next Ever, I say, was the eldest son of an Irish nobleman, ennobled in the last generation!

from a contract for blankets. The young Lord Popinjay (his father being an Earl was only distinguished in the fashionable world from the excessive contrast of his poverty and his pride; he would not so completely defy the heralds as absolutely to assume the royal liveries, but he did what he could; he exhibited a resemblance so near, that it was not easy without a minute inspection, to distinguish one from the other. This pride was the more ridi culous, as it was contrasted with its appendages. A servant richly habited in royal livery was borne on a hack horse, which no one would have purchased for five pounds. My Lord himself, moreover, was not the best mounted in the world, but then his livery was royal, and strangers seeing him at the distance of a mile, would mistake him for one of the Royal Family.

I had no wish to become a representa tive Princess, and therefore, after amusing myself some time with his Lordship's follies, declined his proposals. I will not extend my present letter by relating many others of a similar kind. In my future narrative you shall have other sketches of fashionable characters, who being informed of my fortune thronged around me as an object worthy of their attention. It is really astonishing, Sir, how many of our most splendid men of fashion lay themselves out, as it were, for the speculation of a rich wife. The first pursuit of a younger brother of a good family is to get a place at court; if his family happen however to be on the wrong side, like Sir Francis Wronghead, he takes another string to his bow, and looks out for an EIRESS. Surely, Sir, the prevalence of this speculation is not very flattering to our sex in general. What an opinion must the men entertain of us, when they thus consider us as such easy dupes, when they thus consider that they have only to make the attempt, and we are gained.-Your's,

HYMENEA.

SECOND-SIGHT.

ISLE OF SKY, NORTH BRITAIN.
[Concluded from Page 146.]

TO THE LADY SYBILLA MACKEN.

father. I must acquit her, moreover, of "CONSTANT had now been absent six any selfishness except in as far as it was nemonths, and since he had left Plymouth Icessarily implicated in the nature of her had received only one letter. They know purpose. To confess the truth, though I little of the human heart who trust to the have suffered such an extremity of misery permanence of past impressions. I have from the effect of her artifices-though my somewhere read an excellent comparison of understanding most completely condemns the human mind in this respect to the sands her, and even iny heart does not fully acof the sea-shore, one wave destroys the trace quit, yet so powerful an hold does she yet left by the former, and is in its turn destroy-retain on my affections, that in the midst ed by its successor. Lovers, particularly absent lovers, should always have this similitude before them. Whilst the idea of Constant was thus gradually weakened by absence, the Count was always at my side, and always endeavouring to render himself necessary and pleasing to me; my education and natural accomplishments rendered this but too easy to him. To the gaiety of the Frenchman without its characteristic frivolity, the Count added the more masculine graces and understanding of an Englishman; and it is a well known and cele.

of my sufferings I still love the author of them.-Let those who are better read in the human heart, and better versed in the hu man affections than I am, explain this seeming inconsistency.

"After the proper season for the first mourning had elapsed, my mother resumed the progress of her contrivance, and at length directly proposed to me that I should receive the addresses of the Count. I have reason to believe, that from the daily delight of listening to these addresses I made some very faint objection to this proposal, rebrated remark of the elegant Richardson, calling to her mind only in a cursory and that no triflers are so pleasing to women indifferent manner, my engagements to as those who, being evidently capable of Constant. My mother, looking me earbetter things, and competent to higher pur-nestly in the face, asked permission to put to me a serious question. Is it necessary,' said I, that a mother should ask such a formal permission of her daughter-surely mammathis is unkind.' 'I ask the question formally, replied my mother, and seri

suits, descend to trifle for their sakes.

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"Things were in this situation when a most unfortunate event occurred in my family. After a sudden and short illness my father died. He left a will, by which, after a liberal provision for my mother-in-ously, because I expect a serious and formal law, he bequeathed the bulk of his fortune to me: by the same will my mother-in-law was to be my sole guardian during my minority, and I was to lose half the fortune bequeathed to me, if at any time before the age of twenty-five I married without her

consent.

"Behold me entirely in the hands of this artful woman, for such I must call her. Let me, however, do her justice; with the single exception of whatever was necessary to the accomplishment of her purpose, I had no cause to complain of her-she treated me with the tenderness of a natural parent, and by this affectionate conduct ell supplied to me the place of my late

answer. I need not be told, that there are certain points in which young women deem themselves justified in deceiving even their mothers. Now I wish to arrive at your real sentiments.' 'Propose your question, theu madam,' said I; ‘I give you my word that I will answer you as seriously as if I was before the altar.' I am sure you will Alicia-there is a candour in your tone and manner which convinces me of it, my question then briefly is-is Constant still dear to you? does he still occupy your heart and your affections? do you still prefer him to all mankind?'

"Does he not deserve to be loved? replied J.

"That is no answer to my question,' rejoined my mother; young women are not such perfect machines that their love necessarily follows the merit of its object, nor indeed are all virtues of a kind which necessarily appeal to a woman's affection; Sir Isaac Newton, for example, was a great and a good man, yet I do not think that either you or I should have been enamoured of him-may it not be something of the same kind with Constant? I wish you to confess the truth.'

"What am I to confess?' said I; you seem already to have formed your opi nion.'

"It tends to procure a direct reply to a very intelligible question,-do you, in the present state of circumstances, still continue to love Constant? or, to speak plainly, have you began to prefer the Count?

"I really forget the terms in which I replied to this question, but they must have been of a nature upon which my mother put a construction favourable to the views of the Count, as she immediately afterwards resumed her advocacy of his cause.

"I must confess,' said she, that to me you appear to be fully absolved from any engagement from which you may consider yourself as being implicated towards Constant; three times a sufficient period has

have received letters, yet he has now been absent month after month, and you know nothing of him but that he is circumnavigating the globe; I must acknowledge that a lover of this nature would not suit me'

"I have already formed my opinion, replied my mother, and that opinion is, that Constant is not the man that is suited to you; he is grave, you are gay; he is na-elapsed for him to have written and to turally of a sober, plodding (for so I must call it) cast and humour, and you are of an air and humour as totally opposite as fire and water; it is impossible you can mingle together in that intimate intercourse which is necessary to constitute the happiness of a married life. When you are for pleasure he will be for reasoning; when you are for enjoyment he will be for reflection. In short, as a lover, or rather as a husband, I know of but one good quality which he possesses, and perhaps that is one which would not recommend him to ever one, he has not the slightest spark of jealousy about him; like the fools in Congreve's comedies, he will suffer another to court his mistress before his face, and even innocently advance his rival's suit; the apathy of his nature will not suffer him to kindle into jealousy."

"That I may not enter into a longer detail than the pages of your Magazine may probably be able to admit, suffice it to say, that the arguments of my mother, as seconded by my own inclinations, and the importunities of the Count, had such an effectual result that a kind of compromise took place between us, by which I consented to receive the addresses of the Count as my future husband, unless within the period of three months I received some letter or satisfactory intelligence respecting Constant.

"During the interval the Count continued his addresses, and availing himself of "You do not mean to assert,' said I, || his knowledge of the world, and more parthat he does not love me.'

ticularly perhaps of his knowledge of women, so far prevailed, that I cannot but confess that nothing would have been more unpleasing to me than the arrival of that letter from Constant which must have terminated his hopes. I am really at this distance of time surprised at my infatuation,-continuing daily to receive the addresses of the Count, whilst I acknowledged myself by every principle of right and honour to owe my hand to another.

"No, nothing of the kind,' said my mother, I really believe that he loves you as much as he is capable of loving any one, but you must permit me to say, that he appears to me one of those who naturally and systematically follows the ad vice of the poet,-to admire nothing passionately, to love every one and every thing with a temper and moderation which shall not endanger his happiness. Now of all kinds of lovers, heaven protect me and my daughter from your thinking, reason-disguise of her satisfaction, and every preing, philosophical lovers."

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"My mother, upon her part, made no

paration was making that our union should, take place at the end of three months.

The matter soon became generally re-imagined love of some penny less swain, ported in the country, and as the evident conduct of the Count and myself confirmed it, there was but one general opinion and general report, that the Count and myself were to be married.

have afterwards been compelled to accept some plain honest husband, and are now as happy (to use a vulgar expression) as the day is long. There is not a greater enemy to real happiness than these illconceived ideas.

my husband in the fields which adjoins our house, when a letter was suddenly brought to him. He opened it before I could catch a sight of the superscription. I observed him change colour, and dropping my arm, he left me suddenly, without any other excuse than that the letter demanded an immediate answer.

"In this manner I was precipitated, as it were, into the snare which was prepared, "Our happiness, however, was shortly till at length every thing appeared so na-interrupted: I was walking one day with tural, that when the Count at length pressed me to permit him to fix a day for our marriage, I heard him without surprise, and though I had still resolution to refuse him, he had already advanced very far, when he had persuaded me to listen to such a proposal. By dint of importunity, and by at length availing himself of a favourable moment, the day was at length fixed, and every preparation avowedly made, that our nuptials might be duly solemnized.

"The day arrived, and forgetting all the rights of Constant, I gave my hand to his rival, and became the wife of the Count.

"For some time nothing could be more happy than my husband and myself. Day only succeeded day to introduce some new pleasure. My husband's love seemed only to increase; and grateful for so much ten derness, I on my part became hourly more affectionately attached to him. I must not here omit an observation which I have repeatedly had occasion to make. In my intercourse with my female friends, I have repeatedly heard the indiscriminate use of the words, first love, first attachment, &c. and as repeatedly heard it alleged by them as the received maxim of the female world, that a first attachment, as they call it, is invincible, and that no one can ever be happy but with the object of their first choice. Now I have no hesitation to acknowledge, that the first object of my choice, or to use the sentimental language of the day, that the first image impressed upon my heart, was Constant. In every sense of the word, he was my first love; yet how easy was this first image erased, with how much facility was this invincible love extinguished and subdued. Let no one hereafter assert that misery is the necessary result of a first disappointment. || How many notable women are there at this present moment, who, after the mental indulgence of all the ideas of romance, after having been cruelly thwarted in their No. XLVI.-Vol. VI,

"A melancholy presentiment overtook me; I continued my walk, but was miserable, though I knew not wherefore. I at length returned towards the house, when I was met by my favourite maid, who was hurrying towards me. The girl seemed frightened I hastily enquired of her the cause.'

"Indeed I know not, Madam,' replied she; but there is something very strange about my master and the gentleman who called on him.'

"Who was the gentleman that called?" "I know not, Madam,' replied she; but being in the shrubbery by the side of the gate which enters upon the lawn, I heard my master say that he would ride to Colonel Orton's, and then return to the place mentioned in the letter. The stranger bowed, and went away, first of all dismissing his own servant and spurring his horse to the full speed.'

"And where is your master?' said I.

"He has mounted his hunter, Madam, and has likewise rode off full speed, and without a servant.'

"Where can be possibly have gone to ?" demanded I.

"Indeed I know not,' replied the girl; and what could he possibly want with pistols?"

"With pistols' exclaimed I.

"Yes, madam,' replied the girl; "he took them from the gun-room, and when he saw me observe him he looked somewhat confused.'

"I had not time to express my alarm when my attention was suddenly diverted

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