I omit many, many contingent evils; and yet I could not, nor would if I could, quench the fire of the spirit which supports talents, and enables woman to soar above the petty annoyances of life.

Return we now to Cunnington Abbey. Lady Cunnington had issued her invitations, and although she had a faint hope that Lady Anne Grey might have less of the syren in her nature, and rather more conversazione, Lady Grey, on the contrary, always concluded that every note she received included a nota bene, “Bring your music with you. Armed, therefore, with music in the carriage rumble, music inside the equipage, music in every band-box under her maid's care, Lady Anne Grey and her two daughters arrived at Cunnington Abbey. Lady Grey was one of the most good-natured persons imaginable, a smile became her extremely well, and she always managed to wear one,

disdaining 'Il Penseroso' when 'L'Allegro' was as reasonable, and a more convenient

coup d'adresse." Lord Grey died very suddenly, so suddenly, indeed, that to express Lady Anne's own words, "The blow was so unexpected that she never could fathom, much less describe, her feelings at the melancholy period." As Lady Anne could not fathom her own feelings, no one ever took the trouble to place a spade in a mine which they felt assured was of such indescribable depth; consequently, Lord Grey was ever styled by his widow "Poor dear Grey," and no one contradicted her by asserting that he was not "Poor dear Grey."

Lady Anne was a most fashionable woman; she seemed to have wings, for she was positively" here, there, and everywhere;" wherever you turned there was Lady Anne, her smiles, and her two daughters.

Lady Anne was by no means a disagree

able mother, but she might have merged into a rather pompous matron, were it not that her daughters seemed instinctively to understand the exact manner in which they were to treat their lady mother. She was the sun, and they were modest comets, at an aphelion distance from that bright luminary sometimes very arduous admirers told Lady Anne that her daughters were stars, but Miss Grey assured these astronomical beings that if they were stars, they were acronical ones, playing hide and seek with the sun.

All this was very sweet and engaging, but the Miss Greys were so well aware that they were very beautiful girls, that it was a matter of perfect indifference to them when they perceived that Lady Anne was a most coquettish widow, and strenuously intent upon procuring them a father-in-law.

Miss Grey was twenty-two years old, and

disdaining 'Il Penseroso' when 'L'Allegro'

was as reasonable, and a more convenient

coup d'adresse." Lord Grey died very suddenly, so suddenly, indeed, that to express Lady Anne's own words, "The blow was so unexpected that she never could fathom, much less describe, her feelings at the melancholy period." As Lady Anne could not fathom her own feelings, no one ever took the trouble to place a spade in a mine which they felt assured was of such indescribable depth; consequently, Lord Grey was ever styled by his widow " Poor dear Grey," and no one contradicted her by asserting that he was not "Poor dear Grey."

Lady Anne was a most fashionable woman; she seemed to have wings, for she was positively" here, there, and everywhere;" wherever you turned there was Lady Anne, her smiles, and her two daughters.

Lady Anne was by no means a disagree

able mother, but she might have merged into a rather pompous matron, were it not that her daughters seemed instinctively to understand the exact manner in which they were to treat their lady mother. She was the sun, and they were modest comets, at an aphelion distance from that bright luminary: sometimes very arduous admirers told Lady Anne that her daughters were stars, but Miss Grey assured these astronomical beings that if they were stars, they were acronical ones, playing hide and seek with the sun.

All this was very sweet and engaging, but the Miss Greys were so well aware that they were very beautiful girls, that it was a matter of perfect indifference to them when they perceived that Lady Anne was a most coquettish widow, and strenuously intent upon procuring them a father-in-law.

Miss Grey was twenty-two years old, and