which he ever faithfully discharges, and in that ever ready quiver one long-barbed arrow was awaiting me, to be sent where the god saw a fit opportunity.

"Excuse my recapitulating the freaks of love. Noblemen are particularly subject to its most capricious ordeals; for perfect in beauty, exalted in soul, the object of strong tenderness, though a jewel of rare price, so often lacks the paltry casket of aristocracy.

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My first love was such a one; the child of highly respectable parents, left an orphan with an aged relative; she was the child of Scotia's ferns and braes, with the rosy mountain tinge of health upon her cheeks, and the ruby colour of exercise and purity of blood upon her lips; her eyes, the wild gazelle's no blacker, softened with those deep lashes which repose so gracefully on beauty's cheek. And she

was a gentle creature, so pure, so artless, ignorant of all coquettish manœuvres ; she was lovely in her graceful simplicity, whilst that laugh, so peculiar, so harmonious, so silvery, was sure to be remembered long after its sweet sound had died away.

;

"Again and again I told myself a young lord must pay the heavy tax of conventionality, in return for the favours of rank but I was my own master, my fortune at my own disposal, and my heart was deeply touched. Love and ambition struggled together, and for a time I deemed the latter had triumphed; in tears I bid the mountain flower farewell! and amidst her own deep sobs she said, 'Oh, it must be for ever!'

"She was called the fair Lily of the vale -that young Scotch girl; and truly, as she drooped her graceful head to receive my parting embrace, I wondered at my

own power of endurance, when rearing again that graceful head, a look of pain, half mingled with native pride, prevented the tears from flowing freely, and, sobbing convulsively, the Lily tore herself from my embrace.

"What a deep struggle then took place in my bosom! how one moment I longed to throw myself at the feet of the only being I had ever loved; how the next I asked myself what return the fretful, craving politician could give for that gentle love!

"But I tore myself from the braes, and on the shore I beheld that sylphlike figure waving her last fond farewell. I fancied I saw the lineaments of that young face, whose features were, I thought, indelibly traced in my heart.

"The busy whirl of politics once more claimed my attention; but ever vibrating in my ears, that mountain laugh resounded,

and the clear dark eyes seemed looking piercingly in my face, the lips parted to say, 'Ingrate, hast thou forgotten me?'

The fire of genius had been damped, for another warmer, purer flame was flickering in my heart. I turned away from the gaze of my own fair countrywomen, bedecked with jewels, drooping under their freight of feathers, laden with flowers, dressed to perfection-my Scottish Lily was fairer still.

"Once again I found myself basking in the sunshine of the smiles of her I loved; greeted by that open, though timid expression of passion, I knew I was loved. Woman can have the courage to bid one farewell; she hardly believes at first how deeply she will suffer, but having once probed the bitterness of that separation from the loved object of her heart, how fearfully she turns from a second parting;

pain turned to despair is attached to a second farewell!

"Paler grew that young cheek, and the dark eyes filled with tears at the wordadieu! and then I heard the timidly whispered words, that much would the Lily peril to secure my never-dying love.'

"I had feared to be spurned-to hear words of pride,-but, artless as the flower whose name she bore by universal opinion, the young girl had been firm until love had chased away the sophistry of prudence. The beautiful face was flushed, the whisper was as soft as a Midsummer's eventide breeze, and that gentle hand quivered within my own, but still the words were said, and I heard them with intoxicating delight.

"It was but for one moment I felt that wild burning satisfaction of having obtained my ardent hopes; the sun had not sunken very low in his western bed, scarce a lambent