must therefore, oftener than any other man, leave her exposed to those insults, from which he seems to think he can best defend her?

LADY L. [Smiling.] But may it not be said, sir, that those women who make soldiers their choice, deserve, in some degree, a rank with heroes; when they can part with their husbands for the sake of their country's glory?

SIR CH. Change your word glory for safety, Lady L-, and your question will be strengthened. The word and thing called Glory, what mischief has it not occasioned!-As to the question itself, were you serious, let every one, I answer, who can plead the motive, be entitled to the praise that is due to it.

MISS GR. There is so much weight in what my brother has said, that I thank Heaven, I am not in danger of being the wife of a soldier.

We, who knew what she alluded to, smiled at it; and Mr. Grandison looked about him, as if he wanted to find more in the words, than they could import to him: and then was very earnest to know how his cousin had come off.

SIR CH. Triumphantly, cousin. Charlotte's supposed fault has brought to light additional excellencies.

MR. GR. I am sorry for that with all my soul-There was no bearing her before-and now what will become of ine?

MISS GR. You have nothing now to fear, Mr. Grandison, I assure you. I have been detected in real faults. I have been generously treated; and repent of my fault. Let me have an instance of like ingenuousness in you; and I will say, there are hopes of us both.

MR. GR. Your servant, cousin. Either way I must have it. But were you to follow the example by which

you own yourself amended, I might have the better chance, perhaps, of coming up to you in ingenuousness.

LORD L. Upon my word, sister Charlotte, Mr. Grandison has said a good thing.

MISS GR. I think so too, my lord. I will put it down. And if you are wise, sir, (to him,) ask me to sew up your lips till to-morrow dinner time.

Mr. Grandison looked offended.
SIR CH. Fie, Charlotte!

I am glad, thought I, my good Miss Grandison, that you have not lost much spirit by your trial!

Miss Grandison has shewed me some of the letters that passed between Captain Anderson and her. How must she have despised him, had she been drawn in to give him her hand! And the more for the poor figure he would have made as a brother to her brother! How must she have blushed at every civility paid him in such a family! Yet, from some passages in his letters, I dare say he would have had the highest opinion of himself; first, for having succeeded with her; and, next, for those very civilities.

And thus had Sir Thomas Grandison, with all his pride, like to have thrown his daughter, a woman of high character, fine understanding, and an exalted mind, into the arms of a man, who had neither fortune, nor education, nor yet good sense, nor generosity of heart, to countenance his pretensions to such a lady, or her for marrying beneath herself.

This is a copy of what Miss Grandison has written to send to Captain Anderson.

SIR,

HAD I had a generous man to deal with, I needed not to have exposed myself to the apprehended censures of a brother, whose virtues made a sister less perfect than himself, afraid that he would think her unworthy of that tender relation to him, from the occasion. But he is the noblest of brothers. He pities me; and undertakes to talk with you, in the most friendly manner, at your own appointment, upon a subject that has long greatly distressed me; as well you know. I will not recriminate, as I might: but this assurance I must, for the hundredth time, repeat, that I never can, never will be to you, any other than

CHARLOTTE GRANDISON.

She is dissatisfied with what she has written: but I tell her, I think it will do very well.

LETTER XXXI.

MISS BYRON.-IN CONTINUATION.

Thursday, March 16.

SIR CHARLES has already left us. He went to town this morning on the affairs of his executorship. He breakfasted with us first.

Dr. Bartlett, with whom already I have made myself very intimate, and who, I find, knows his whole heart, tells me he is always fully employed. That we knew before.→ No wonder then, that he is not in love. He has not had leisure, I suppose, to attend to the calls of such an idle passion.

You will do me the justice to own, that in the round of employments I was engaged in at Selby-house, I never knew any thing of the matter: but indeed there was no Sir Charles Grandison; first to engage my gratitude; and then my heart. So it is; I must not, it seems, deny it. If I did, 6 a child in love matters would detect me.'

O my Lucy! I have been hard set by these sisters. They have found me out; or rather, let me know, that they long ago found me out. I will tell you all as it passed.

I had been so busy with my pen, that, though accustomed to be first dressed, wherever I was, I was now the last. They entered my dressing-room arm in arm; and I have since recollected, that they looked as if they had mischief in their hearts; Miss Grandison especially. She had said, she would play me a trick.

I was in some little hurry, to be so much behind hand, when I saw them dressed.

Miss Grandison would do me the honour of assisting me, and dismissed Jenny, who had but just come in to offer her service.

She called me charming creature twice, as she was obligingly busy about me; and the second time said, Well may my brother, Lady L-, say what he did of this girl!

With too great eagerness, What, what, said I—I was going to add-did he say ?—But, catching myself up, in a tone of less surprise-designing to turn it off-WHAT honour you do me, madam, in this your kind assist

ance!

Miss Grandison leered archly at me: then turning to Lady L, This Harriet of ours, said she, is more than half a rogue.

- Punish her then, Charlotte, said Lady L. You have, though with much ado, been brought to speak out yourself; and so have acquired a kind of right to punish those who affect disguises to their best friends.

Lord bless me, ladies! and down I sat-What, what—I was going to say, do you mean? But stopt, and I felt my face glow.

What, what! repeated Miss Grandison-My sweet girl can say nothing but What, what!-One of my fellows, Sir Walter Watkyns, is in her head, I suppose-Did you ever see Wat-Watkyns, Harriet?

O how

My handkerchief was in my hand, as I was going to put it on. I was unable to throw it round my neck. the fool throbbed, and trembled!

MISS GR. Confirmation, Lady L--! Confirmation! LADY L. I think so, truly-but it wanted none to me. HAR. I am surprised! Pray, ladies, what can you mean by this sudden attack?

MISS GR. And what, Harriet, can you mean by these What, what's, and this sudden emotion?-Give me your handkerchief!-What doings are here!

She snatched it out of my trembling hand, and put it round my neck-Why this sudden palpitation?—Ah! Harriet! Why won't you make confidents of your two sisters? Do you think we have not found you out before this?

HAR. Found me out! How found me out!-Dear Miss Grandison, you are the most alarming lady that ever lived!

I stood up, trembling.

MISS GR. Am I so? But, to cut the matter short-[Sit down, Harriet. You can hardly stand.]-Is it such a disgraceful thing for a fine girl to be in love?

HAR. Who I, I, in love!