"I told you," said lady Hollowell, now breaking silence with a kind of disgustingly-dashing air-“I told you, girls, the situations you had to offer might a little militate against the sensitive feelings of pride and fastidiousness, two qualities likely to be found in the breast of a young novice in the school of adversity and dependence. Attend to me, thou little touchy thing! I shall not offend your fine and exquisite feelings, although I belong to the matter-offact family. I adhere closely to homely truth, nor ever once stoop to borrow the glossy disguises which might adorn plain facts, and make them more seducing; therefore, in my own way, to the matter at once.-Fortune frowns upon you-you want to earn your bread in an honest way -I can provide for you at once, and amply too. An ancient dowager, aunt to my cidevant spouse, has set her originally-shallow brains a-madding, by a constant and indefatigable study of romances and novels. She has turned critic too, and now wants to commence author; but she must write from nature, she says; and as she means hers to be a pattern for all other novel-writers, hers is to be a true story. She has there

fore employed me to look out a heroine for her, to send down with all convenient speed for one of her grandsons to fall in love with, to raise a commotion in the family for her to work upon, in the form of every thing essential for a modern novel. I see you have many requisites for a heroine-you are young, beautiful, accomplished; of a great family, though reduced to interesting distress-possess feelings the most refined and fastidious, and quite pride sufficient for a countess, which my aunt means you shall be in three months' time. Only one thing more relative to your qualifications I wish to know, before I pack you off in a chaise and four to her, and that is-have you lost your character ?"

The deep flush of resentment which had mantled Julia's cheeks now heightened to a vermilion tint; and with a look of amazement, she repeated-"Lost my character, madam !"

"Yes, your reputation, child!-a most essential matter for a modern heroine. As you will no longer be in the fangs of adversity, you will have no opportunity of acquiring this high accomplishment; and if your integrity or vestal fame are unblemished,

we are in a great dilemma-sadly at a stand; for you know, child, your interesting distrèss and bewitching perplexities cannot have reached their climax unless your fair fame has been so completely and ingeniously tarnished, that though your faithful inamorató believes you immaculate, all the rest of the world are either to be left in doubt, or convinced of your having been a defaulter. Come, my dear! recollect yourself; this is too great a provision to be slighted. Reflect!-Has no notorious libertine ever been discovered concealed in your boudoir ?— have you never been trepanned into a house of ill fame?-has no old rake or married man been your confessed supporter?-have you never fallen into improper company?" My recollection is not of any, madam, that I ever did blush at all for until this moment," said Julia, rising with the most striking dignity to take her leave; and as she reached out her hand to remove a chair which impeded her way, she found it gently taken; she looked to see by whom, and beheld a gentleman whom she had not before observed.

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"And permit me, madam," this gentleman said, "to lead you from that company,

who, forgetting the respect and kindne which is the just claim of the unfortunate, have taught me too to blush for them."

"Fore Heaven!" lady Hollowell exclaimed, with a face glowing through her rouge—“fore Heaven, Fitzroy, we were but in jest, to try the temper and understanding of this sensitive thing before we served her, which we mean to do."

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Jest, madam!" he replied-"Is it a jest

to break the bruised reed-to rend the torn heart? And you, lady Selina, how I blush for you, to enter at all into this reprehensible mode of quizzing. Had you only attacked each other in harmless mirth, or levelled your jests at vice or folly, it might have been excusable; but surely, surely the feelings of adversity were too sacred to be sported with!"

The voice of kindness had done what insult had not power to effect; the wounded and almost-bursting heart of Julia found relief in tears, and she was now sobbing most audibly.

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"For my part,” said lady Selina, disdainfully, "I am not in the least degree sorry for what has been said to wound the feelings of this ill-tempered miss."

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Ill-tempered!" exclaimed Fitzroy. "If want of feeling is a proof of good temper, how enviably sweet are the tempers of the party I am quitting!" He now rang the bell, and inquired from Julia, how she had come?"

She told him lady Delamore's carriage had been her conveyance.

"Lady Delamore's carriage bring you hither to be insulted!" he said, with strong marked feeling. "And this immenselywitty prank is played whilst my incomparable aunt is lying dangerously ill; while, perhaps, the most exemplary of mothers is on the bed of death. Oh, Selina! Permit me, madam, to lead you from those who have been much more degraded by this scene than you have been." And he led the trembling, sobbing Julia to the door.

Lady Hollowell now burst into an immoderate fit of noisy risibility, exclaiming"Bravo, most sanctimonious Fitzroy !-she will do for the mad dowager's heroine yet. Here's love at first sight! Interesting situations!-heroic sentiment!-glowing gratitude!-melting and resistless! Do you attend her home, the sentimental protector of your lovely protégée! and the impedi