patronage of, a very dissipated nobleman, the earl of Gaythorn. Mrs. Hargrave had condescended, as often as she had been incommoded by the annoyance of increasing her family, to be confined at her sister's house, even in Russel-street; and doctor Hargrave, whenever he came to town unaccompanied by his lady, with great affability and persevering good-humour, accepted a bed for himself, and another for his servant, at brother Goodwin's; and was humble enough to take his meals constantly there, as well as his servant, when no other engagement intervened; and in return (to prove that the most sisterly intercourse was still kept up), Mrs. Hargrave, with scrupulous punctuality, sent constantly a goose at Michaelmas, and a turkey and chine at Christmas, presents to "her poor dear unfortunate Harriot."

This invitation to Z. was so unexpected to Mrs. Goodwin, that mortified pride and wounded sisterly affection led her to declare with vehemence she would not accept it; but after a thoughtful pause, her heart softened her indignant resolution, and those very feelings which at first prompted a ne

gative, at length (with some other motives) led her to send a letter of acceptance to this long, long withheld invitation.

CHAPTER V.

"SWEET are the uses of adversity!" said Mrs. Goodwin, as she eagerly set about arranging her wardrobe, which during the long period of her distress had never experienced any addition; and now, although her indulgent husband laid no restraint upon her fancy, she blended that simplicity she had acquired from economy with her natural elegance of taste in dress, in her preparations for not disgracing her sister by her shabby appearance during this short visit.

Julia was now in her last stage of mourning; and she had grown so much in the last six months, that the clothes she had worn prior to Mrs. St. Clair's death required the greatest exertions of Mrs. Goodwin's ingenuity, and her own, to transform them into what pride and fashion wished for.

Mrs. Goodwin, though well they ma

naged them, was by no means satisfied; and one morning, after an unusual length of absence, she returned with a piece of beautiful, fine, plain muslin, which she had walked six miles to persuade the wife of a purser belonging to an East-Indiaman to let her have, a great bargain; and telling Julia" that it was cheap as dirt, she had ventured to buy it for her, as it would make her two lovely dresses." Julia thought so too; but fearing Mrs. Goodwin's generosity of heart, and partiality towards her, had led her to give a large sum for what she said cost so little, resolutely refused to have it, until her mind was satisfied by seeing the bill and receipt.

These gowns were made up differently, and very fashionably, by two dresses belonging to a very elegant woman of quality, which Mrs. Goodwin contrived to borrow; and both without any ornament but tuckers, made of some very beautiful and modern lace, of which Mrs. St. Clair had possessed a great quantity, and of which Julia had given Mrs. Goodwin as much as she could persuade her into accepting from her. Mrs. St. Clair, too, had in her possession some

jet, which Mrs. Goodwin now had set into simple ornaments for Julia.

Mrs. Goodwin's long-mortified pride would not permit her going to her fine sister's without a female attendant for Miss De Clifford and herself; and Biddy O'Connor was fixed upon to act as their fille de chambre.

At length the day arrived in the first week of May for our travellers to go to Z. Charles at an early hour set off in the stage for that place, provided by his attentive mother with as many sandwiches as would have nearly sufficed for his voyage to India; and about nine o'clock a chaise and pair drove to the door for the conveyance of the rest of the Z. party; when the grief of this affectionate family burst forth with violence, and any uninformed spectator must have supposed the separation about to take place was to be for ever. It was the first separation of Mrs. Goodwin from her husband and children; and the torrents of tears, and sobs of anguish which burst forth upon the occasion, seemed to declare all hearts were rent with sorrow; and Mr. Goodwin found that parting with his Harriot was indeed a trial of fortitude, which the melancholy

composure of his looks so forcibly declared, that had not Charles been already gone, and where he would so much want the encouraging smiles of his mother, both Mrs. Goodwin and Julia would gladly have dismissed the chaise, and finally have given up this expedition.

At length Mrs. S. Goodwin (the apothecary's wife, who was come to take care of the family during the absence of her sister-in-law) interfered, and persuaded Mrs. Goodwin to tear herself from the affectionate embrace of her husband, and the tender pressure and often-repeated kisses of her darling children, and she got into the chaise with eyeś swollen, and sobbing most audibly. Her excess of grief had not been a little augmented by Biddy O'Connor's; for that poor simple girl, fondly attached to the children, found her heart quite torn at even this short separation, and had been crying over each of them by turns all the morning, and making their little hearts sadder by her violent lamentations.

Whilst our travellers passed through London, and for several miles upon the road, Mrs. Goodwin and Biddy were too much occupied by the remembrance of