his bright career had nearly been interrupted. After supper one evening in the mess-room, when the bottle had circulated freely, an officer mentioned the uame of the mother of Lord Avondel's recreant bride among the disreputable characters of her time. The enthusiasm of an unsubdued attachment urged him to defend the lady's reputation. High words ensued; they ended in a challenge, but the consequences were prevented by their general's ordering them both under an arrest. He re moved it next morning, and told Lord Avondel, in friendly confidence, that the cause he meant to have espoused was indefensible. The horrid suggestion I have before alluded to now returned with tenfold violence. The lady who|| had deserted him had certainly been educated under the immediate auspices of this infamous mother. If he had subsequently associated with those women who blend the characters of good and beautiful, his native candour would have resisted the injurions suspicion, in spite of the irritatiou incident to such deep sorrows and unprovoked wrongs. But a camp rarely exhibits any trait of female excellence. His next residence was in a dissipated Italian court, and there he finished that dark outline of treachery, folly, licentiousness, and caprice,|| .to which his proud and lacerated heart affixed the name of woman.

"The man who has quarrelled with one half of his species is seldom on very good terms with the other, especially if he has allowed himself to believe that he is himself a being of a superior order. In reality, Lord Avondel's merit was duly appreciated by the government he served, and the society with which he associated; but his early disappointment had made him one of those not uncommon characters in high life, who, with great apparent gentleness and urbanity, are really hard to please. He measured human nature by the standard of perfection, and whatever fell below it he beheld with pity, indifference, or contempt. He was, however, prevented by a regard for his own character, from exposing those sentiments. He would be great, was not without ambition,' and having obtained the reputation of being the best bred mau in Europe, he took care to restrain every expression which would invalidate his title to that distinction. Though pride was his ruling passion, it was not pure from the mean alloy of vanity, and with all his affected || preference for retirement, he was born for a public life. Its difficulties exercised his great qualities, and his noble avarice pointed not at wealth but at fame. Though apparently indifferent to his own praises, no music was

so grateful to his ear, and his dislike of others was always disarmed by flattery, or a conviction that the offender was attached to his persou. So insatiable was his thirst of dis tinction, that it often counteracted his selfesteem, and the passion of being first in every company so far possessed hin, that had some extraordinary chance placed him in a groupe of rustics, like mighty Cæsar he would have been the best wrestler on the green,' rather than have passed unregarded. Conscious of his weakness in this particular, he was scrupulous in the choice of his companions. He formed few friendships; he distrusted the world too much to have any confidant, and having been early robbed of those blessings which would bave softened his high indignant spirit, his chief aim through life was to seek and guard the bauble reputation.

"In pursuit of this fancied good, he had sacrificed much of his paternal fortune to munificent, patriotic, and splendid actions. He had by this incurred the common lot of obliging some worthy and grateful people, he had also armed ingratitude and knavery with the power of doing him injuries. He suffered this latter circumstance to dwell too much upon his mind, without considering that those who aim at popularity should be prepared to encounter rebuffs. The emoluments of his appointments proved inadequate to the largeness of his soul, and as he felt equally incapable of checking the impulse of policy or beneficence, he saw for himself no future alternative but poverty or dependence. To the latter he could not submit; reputation, honour, truth, attachment to his beloved country, all forbade his becoming the tool of power. The former he fancied he could bear—indeed, his personal wants were few: plain in his habits, temperate in his enjoyments, and utterly void of all expensive vices, he only wanted to be transported to those times when eulogists, content with camelion's food, crowded the bare balls of honourable poverty, to have been personally contented with the hermit's maple dish and beechen bowl unstained with wine,' to laugh at all the wants and to despise all the enjoyments of luxury.

"In this disposition he landed in England, disgusted with the world, though it had paid him for his waste of time and fortune by a large return of the coin he most valued; disgusted with ministry, but not on account of his recal; for the deranged state of his finauces compelled him to wish to be removed from that station, where the grandeur of his views and the steady integrity of his principles made him act rather like a guardian angel, devoted

to the service of others, than as a mercenary by preserving a manner rather paternal than adventurer bent on securing his own emolu- amatory. ment. Neither did his dissatisfaction at government arise from disapprobation of their incasures, uor yet from their not having given him some lucrative sinccure as a reward for his services. On the contrary, he approved of their general plans, and as he scorned to avow his wants, so he estimated his services too highly to believe they could be repaid by a pecuniary reward. His resentment arose from some breach of etiquette in the letters of recal, which spoke less of his deserts than he expected.

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"Still, however, her society pleased, and her partiality soothed him. None of his perfections were overlooked; his exalted sentiments were never uttered to the winds if Miss Mandeville was present. She recorded all his opinions, she wept for his past dangers, she felt for all his wrongs. This really was very captivating in a woman who could give not only competency but affluence to her husband. This woman too was young, docile, gentle, and almost even to his fastidious fancy beautiful. There were traits in her countenance which reminded him of one he wished he could for ever forget. He regretted he had discovered a resemblance, and now believed it only consisted in the same general expression of sensibility and delicacy. Insensibly he grew

all women were not faithless, wayward, and capricious. He was awakened from this agreeable reverie by Sir Walter's proposal, and Lady Mackintosh's hinting that he was publickly suspected of a design on Emily. He no longer allowed himself to consider what was soothing to his own feelings, but what his own fame and her advantage required; and his parting advice to Sir Walter was dictated by

conduct. Nor were the praises of Lady Paulina Monthermer accidentally introduced; he was persuaded that Emily ought to forget him, and he fancied piqued vanity would be a strong auxiliary to induce a young lady to withdraw her heart from one who would be thus copious in the praise of another.

"He had experienced the probity and fidelity of Sir Walter Mandeville, in some very trying incidents in his early life, and when his conduct had been recently censured in the House of Commons, the good baronet had so far combated his natural shyness and acquired indo-happier. All men were not unjust, perhaps lence, as to hurry to London with a view of influencing all his connections to unite in the defence of his friend. Certainly his motives were more honcurable than his services were apparent, but gratitude was a predominant feature in Lord Avondel's mind, and his attachments, though few, were indelible. The ennui which ill health and want of occupation had considerably increased during his voyage, was much dissipated by his residence at Man-that disinterestedness which ever marked his deville castle. He saw there characters widely different from those he had lately mixed with;|| they required no study and little precaution. He had only to appear amiable and agreeable, aud to drink largely not merely of the draught of adulation but also of the more grateful beverage of admiration and love. For let it not be supposed that a man of Lord Avondel's "The objects which Avon Park presented penetration could long mistake the language to his view excited the most soul-harrowing of Emily's downcast eyes, or not feel gratified recollections. The last time he had been there at a conquest so flattering to self-esteem. Yet was the day he had received the mysterious the pæans of triumphant vanity could not make || letter that had given such a dark colouring him insensible to the claims of honour. He to his mind. He walked over his grounds, knew his character would suffer in the estima- and saw the plantations he had formed when tion of the world, if he were suspected of hav- hope buoyed him up with the most flattering ing surreptitiously stolen the affections of an expectations. Not a shrub that he heard inexperienced, wealthy heiress, who, when she|| her admire but he hastened and planted it gave him her heart, seemed as much circum- || there.' They grew and flourished as rapidly scribed as Eve was in her choice of Adam. He revolted from the idea of injustice to the young lady, from stooping to mean expedients to repair his fortune, and from the danger of entrusting his honour and his peace to the guardianship of a fair novice, whose extreme smiplicity of mind and manners might change into levity or folly when she mixed with the world. He determined, therefore, whatever might be the issue, to avoid all self-reproach,

as his own joys had faded. The buds were just swelling with all the luxuriant promise of early spring; he viewed their stately growth, and then contemplated himself a ruin tending earthward, never more to be attired in the cbeerful colours of joy and hope.

"But where was she for whom he had formed this paradise of rural bliss, the Eve who should have walked in these groves? He blamed himself for couforming to that rigid

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injunction of offended bonour which had forbade him to inquire her fate. She might be innocent, faithful, wretched; requiring his assistance, and bewailing his neglect. If the strange impediment to which he had alluded were removed-No, impossible! Her letter told him the bar was eternal. He returned to the saloon, threw himself on a sofa, gazed on the border which she had painted, and the chimney piece which had been executed according to her design To stay the tide of reflection was impossible. He allowed himself to expiate on the visions of his early life, while all his subsequent experience deepened the conviction that they were indeed visions of bliss worth far more than whatever ambition presented to crown the hero's and the patriot's toils. Could they be realized? No, the bar was eternal. Poor little Emily! she was an amiable girl, but there was a sublimity, a nobleness of mind, in her who once possessed his heart Besides, could he offer himself to the fair heiress while labouring under the weakness of a pre-attachment? No,' said Avondel, 'I may be wretched but I cannot be base, and I will continue to hope she will soon forget me.' Doubtless his lordship was very sincere in his wish, and it was only an unaccountable start of peevishness which made him exclaim, Frailty thy name is woman,' on being informed by one of his London correspondents, that the town was in daily expectation of Lord Glenvorne's being married to Miss Mandeville.

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| namely, that his affairs were rather intricate than desperate, and that wherever he went his manners would gain popularity, and his character enforce respect.

“Refined and upright minds only can duly appreciate the exquisite satisfaction of knowing, that they depend not on the forbearance or bounty of others for the means of existence. The satisfaction derived from this noble consciousness, was too congenial to the feelings of Lord Avondel to permit his undivided attention to ruminate on the festering wounds of love or resentment. With all the dignity of a Cincinnatus, he turned his mighty mind to rural occupations. Much as he affected to renounce hope, he was in fact the constant dupe of expectation, being ever in pursuit of what the world did not afford, a felicity cou mensurate with his vast desires; and he always saw in some unattainable desideratum or future possibility, those ideal phantoms which increased his disrelish of his present enjoy

"This metamorphosis was, however, prevented by the arrival of two letters from London; the first was from Sir Walter Mandeville, "If Lord Avondel were really mortified at and contained many dolorous circumstances. this intelligence, be had an opportunity of This London journey,' said he which I experiencing the comforts which are derived undertook to please you, turns out very ill. from conscious rectitude, and to abate his Not that I dislike town more than I expected, chagrin he had cause to congratulate himself for I have found great benefit from a quack on his escape from a woman of so much levity. || medicine for my asthma, and if people do *His energetic mind did not long remain supine, laugh at me they are too civil to let me see and he struggled to subdue his regrets. Re. them; but Emily don't seem contented, and nouncing every view of improving his fortune she is so pale and thin that you would hardly by faction, court attendance, or matrimonial know her. Her physician talks of ordering her alliance, he determined to gather up the to her uative air, and I believe they never prewrecks and subdue his desires, to be content scribe air till they have tried every thing else. with what remained. Probably Lord Avondel She's a very good girl, and if she dies I hope I is not the first nobleman who, returning to his shall soon follow her, for Lady Mackintosh estate after a long absence, discovers that his was married last week. I never thought she steward has provided him with a vast deal of could have overcome her grief for my old friend employment. The Earl found he had to settle Jeremiah, but women are strange creatures, embarrassed accounts, to redress the wrongs even the best of them.' The letter concluded of many of his tenants, to restrain the pecula- with several invectives and mournful progtions of others, to rescue his manorial rights_nostics, accompanied with a wish to see Lord from poachers, to establish order and impartial Avondel once more before he died. justice among his dependents, and to cultivate the good opinion of his neighbours. He applied himself with avidity to these pursuits, and soon made two agreeable discoveries,

"The other letter was from a leading member of administration, acquainting the Earl, that by his Majesty's command, he informed him of the royal wish to call him to his coun

cils, by nominating him to an honourable and efficient situation in the management of pub lic affairs. Lord Avondel decided that each of these dispatches required a personal reply. The character of Palemon was laid on the shelf, the toils of Cincinnatus were suspended, and he alighted from his travelling chariot in Berkley-square sooner than an express could have announced his intention of so doing.

"He found Sir Walter auxious and agitated,|| but not so infirm and declining as he supposed; and from th ́s evident exaggeration of his fears for himself he augured favourably with respect to Emily, to whom he immediately turned the conversation. Report, my good friend,' said he,led me rather to expect a bridal summons. Lord Glenvorne's attachment is no secret, and we have fixed the happy day, and drawn the settlements, in CumberJand.'

whence Sir Walter, gratified by the fulfilment of all his earthly wishes, had removed to Mandeville castle. Emily was by this time quite convinced that she had not overrated the virtues of her lord, and that she had obtained a complete knowledge of his temper, though uniform habits of whatever is great and good could not rightly be described by a term which implies caprice and infirmity. She therefore continued wrapped in bright and blissful visions, somewhat clouded however by her re gret, that she must often be deprived of her || lord's society, and her fear that she should be unequal to fill the public station his ministe rial connections required her to occupy, The society and advice of her aunt became therefore the only desideratum that was wanting to crown her bliss, and she was particularly anxious to secure it during her noviciate in life, well knowing that the errors and awkwardness of a debut are remembered by the uncaudid when graceful ease has supplanted trembling ignorance, and the fiue polish of selfrespecting politeness has rubbed off the irre gularities of careless sincerity. Ou reperusing

Report,' returned Sir Walter, is the same lying gossip she was three thousand years ago. Lord Glenvorne certainly is in love with Emily, nor will he take a denial, though he has been told she is engaged.' "Engaged? Sir Walter,' said the Earl, Lady Selina's letters, she discovered a sug starting.

gestion that the separation was not meant to be perpetual, but was only to last till she was Lady Avondel, and had made herself perfectly acquainted with her lord's temper and secure of his affections. The interdict was therefore in her opinion removed, as these events had taken place; she accordingly resolved to com

"Yes, my lord,' resumed the baronet, with much apparent coolness, to a whimsical per verse fellow, who seems to have neither love nor gratitude.' 'It is impossible,' resumed the nobleman, that Miss Mandeville can de vote her affections to a man of this description. Allow me to converse with her on the subject.'municate her wishes to her husband, and en"With all my heart,' answered Sir Walter, ringing the bell; 'I tell you she saw him in a masquerade domino, and all the plain suits ia the world won't drive him out of her head again.'

gage him to overcome her aunt's reluctance. She felt convinced that mistake and causeless pique, combining with exuberant delicacy, had been her motive for declining an invitation, which probably she would readily accept wore it communicated in proper form, and sanctionby the request of him from whom it ought to originate,

"I cannot,' said Lord Avondel, affect to doubt intelligence so flattering; and if Missed Mandeville still believes my character deserves such a preference, I have only to assure her that gratitude and love are as much inmates of my heart as honour and rectitude. But I hear her step, I must not wound her delicacy || by taking her by surprize. Inform her I will do myself the honour of waiting on her this evening."

To be brief, as love has little of interest but to the parties, it will be sufficient to say that, with the approbation of Lady Selina Delamore, rather mysteriously and coldly expressed, Emily and Lord Avondel become man and wife. In Vol. II. p. 30,

the story thus proceeds:―

"The honey-moon had now expired, and the Avondels were resettled in Berkley-square,

"The young Countess determined not only to press her suit immediately, but to heighten the certainty of success by a little romantic effect. She took care to be surprized by her lord in the act of kissing her aunt's picture, and to hurry it away with a mock embarrassment, which indicated a desire to be thought detected in a fault. Avondel gaily proclam.ed himself of a jealous disposition, and protested

that a regard for his own honour made it ne

Emily frankly avowed her guilt, told him he

cessary he should discover all her intrigues.

had a rival whom she must ever love, on whom she had doated from her infancy, and without whom she could not be happy. It was the person who first taught me to love you,' said she, playfully holding up the picture he at