will then fix the place and happy hour. I am, my dear angel, your's for ever, "I mean, your happy husband, "ROBERT *****.” home to the castle, Sir Rol ert defired, that no notice might be taken of what had paffed, and promised to behave in a very different manner for the future, pouring out at the fame time, the most ardent proteftations of love. All his pro- This letter entirely removed the ill mifes and protellations, however, were opinion I had conceived of Sir Robert; 1.ot, in her opinion, fufficiently binding for here was an honourable propofal of to fecure her again!t other attacks of the marriage, with large profeffions of fame kind; the therefore left the caf-love to Mifs White, and of esteem tle the fame evening, and came down to me. and reverence to her parents. Befides, he had often talked to her in this rain before, though fhe always heard Sir Robert, confcious of what he had done, difpatched his fervant to re-him with great indifference, as the queft her return; but the excufed herfelf, by faying that he was not well, and, on that account, chofe to remain with me. This anfwer was far from being fatisfactory, as fcarce had Mils White finifited the relation of what had paffed in the garden, when the fervant made his appearance with the following letter. My dear Creature, "The pain you give me, by mifconftruing every thing I fay or do fo much to my difadvantage, is inexpreffible. What paft between us laft night was only intended as a jeft, for you cannot think me fool enough, to attempt the virtue of one, whom I in tend to make my wife, and hope to be happy with for ever. Your faying that I take advantage of your youth, inexperience, and poverty, in order to feduce your virtue, is doing me the greatest injustice. Did I not know and esteem that pious good man your father was not acquainted with the virtues of that worthy woman your mother? and would I not fooner marry one from that virtuous and religious flock without a farthing, than any other with large poffeffions? by heaven I would. Difmifs your fears, my dear, and return to me this moment, I entreat you, for I fhall be in the utmoft folicitude till I have given you convincing proofs of my love and integrity. You know how expedient it is to keep our marriage a fecret till my uncle's death, and therefore I have fent for a clergyman in the neighbour hood, in whom I can confide. He is to be with me to-morrow night, we had reafon to fufpect the fincerity of his intentions. This letter, however, was an explanation of what had at other times been infinuated in a more obfcure manner; and as Sir Robert had an agreeable perfon and a large fortune, fhe, poor girl, in her fituation, could not be difpleased at the flattering propofal: for my part indeed, I advised her to return the next morning, and behave in a manner con fiftent with the character fhe bore in the family, till their marriage could be folemnized, of which fhe was to inform me as foon as poffible, Before he took her leave, I did not forget to caution her, with the greatest earnestness, against all interviews like that in the garden, reading her at the fame time a very ferious leffon on the inconftancy and treachery of mankind. Several days paffed, before I heard again from her, during which, it may be imagined that my love and friendhip for her, filled me with a thousand fears and anxieties. They were all removed, however, by the appearance of one of Sir Robert's fervants, who brought me word that Mifs Polly having been feized with a violent pain in her head, defired me to come immediately to her with the receipt I used up on fuch an occafion. I perfectly underflood the meaning of this meffage, and pofted away directly. She met me at the garden-gate pointing towards our houfe, and with the greatest joy told me, that she had been privately married two days before; adding, that as Sir Robert had defigned to keep it a fecret, on his un cle's to me about it left it might be difcovered. She then earneftly conjured me not to divulge it, but to confider her ftill as Polly White, a fervant in the family." This," continued fhe, "is Sir Robert's will; it is my duty, you know, to obey my husband, and I do it chearfully 32 de's account, fhe was afraid to write | call her flecting fpirits; and when the was, by the moft flimulating applications recovered, the continually raved about her child, and about Sir Robert her hufband, repeating what had just paffed between him and her, and the wore every striking mark of a distracted mind. In this deplorable ftate, however, the infernal monfter turned her out of doors, in a dark, tempestuous night, and expofed her to the rage of the mercilefs elements. She was found the next day, by fome of our neighbours, but in what a condition?-She was found in a ditch, with her breast naked and bloody, her hair was torn from her head, and fhe raved inceffantly, without difcovering the fmalleft fpark of reafon. In this mot pitiable ftate, fhe was conveyed to a mad-houfe a few miles from our parislr. How precarious, how uncertain are all earthly enjoyments! Here I left my young friend in the poffef fion of plenty, and I really thought under the protection of an indulgent husband, placed as it were, for ever out of the power of fortune. Oh, what a villain is Sir Robert ! what a cool deliberate villain! But to proceed his uncle dying foon afterwards, bequeathed the bulk of his eftate to him; his wife then, very rationally hoped, that the should be raised one degree, at leaft, a bove a common fervant. Such an exaltation, however, was not yet agreeable to him, and the chearfully fubmitted to her lot. At laft the time came, which rendered concealment no longer poffible; he grew big with child, and, in confequence of her pregnancy, was the conftant derifion, the daily fport of every fellow in the caftle. - Infupportable fituation! She now, on her knees, applied to Sir Ro-entrance of any clergyman into the bert, and intreated him in the tendereft, moft pathetic terms, to fave her reputation, to publish their marriage himfelf, or to permit her to do it. The brate, turning round upon his heel, told her, he should never make any fach acknowledgment; "I was never married (added he) but by way of a frolic, and that ftands for nothing < ali." It is more eafy to conceive than to defcribe, the effect which this cruel reply must have had upon a girl of Polly's meek difpofition-it was dreadfal; her whole frame was difordered by the severity of the shock, and scarce were any figus of life perceptible, when the unfeeling author of her mifery quitted the room, in order to dead people to her affiftance. It was hardly in the power of medicine to re Now was the time for envy and detraction to display their malignant powers. Some were infamous enough to throw reflections on the memory of her poor father, faying; that "the parfon might have taught his daughter better." "A pretty jade, indeed," faid one, to get herself with child, and then trump up a wedding with Sir Robert."-" Ah! commend me to the parfon's daughter," replied another. All the family denied the castle, except Mr. Richardfon the cu rate, who knew nothing of the tranf action. Sir Robert himself affirmed, that he never had hinted any thing to Polly White about marriage, or had any connection at all with her, so that the flory of their being married was generally difbelieved. But to fhorten my melancholy taleI thought it my duty to fhew the knight's letter, abovementioned, to every body and, in confequence of its circulation, he fent the following one to my husband : ing man addressed him in the following manner. "Sir, I was very uneafy, till I faw you; for I as much honour you for vindicating the innocent Mifs White, as I abhor myself for having been concerned in her deftruction. I am Sir Robert's fteward in this county. About ten months ago, I received his orders to bring him a clergyman's habit in a box, and fay they were writ YOUR menances I defpife: I am not yet, thank God, your flave: 1ings. have an estate of my own of two hundred pounds a year, honestly got, which will last longer than your four thousand pounds a year Your farm I fhall quit as foon as my term is expired, for I with not to breathe in the fame air, or dwell in the fame place with fuch a villain. The letters you fhall never have, but a copy of each fhall be nailed to the yew tree in the churchyard next Sunday. "Your's, "PETER PARKER." This was accordingly done, and the Jetters were read by all the parish; fome fhed tears, others fhook their heads, and faid, there has been a great deal of foul play. In the afternoon, when news was brought of Polly's death (which I indeed expected) they were enraged to the utmoft degree, they even theatened to tone that villain Sir Robert, and to pull down his castle. He was fomewhat apprebenfive, I believe, of fuch a proceeding, for he fet out that very. evening privately for London. Here our enquiries feemed to end, and her marriage remained as uncertain as ever: but heaven, who knows all fecrets brought this to light. The day after Polly's death, my husband was fent for by a gentleman about four When I came, he told me he had a girl in the castle, whom he intended to marry upon his uncle's deceafe; adding, "I would be glad to have her company in the mean time, but that cannot be done without the formal ceremony of marriage: you are therefore to go into my room at eight this evening, and drefs yourself like a clergyman." This I did, and Sir Robert foon afterwards returned with the young lady, to whom I read over the marriage ceremony. This was done without the knowledge of any of the family, fo that as no witnefs of the marriage could be produced, the abandoned man wrote to me to keep it an inviolable fecret.-But, gracious God! how could I die with fuch a load of infamy upon my confcience?" Such is the mournful hiftory of Mifs White; I cannot dwell any longer upon it, and therefore beg leave to conclude, with affuring you that I remain, L Your very fincere, tho' much afflicted friend, MARY PARKER. EONID A S; O, the UNFORTUNATE LOVER. [Written by himself.] miles off, who could not die in peace, To the EDITOR of the LADY'S MA it was faid, till he had feen him; who should this man be, but one of Sir Robert's ftewards, who had drawn SIR, W GAZINE. up an inftrument and got it witneffed, it is fome relief to have a THEN the mind is diftreffed, which he delivered to my husband. He accordingly went with two neigh-friend to whom it can communicate its bours as foon as he came in, the dy griefs; this fmall confolation I am quainted with, and often vifited a very fenfible worthy gentleman in the town where I went to fchool, whofe health had been impaired in the fervice of his country, as a commander in the navy, and who having loft his wife, had then lately retired upon half-pay. As he is a very chearful agreeable man, who has feen much of the world, and often entertained me with an account of fo without, having no one perfon in whom I can place that confidence. From the hope (though unknown) I fhall meet with the compaffion of fome of your fair readers, I am induced to lay before you a few circumstances of my life, and my prefent unhappy fituation. I am the only fon of a country gentleman of a good eftate, unincumbered, and who is very far advanced in years. Early in life I had the misfor-reign countries, where he had been, I tune to lofe my mother, who was an was fond of going to his houfe, and amiable and fenfible woman: from her took great pleafure in afking him I always experienced the greatest ten- queftions, and converting with him on derness, and the kindeft treatment. a variety of fubjects. It was not aAs the was endowed with a fweet na-bove fix or feven months after I betural temper, and had the most liberal came acquainted with him, before his fentiments, I truly revere her memory, daughter, and only child, came down and often fincerely lament her death. from a boarding-fchool near London. Was the now living, I am perfuaded The moment I faw her, I felt the fhould have found her a true friend, ftrongeft impreffions in her favour: I and probably, from her, influence and experienced fenfations perfectly new good offices, at this time, might have to me, and foon found an unusual unbeen one of the happiest, instead of be-eafinefs when I was from her. A thouing one of the moft wretched of mankind. fand excufes did I make almost every day, for calling upon her father, and happy did I think myfelf when I had a holiday, and could fpend the afternoon at his houfe. My father's poffeffions being large, and Í his only child, I have conftantly refided with him, except a few years which I spent at a boarding-fchool in His daughter, whofe name is Maa neighbouring county, where Iria, is within a few months of my own had a plain common education, fuffici- age; the unites in her perfon and difent, as my father always declared, for pofition every thing that is lovely and a country gentleman, as he never de-amiable, and has a mind improved by figned me for any profeffion or em- a liberal education, and extenfive read, ployment in public life. I think Ling. It was a confiderable time bemay affert without vanity, that from a child I imbibed strong principles of honour and integrity; I ever paid the ftrictest regard to my parents injunctions, and tock pleasure in doing what I thought would oblige them. fore I fpoke to her on any other than common fubjects; but the foon obferved that my behaviour to her was particular, and that I fhewed her uncommon attention. My eyes discovered a paffion which I cautiously avoidUnfortunately for me, my father is ed revealing with my tongue. It is a man of narrow fentiments, confined impoffible for me to tell how fondly, abilities, and ftrongly attached to mo- how tenderly I did, and ftill do, love ney, which he thinks the best friend her: every time I faw her 1 admired in the world, and the only thing wor her the more, and infenfibly formed an thy of much care to procure, and at-attachment, which neither time, nor tention to preferve. In fhort, he does change of circumftances or fituation, not, and I believe never did poffefs any can eradicate or lessen. real tenderness; he has no idea of the foft paffion of love, and is a ftranger to difinterefted friendship. About five years ago, when I was enly fixteen years of age, I became ac It was on receiving a letter from my father, that he would in a few days fetch me from fchool, and that I thould return no more, that I became convinced her prefence was abfolutely neceffary In vain did I urge the fincerity of my heart, and my firm perfuation that no other perfon could ever be the object of my affections: no arguments could prevail on her to make any farther acknowledgment, and her father coming in, prevented a continuance of the difcourfe. I took my leave with a tremor in my voice, and an apparent dejection of fpirits, which nothing but genuine love could occafion, and fuch affuredly mine was. Although I was then very young, and had feen little of life, I flattered myfelf, from her looks and manner, that I was not totally indifferent to her, and pleafed myself with the thoughts that I had told her my love, and that fhe could not eafily forget the attention I had fhewn, and my constant endeavours to oblige her. neceffary to my happinefs. The idea of a feparation was painful to the highest degree, and filled my mind with the greateft diftrefs. In the afternoon of the day previous to my quitting school, I called at her father's to take my leave of him, and bid adieu to my dear Maria. I had but just told him how much I fuffered from the confideration that "I fhould lofe the pleasure of his company and converfation," when a fervant came in, and informed him a gentleman from London deûred to fpeak with him on particular business, at an inn in the town. By this fortunate event, I was left alone with Maria, which had before Been feldom the cafe, as he was conftantly with him. I can never forget the emotions of my heart at that inftant, a thousand fond ideas, and tender wishes, agitated my breast, and almoft deprived me of the power of fpeech. My confufion was apparent, and I could not conceal the caule. With a faultering tongue I told her my love, and the grief I felt from the apprehenfion, that for the future Iman when at fchool; and at length fhould feldom if ever fee her; and that when' I was abfent, fhe would either forget me, or think of me with indifference I declared in the ftrongest terms the ardour of my affection for her, and prefled her to fay whether I might indulge a hope that he could feel a reciprocal paffion. With a fweetnefs of countenance, and look of tenderness, which would have foftened the hardeft heart, the told me "She was no ftranger to my fentiments, and entertained the higheft eftcem for me, which fhe thought me worthy of; that fhe fhould ever think of me with refpect, and be happy to hear of my welfare; but that the confidered herself as much my inferior, in point of fortune and expectations, and as we were both young, and dependent on our parents, it would be imprudent to make engagements without their approbation; and that a more general knowledge of the world, would, most probably, in a fhort time, make me entertain different fentiments of her from thofe I then had." A confiderable time elapfed before I again faw her, yet I never for a moment forgot her her image was ever prefent to my view. Frequently did I mention to my father the friendly treatment I received from this gentle prevailed on him, when we were together on a journey, and not many miles from his house, to call on him, and return him thanks for his former kindnefs. I then again faw the dear object of my fondelt love. We were received with the greatest politeness, and from the preffing invitation made ns, my father was prevailed on to stay three days at the house. It was then near the middle of fummer, and one mild ferene moon-light evening, I contrived, as we were all walking in the garden, to engage my dear girl in converfation, and feparate from the rest of the company. It was then I paffed the most delightful hour I had ever experienced. I foon introduced our former converfation, and again told her the excess of my paffion. Kind were her looks, and her words were fofter than the fweeteft mufic to my ear: fhe faw, fhe was convinced of my fincerity; fhe pitied my diftrefs, and to give me fome relief declared, "That if my happiness depended on her, 1 should never have reafon to complain of my 7 fate." |