ページの画像
PDF
ePub

tined for the army, the

navy the bustle of mercantile life, or the obscurity of Highland monotonous rusticity, was not therefore likely to meet with much encouragement from a mother, who considered her daughter fit to grace the arm of a lord, or the carriage of a countess. But it was not necessary, till something more convincing should occur, to remark to Eliza personally on the folly of early attachment; and yet, unless the visits of St. Clyde were interdicted, he could not be prevented from conversing occasionally with her, as he was permitted hitherto from the terms on which he stood with Augustus and Mr. Stuart.

CHAPTER III.

They loved; but such their guiltless passion was,
As in the dawn of time informed the heart
Of innocence and undissembling truth.

"Twas friendship, heightened by the mutual wish; Th' enchanting hope and sympathetic glow Beamed from the mutual eye.

THOMSON.

IN about a fortnight after the circumstance just mentioned, St. Clyde was solicited by Augustus to drink tea with the family, and Eliza betrayed in his presence a degree of embarrassment still greater than the former; for in listening to an argument between her father and St. Clyde, she continued to pour tea into a cup till the saucer was nearly full also. Her mother thought it was now high time to interpose her authority, and rouse her daughter's

pride, if she had any of her mother's spirit in her breast; and accordingly, on the following morning, she addressed the young lady in terms to the following effect.

"From the manner in which I have strictly performed, till this hour, all the duties of a mother, you must be aware, my dear, that any advice I am now going to give you, can have only for its object your happiness and settlement in life. Yes, my dear, when I reflect on the family from which I have descended, the many highly respectable branches into which that family is divided, the various relations which subsist again between the individual branches of my family and other families of the first consequence that I could easily name; the titles, the crests some of the more remote branches of the family bear, the style they live in, the opportunities they have of intro

ducing into the higher circles the female part, especially, of their friends and distant relations; you are not to affect surprise when I tell you, that, with your education, manners, and person, you ought to rank with the best of them, and it would certainly be great folly on your part to throw yourself away on any man, who is not far above the son of a poor Highland laird."

Indeed, my dear mother, you may rely on my duty; I shall never do any thing contrary to your and my father's wishes; but I hope neither he nor you will desire to fix my destiny with any gentleman who may not be the object of my esteem, and to whom I could look at all times, not only as my husband, but also as my friend and protector; and as you know that I am perfectly disengaged, I am very much

surprised at your giving me this piece of advice."

"I beg your pardon, my dear; 1 have thought there is occasion for admonition, else I certainly should not have offered it. Your conduct one day about a fortnight ago, when St. Clyde came here with Augustus,

was

"What was it, my dear mother ?"

"Too evident to be mistaken by me, my sweet child; and I hope you will at least think of making choice of a worthy clergyman, an advocate, a writer to the signet, or indeed any lawyer at the head of the law, or one of our fine young physicians whose father is well settled in a good business, any professional man who has the expectancy of rising in his profession; but--"

"Dear mother, there is scarcely any

« 前へ次へ »