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THE LADY'S

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THE

MONK OF THE GROTTO.

A Tale

(Continued)

The Count Vizzani continu

ed to shew him every mark of attention and regard; he gave magnificent treats, and invited the most distinguished personages: Rome could boast to honour him with their company; but he remarked, with inexpressible pleasure, that Eugen io seemed most happy when he was with Rosalia.

Courage, my dear sister!" said he to the Marchioness Spanozzi, in one of his letters; , I believe we shall succeed;you may now venture to strike the great blow-it is impossible your son should escape us.'

The Marchioness, more a driot than her brother, was sen. sible the moment was not so propitious as he imagined. The Cardinal's letter had disturbed her; she had delayed

anwsering it, in order to meditate fully not only as to the means of accomplishing her object, but how she should conceal from him the real motives which influenced her aversion to the marriage of her son with Virginia. She had recourse to the Marquis, raised his ima gination, flattered his vanity, extolled the energy of his character, and the courage with which he obeyed its dictates, even in opposition to the natu tion; at length she obtained ral goodness of his disposi from him what she so ardently desired the fate of Virginia was decided; and she hastened to write to the Cardinal.

'I demand pardon of your Eminence for having so long neglected answering your kind letter; but I was willing to defer, as long as possible, ach quainting you with that which, I am sensible, must overwheim my son with grief.-Alas! I am not the obstacle to his marriage with the interesting Virginia. Penetrated by the sage

remarks in the letter of your Eminence, I had abjured the project of separating the two lovers; and I would freely have confirmed my word by consenting to their union, par ticularly as your Eminence had assured me of your determination to take upon yourself the advancement of Eugenio's fortune: but guess what must have been my surprise, when I informed the Marquis of the alteration in my sentiments, to hear him reply, in terms the most haughty and determined, that his daughter should never marry Eugenio!-Confounded

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by so positive a refusal, I ed him, by all the entreaties in my power, to recal the dread. ful resoultion he had pronounced He at first appeared inflexible; but, at the end of fifteen days, he so far yielded to my earnest and pressing solicitations, that I obtained thus much of him, and I trust your Eminence will guarantee the conditions.-The Marquis requires that his daughter should not marry till she has arrived

at the age of twenty-one years;

he will then render an account of the property of her mother, which is very inconsiderable; to supply its deficiency he will add a liberal dowry, provided he has reason to be satisfied

with her conduct and submis.

sion in the meantime. In the contrary event, she will not only forfeit all pretentions to his generosity, but he threatens her with his eternal malediction. Virginia has been summoned to him to hear his decree;-neither the tears she shed, or the affectionate entreaties she prefered on her knees, were able to shake the resolution of the Marquis; and I have

received his orders to communicate it to Ergenio. It is to your Eminence I refer this painful task-it would too much afflict me to write directly to my son. Console him by your friendly advice, and tell him, for his satisfaction, I will watch over his interests, and those of Virginia ; and that I will neglect no means of rendering the Marquis more fa vourable to the gratification of their mutual love. Finally, I Eminence ;-it willbetter paint rely upon the sensibility of your than I am able, the solicitude of a mother, who implores for her child those tears and ten

der attentions she would herself require under similar circumstances."

*The Cardinal was struck with amazement at the style of this answer, and was at a loss in what manner to communi

cate it to his nephew. He anticipated its dread effects upon the mind of that ardent and impetuous youth, and for several days avoided being alone with him.

One morning, after having ruminated upon its contents, and considered in what manner he might give a more favourable turn to the letter of the Marchioness, he was interrupted by the arrival of Eugenio, who rushed, without ceremony, into his study: paleness overspread his countenance, his hair was in disorder, his quivering lips refused utterance to his thoughts, and his whole appearance exhibited the resemblance of a person distracted.

My uncle' exclaimed Eugenio, in frantic ac ents, my dear uncle, they have amused, deceived, betrayed me I will this instant depart.-Is not Virginia mine ?-Was she pot destined to me from my earliest infancy?-Shall they How tear her from my hopes?.. No, no, no,' he repeated with ardour, 'sooner shall they tear me from life" my

Overcome by this violent effort of passion, Eugenio's countenance became still paler;

he was scarce able to support himself upon the arm his uncle extended to his assistance.

Dear Eugenio,' said the Cardinal, in a tone of voice expressive nf his anxiety and tenderness, moderate your passion, and inform your uncle of the cause of your extreme affliction. I can partly guess it, and for these several days I have dreaded the evil that awaited you, and was revolaing in

n my mind how I might soften its rigour. I cannot, however, comprehend why you are thus driven to despair;--you are not altogether deprived of your Virginia-you have only to regret that the period of your uniou is retarded.'

Read, dearest uncle! interupted Eugenio, with a low and trembling voice, read!' at the same time he drew from his bosom a letter of Virginia's, and presented it to his uncle.

This letter was produced by the same degree of trouble which agitated the soul of Eagenio. Virginia, seized with

terror at the menaces of her father, who had sworn to curse her if she married Eugenio be fore she came of age, imagined she beheld, in so cruel and unexpected a decree, the for

ma! intention of even, at that period, depriving her of the hope of possessing her lover.

, My father, added Virginia, 'sets no bounds to the sacrifice he requires from my obedience: he has enjoined me, under the same penalty, not to see you until the day when I shall be permitted to give you my hand-Dear loved Eugenio, calculate the tediousness of the sad hours I am doomed to pass far from you. Time, who seems to my sight covered with a veil of sable hue, will urge his will urge his slow and tardy flight without affording one consolation to calm the grief of your Virginia. My father's curse! Gracious Heaven! the curse of that father I so honour and respect, is to overwhelm me the instant I consent to see you without his sanctioning the interview!-Eugenio, I am dri. ven to despair ;-but, I entreat you, avoid adding to my misery by yielding to the impetuosity of your character. It is by our submission alone we can soften the rigour of the decree pronounced against us. It is the advice of our mother. she has often repeated it to me with tears in her eyes-she deins to pity, to console me; but, alas! can I obey her when she exhorts me to wait with patience?'

I will depart immediately, repeated Eugenio, while his uncle read the concluding lines of Virginia's letter: "yes, I will dpart-nothing shall longer keep me from her!

Is it thus,' replied the Cardinal with an air of gravity, 'is it thus you regard the prayer of Virginia?-Depart EugenioI shall not oppose you ;-go, and hear the malediction of a parent pronounced on the head of her you love

Heaven! exclaimed Eugenio, concealing his face with his hands, is it possible I can be such a wretch!-Oh my dear uncle!' he added with tears in his eyes, direct my inexperience conduct me thro' the labyrinth in which I am bewildered; but, above all, allay my insupportable anxiety with regard to the sufferings of my Virginia!Words cannot express the tortures I feel at the idea of those which I know must rend her tender bosom.'

"Yes, my son,' replied the Cardinal, extremely moved at his situation, yes, I will allay the sorrows of your Virginia!. I will employ my most earnest solicitations to engage the Mar quis to retract his resolve. I will do more-I will employ, should it be necessary, the au thority of the Pope,'

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(To be Continued.)

For the Lady's Miscellany.

ON INGRATITUDE.

Know, nature's children all divide her care;'

The fur that warms, a monarch warms a bear.

While man exclaims, "See all things

for my use m

"See man for mine!" replies a pam per'd goose!

And just as short of reason he must fall,

is also a cause of Ingratitude, When the receiver of a benefit envies the bestower, there arises a sort of hatred, the result of which, is Ingratitude; ther receiver knowing the superiority of the bestower views him with an eye of jealousy; he feels conscious of his own inferiority, and although circumstances oblige him to receive

Who thinks, all made for one, not one for such gift, or favour, the very

all

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obligation creates the hatred, while the bestower has no other motives in view than pure friendship--thus, from the very act that should insure grati

THERE is not a more prominent feature in the history of man than Ingratitude-It is of all evils the most despicable that can be inherited, and getude, springs the reverse. We nerally springs from a selfish principle; it is an ingrafted evil that takes deep root in the heart and cannot be easily eradicated, and it is a mental principle and almost a general one, for it is not confined to any particular sphere; it makes its appearance only where a benefit is incurred; its evil tendencies are so great that it subverts every good design and replaces in their stead those only that are evil. This vice is closely connected with hypocricy, for there are but few who will seem otherwise than thankful when receiving a favour, but their future conduct frequently shews the reverse. A breach of trust or confidence is a glaridg mark of Ingratitude; envy

have many striking instances of the malevolent effects of Ingratitude in history, especially in that of the Romans. The conduct of Nero to his mother was unnatural and eruel in the greatest degree, and the manner in which she was put to death, by his desire, shocking beyond expression. Brutus, also, in the assassination of Cæsar, furnishes us with ano ther proof of the most striking ingratitude.. From the earliest ages, to the present time, we have numerous instances of the shocking effects of this detestable vice.

Ingratitude is employed in the gratification of self, and for selfish ends; it is more conspi

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