and enjoyment of others. It was only the outward conduct of Neriffa that was different; her difpofition was the fame; and, as I had refolved to be attentive to the happiness of a wife, I willed not to chufe one who would be regardless of that of a husband. We were not fuited to each other; the only objects of Neriffa were rank and fortune; fhe has fince attained her wishes, having been lately married to a title and a fettlement.

I next became acquainted in the house of Sir George Edwin, a man of very moderate fortune, who had lived fome years in town for the education of his family. With Sir George I had but little intercourse, though he too was a man of the world; but he moved in an inferior fphere, his pleafures being chiefly confined to the bottle. He had three. daughters, of whom I had that fort of acquaintance one neceffarily acquires in a narrow country like this, by meeting frequently at places of public refort, as well as at private entertainments; but, as they were always attended by their mother Lady Edwin, a grave matron, fhe never permitted them to engage in those familiar parties, amongst whom, or A a 2

at

at the tavern, I generally paffed my evenings.

The Mifs Edwins were juftly esteemed handfome; their manners were eafy, not elegant; their converfation was, for the most part, confined to the occurrences of the day, and never went farther than obfervations on the laft ball or the laft dinner. These they were fo eager to communicate, that they commonly spoke all at once, each of them afraid, no doubt, left her fifter fhould have the merit of her important difcoveries. The only object of the mother feemed to be to get her girls well married. For this purpose she had trufted entirely to the external accomplishments of their perfons, and thofe little arts which experienced matrons know well how to use, to entrap the amorous and unwary. I hope fhe will fucceed; the Mifs Edwins appear to be good fort of girls, and will, I have no doubt, make excellent wives to fome honeft country fquire, or fome plodding man of business, who has no other idea of a wife than as a breeder or a houfe-keeper. Lady Edwin fays fhe is an excellent economist, and her daughters have had the benefit of.her example.

In the houfe of Sir George Edwin I first heard

heard of Cordelia, and not much to her advantage. This, for cenfure will often defeat its purpose, gave me a ftrong defire to be acquainted with her. I foon learned that the was an only daughter; that fhe was now in her twenty-fecond year; that her father died when she was a child, leaving her a handfome fortune, which being placed in the hands of a relation in the mercantile line, was fo much impaired by his failure, that her mother found it neceffary to cut fhort her plan of a fashionable and expenfive education, and to take the chief care of her daughter's inftruction upon herfelf. They had lived together in a decent retirement for five or fix years, except a few months which they paffed in town every winter, with the only one of their opulent relations who received them with the fame affection as in their profperity. Cordelia and her mother were upon one of thefe an nual vifits when I was introduced to her. I will not pretend to defcribe the fenfations I then felt, nor the "mind-illumined face that produced them; from that moment I was unhappy but in her company, and found in her converfation that elegance of mind, that chearful fweetnefs and fenfibility of temper A a 3 which

which was diffufed upon her countenance. I rejoiced at that rank and fortune of which I was poffeffed, as giving me the power of making Cordelia happy, and of raising her to a station lefs unworthy her distinguished merit and accomplishments. The lady with whom fhe lived, gave me every opportunity I could wish of cultivating a more intimate acquaintance, and showing the fincerity of my attach ment; nor did her mother feem averfe to the connection, though there was at times an anxious folicitude in her countenance at thofe approaches to the familiarity which I had been accustomed to indulge, both in manner and converfation, among my female acquaintance; a habit, which the fincerity of my paffion for Cordelia could not, at all times, reprefs. Cordelia herfelf always received me with affability; and, though I could not pretend to discover any partiality in my favour, I attributed this to her compliance with the cautious prudence of a mother, which would be removed by an open declaration of my attachment, and a propofal of marriage in form.

fa

Defirous to intereft the mother in my vour, I made my first application to her, convinced that she could not hesitate to approve

of

of a match which was fo favourable in point of fortune. Contrary to my hopes, she at once referred me to her daughter, with an obfervation, in which there was more truth than politenefs, "That, being the perfon principal"ly interested, she was the first to be applied "to." Having endeavoured to make an apology for this part of my conduct, of which a better notion of female delicacy than was to be acquired among my former companions had taught me the impropriety, I was shown into Cordelia's dreffing-room; where, after a fhort paufe, I entered on the purpose of my vifit, and made offer of myfelf and fortune, with all the ardour which the ftrength and fincerity of my paffion infpired, and with all the attention that was due to her beauty and accomplishments. She heard me, not without emotion; and, as fhe feemed unable to give an immediate anfwer, I interpreted her filence favourably; and, feizing her hand, preffed my fuit with all the earnestnefs of which I was capable. She foon recovered her tranquillity, and, withdrawing her hand, anfwered with her ufual unaffected modefty, but with a firmnefs I had never before obferved, "That fhe "was obliged to me for my favourable opi

“nion;