person and an elegant mind, she united a most lively ima gination and a pleasantry of wit: but alas, she had married a person unworthy of her, and after a few years he had deserted her. For a time she had felt a melancholy bordering on insanity; but religion had enabled her to rise superior to her troubles, and she now enjoyed that consolation and peace in reading, meditation, and conversation, which made her a most interesting companion. "Oh!" said she, to Charles, "I perceive you have a kindred taste with me for the beauties of nature. It is a volume which I read every day with the most heart-felt pleasure. The tranquil scenery of corn-field and woodland, of river and glade, is ever new and ever delightful to me, and when I am enabled to look upwards to the beneficent Being that formed all, and clothed it with beauty, it fills me with something of the raptures enjoyed by the seraphic Mrs. Rowe, who, in her devout thoughts, embodies in words the ideas which please my imagination. Scarcely a Summer morning passes but I sally forth at five or six o'clock to meet the mild radiance of the rising sun, and contemplate the blue ether, and inhale the wholesome breath of refreshened earth, on which the million drops of dew twinkle with all the colours of the rainbow. Oh! what do they lose who spend the best part of the day in the close chamber reposing on the bed of sloth, when they should hasten to meet the smiles of their Creator at his morning festival."

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I have more particularly introduced the reader to Mrs. Wenlow, because as the narrative proceeds, he will find Charles with her in scenes far different, where the sunshine of her mind was overspread with clouds of midnight darkness.

That I may not appear tedious in my narrative, suffice it to say, that Charles was so enraptured with the com

pany of the fair guests at Mr. Kindley's table, and pleased with Mr. Kindley himself, that he began most earnestly to wish his lot might be cast among them.

Here also I introduce two other characters whom Charles met on this occasion, which laid the foundation of his future connexions and walk in life. Mr. and Mrs. Whiteden were of the party. The former an old friend of Mr. K., who had run with him the circles of gaiety, but was now become a domestic family-man, surrounded with six children. Mrs. W. was a baronet's daughter and versed in the useful and elegant accomplishments of life; she had a very intelligent mind and a pleasing and interesting countenance, and her manners were particularly gracious and attractive.

} She noticed Charles, and held several conversations with him, on language, on education, on religion; and she found him so well versed on most subjects, that she expressed her high satisfaction to Mr. Kindley, and her wish to have a greater acquaintance with him.

The next morning, however, was fixed for Charles to take his departure; and no further opportunity of seeing more of Charles occurred to Mrs. W. than on this evening. The party engaged in conversation with the warmest wishes and prayers for each others comfort and welfare. Mrs. W. and Eugenia, though from very different motives, had a great desire to hear more of Charles's conversation, and therefore Mrs. W. addressed him as follows:-" You have been to large schools, Mr. Charles, which would you prefer, a private education with a tutor, or a public school, for the classical improvement and moral habits of children?"

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Certainly," said Charles, "in point of moral improvement a private tutor is to be preferred. There is so much evil carried on in a large school, even where the master is a pious

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man, to which he is an utter stranger the violence and quarrelsome disposition of his comrades raise up such a warfare for his principles, that the seclusion of domestic education is much to be preferred. I remember when at a public school at Leicester, I found it a great difficulty to bear the jeers and taunts of some, and the offensive attacks of others, and to maintain a character for courage and integrity. A youth particularly signalized himself one day by pointing at me, and calling me religious-a Robinson," alluding to the Rev. Author of the Scripture characters, and telling me I dare not fight; and with this he came up and struck me. My anger was warmly kindled-I did not return the blow, but I took him by the shoulders and threw him round, and dashed him against the ground! This had its desired effect, and I was never taunted or molested again, at least by him. Alas! the poor thoughtless youth, a few weeks after, was seized with a fever, and I followed him with my school-fellows to the tomb; and the solemn event produced for a time a very salutary effect upon the minds of all the boys; and many wished they were as good as Mr. Robinson, whom they had before often ridiculed." The conversation interested Mrs. W. very deeply, and she sat silent as if meditating some purpose in her breast with respect to Charles, which the reader will find developed if he has patience to pursue this narrative.

Meanwhile the party took leave with a most friendly feeling towards each other; and this benevolent feeling glowed in none with greater ardour than in the heart of Charles and Eugenia.

CHAPTER IX.

CHARLES MORTIMER'S JOURNEY TO LONDON-MEETING WITH OLD FRIENDS-HIS DIARY.

CHARLES rose early the next morning, and mounting the stage coach as it passed along the valley, was rapidly carried forward to the great metropolis. But here before the coach conveys us away with him, the courteous reader must forgive my stopping him to look again at that lovely abode and hear one word respecting the excellent Mr. Kindley, whom we have left. He was well known to a large circle of gay acquaintances in his youth, and frequently joined Lord L. in his hunting excursions and convivial parties.

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As mature age, and books led him to reflection, he renounced these amusements upon principle, and spent the remainder of his useful life in the circle of a few select and pious friends, with whom he united in frequent social intercourse, and in every benevolent endeavour for the benefit of his neighbourhood and the world at large. His talents as an instructive companion and a wise counsellor, taught by much experience and long acquaintance with men and manners, were pre-eminent, and the sincerity of his friendship rendered it invaluable. The obligations of the writer to so true a friend and guide of his youth will never be obliterated from his mind.

It was a fair morning, and Charles began to think again over the subject of his reveries the preceding evening,

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which, according to his usual custom, he inserted in his diary; and the loveliness of the scenery, and the blue expanse of ether above him, from which the sun, in all its splendour, threw his golden rays over all the landscape, tinged his conceptions with fairy colours, and spread before his imagination scenes of terrestrial bliss and pure enjoyment, which he hoped at some time to realize. Now, as from some peculiar circumstances Charles's diary has come into my hands, I will here make a selection, not such an one as Walter Scott professes to make from pretended manuscripts, but from Charles's own handwriting, which I have now to shew to all incredulous sceptics in the truth of my tale without fiction. This will develope Charles's secret sentiments for the company in which he had enjoyed so much intellectual pleasure.

"July, 1797.—How happy must be the man who is blessed with a companion through life like Eugenia, the serious strain of her conversation, her suavity of disposition, her noble endowments of mind, engage my admiration and impress my heart. May Heaven confer such a companion on me. What, if I were to meet with one who had the amplest fortune, yet if destitute of these virtues-if she had no affection for things divine, where would be the use of her hand-her heart could not go with me, she could not share my religious joys, encourage me in my distresses, assist me in my difficulties, pray with me and for me. If her mind were worldly and trifling, she would be an hindrance instead of a help, she would retard instead of forward, she would clog my wings instead of assisting them with her pinions. If insensible of the value of spiritual things, she perhaps and her connexions might endanger my present and eternal peace, might draw me back again into the world and plant thorns in my dying pillow, or hedge up with briars the way of my return to peace and