CHAPTER II.

WORLDLY ADVICE.

ON the morrow, the following conversation. took place between Lady Augusta and Lady Veneer, her aunt:

"My dear Augusta, this is not kind. I look upon, and treat you as a daughter; yet you will not tell me the cause of your agitation and indisposition last night at the theatre."

"Pray, dear aunt, do not urge me. Our feelings are not always under our own control. I am not very well."

"I trust, my dear niece, you do not doubt my sympathy?"

"Not in the least, my dear aunt."

"Yet you have a grief which you refuse to impart."

"Because it would be of no use to weary

you

with my troubles. There is really nothing the matter with me, beyond an attack of the nerves; but if I had a grief, you could not in any way alleviate it."

"How do you know that? The mere act of communicating the cause of our trouble to another, brings an immediate sense of relief."

"Hand me the smelling-salts, please, dear aunt. Oh, you have no idea how unhappy I am!"

"No," thought Lady Veneer, "but I am determined I will know all about it." Lady Augusta continued her lamentation. "No one can help me. miserable as I am." with selfish persons.

No one was ever so This is a common error Lady Veneer, whose

curiosity as well as sympathy, was highly stimulated, returned again to the attack.

"Child that you are, must I then crossquestion you. First of all, it is superfluous to say, I do not seek to pry into your sorrow from motives of mere curiosity; but you are brother's daughter. I offer the benefit of my experience, as a woman of the world. I am old enough to be

my

you

your-mother."

Old enough to be my grandmother, thought Lady Augusta. Well, she seems determined to learn my secret. I must have a confidant. Perhaps she may be useful to me. Lady. Veneer continued:

"Well, then, my love, perhaps I may have already divined the cause of your indisposition. A private box last night was occupied by a young gentleman and a young lady-or perhaps I should say, a young person. She attracted a great deal of attention, not by her beauty, for in my opinion, you were far the handsomest and best-dressed woman in the house, but by the eccentricity of her be

haviour. You observed it as well as myself. I should have concluded that she had never assisted at a dramatic representation before. Her behaviour was really outrageous. She laughed immoderately at the comic, and wept bitterly, at the pathetic parts. Some gentlemen near us, went into raptures at what they called her natural behaviour. For my part I consider she exhibited a melancholy absence of good breeding. I never forgot myself so far as to laugh or cry at a theatre. Mr. Sapling informed us that the gentleman in the box with this young person, was Mr. Gerald Lindor, and from that moment I perceived your agitation. For my part I was not astonished at the further information communicated by Mr. Sapling respecting the young person. I knew she could not he a lady. Who is this Mr. Gerald Lindor? I have surely heard the name before."

"Heard his name!" exclaimed Lady Au

gusta.
"I should think you
have met him at our house."

had.

Why, you

"Ah, yes, I recollect, a strange, eccentric young man."

"He has written a poem full of genius, but so bold and sceptical, that many of his reviewers have accused him of atheism. The title of the work is Paradise on Earth.' You must have heard of it. Perhaps you have read it."

"I remember now that I have heard of the book, but I am surprised at your supposing for a moment, that I could have read a work of such a detestable nature. I seldom read poetry now. With the exception of Tupper, indeed, I do not know a modern writer who deserves to be called a poet. What a frightful character this Mr. Lindor must be !"

"The book," continued Lady Augusta, "though containing the most heterodox sentiments on religion, and the boldest attacks upon aristocracy, and everything established, is in other respects beautiful, and has passed through several editions. Wherever I went,