afked her if he was unwell. "Oh, "Sir, I intreat you," faid fhe," by « all you hold dear and facred, to gain "me a momentary conference with "Sir George Belgrave." He feemed affected by her earnestness, and ordering the fervant to permit her to remain in the hall, proceeded to acquaint Sir George; but the terror of a fecond repulse operated fo ftrongly on her, that, rufhing into the room which fhe faw him. enter, and kneeling at the feet of Sir George, fobbed out, "Oh! Sir!"Uncle!-fave me from mifery-from "prostitution!" She had fcarcely pronounced thefe words, when a faintifh fickness oppreffed her, and the funk lifeless on the floor. "It must be fo," faid Sir George, " fhe is gazing mournfully over her; On recovery Matilda found herself fupported by her uncle, who, in the kindeft accents, bade her be comforted. CHAP. XII. Farewell, a long farewell to all my greatness : This is the state of man-to-day he puts forth The tender leaves of hope, to-morrow blossoms, And bears his blushing honours thick upon him The third day comes a froft-a killing frost. SHAKESPEARE. SICKNESS, forrow, and disappoint ment had foftened Sir George's once rugged heart. He married a peeress in her own right, lovely in mind and perfon, but, like a flower withered in all the fragrance of early bloom, fhe died two years after her marriage, leaving a fon too young to feel the lofs of the angelic being to whom he owed his existence. The grief of Sir George, who adored her, was outrageous. Violent in all his mental affections, he clung to the breathlefs corpfe till forcibly torn from it; and feveral weeks fhut himself up in his chamber, to which none but his own fervants were admitted. As his forrow began to fubfide, his affection feemed to concentrate in his infant fon, now Lord Walbrook, whofe features bore a strong refemblance to thofe of his mother.When he had arrived at the age of feven his health being then too delicate to be entrusted to a public feminary, fuitable inftructors were provided at home by his father, who delighted to be present at his lectures; and as he marked the early fparks of genius which fhone in the mind of his darling, he looked forward with proud proud exultation to the time, when he might behold him the admiration of the fenate, or the ornament of the cabinet. A company of ftrolling players having erected a stage in a neighbouring village, Lord Walbrook requested permiffion to fee their performance, and his father, ever ready to gratify his most trivial wish, confented. The cold of the house affected the conftitution of the child, naturally weak; he complained of a headache, was carried home unwell, and in three days after expired. Blighted in all his views of happiness, deprived of all his foul held dear, Sir George's haughty fpirit was at length broken by misfortune; a nervous fever feized him, which for a confiderable time threatened an existence he no longer va |