tually the cafe),,bút, Sir," conclúded fhè, „I fhould be glad to have your approbation of óur choice." "Hów, Mádam," replied he, ,,my approbation óf fúch à choice! néver. What! fácrifice fò much beauty, ánd sénse, ánd goodness, tỏ à creature infénfible of the bleffing! Excufe me. `I cán néver approve of fuch à pièce óf injúftice! 'And I have my reafons!" ,,Indeed, Sír, cried Deborah, ,,if you have your reafons, that's another affair; but I fhould be glad to know those reasons.“ -,,Excùle mè, mádam," returned he,,,they lie too deep for difcóvery:" (laying his hand upón hís bofom),,they remain búried, rivetted hère." 'After he was góne, upón géneral confultation, we could not tell what to make of thèse fine féntiments. Olivia confidered them às ínstances of the mòft exalted páffion: bút I was not quite fò fánguine: ít Teemed to mè pretty plàin, thát they hád more of lóve thán mátrimony in them: yét, whatever they might portend, it was refolved to prófecute the Ichème óf farmer Williams, who, fróm my daughter's first appearance, in the country, hád paid her his addréffes. CHÁ P. XVII. Scarce any virtue found to refift the power of long and pleafing temptation. 'As I only stúdied my child's real happiness, the affiduity of Mr. Williams pleafed mè, ás he was in eafy círcumstances, prudent, ánd fincère. 'It required bút véry little encou t ragement to revive his former paffion; fò thát in an evening or two hè ánd M'r. Thórnhill mét át our house, and surveyed each other fór me time with looks óf ánger: bút Williams wed his landlord nò rént, and little regárded his indignation. Olivia, ón hér fide, ácted the coquet to perfection, if thát mìght bè cáled acting which was her real character, preending to lávifh all hér tenderness on her new ver. M'r. Thornhill appeared quite dejected this préference, and with à pénfive air took ave, though I own it puzzled me to find m fò múch ín pain ás hè appeared to be, then hè hád ít ín his power fò easily to remoe the caufe, by declaring án hónourable páffion. ut whatever unèafinefs hè feemed to endure, could easily be perceived that Olivia's ánguish was ftill greater. 'After fome of thefe ínter. news between her lovers, óf which there were several, shè ufually retired to folitude, nd there indulged hér grief. 'It was in fúch fituation I found her one èvening, after shè ad been fór fóme time fuppòrting à fictitious yety,,You now fee, my child," fáid I, hat your confidence in M'r. Thornhill's paffion was all à dream: hè permits the rivalry of mother, every way his inferior, though he knows it lies in his power to fecure you to mfélf by à candid declaration." "Yes, Paá," returned fhè, „bút hè hás hís reasons or this delay; I know he has. The fincerity f his looks and words convince me óf his éal eftèem. 'A fhort time, I hope, will ifcover the generófity of his fentiments, and onvince you that my opinion of hím hás been hure jult thán yours. ,,Olivia, my darling," etúrned I,,,évery fchème thát hás been hí 66 therto purfùed to compel hím to à declaration, hás been propòfed and plánned by yourself, nór cán you in the leaft fày thát I have con strained you. Bút you must not fuppòfe, my dear, that I will ever be inftruméntal ín fúffering his honeft rival to bè the dupe of your illplaced páffion. Whatever time you require to bring your fancied admirer tó án explanation fháll be granted; bút át the expiration of that térm, if he is still regárdlefs, I muft ábfolu tely infist thất hóneft Mr. Williams fháll be rewarded for his fidélity. The character which 'I have hitherto fuppòrted in life demands this fróm me, and my tenderness, ás à parent, fhall never influence my intégrity ás à mán. Name then your dày, lét ít bè ás diftant as you think proper,, and in the mean tìme take care to lét M'r. Thornhill know the exact time ón which I defign delivering you úp tó another. 'If he really loves you, his own good fenfe will readily fúggeft that there is but óne mé. thod alone to prevént his lofing you for ever." This propofal, which fhe could not avoid confidering ás perfectly júft, was readily agreed to. She again renewed her mòft pófitive prómife of marrying Mr. Williams, ín cafe of the ôther's infenfibility, and át the next opportu nity, in Mr. Thornhill's préfence, that day month was fixed upón fór hér núptials with hís rival. Súch vigorous proceedings feèmed to redouble M ́r. Thornhill's anxiety: but what Olivia really félt gave me fome unèasiness. 'In this Struggle between prudence and passion, hér vi vácity quite forfook hér, ánd évery opportunity óf folitude was fought, and fpént ín tears. 'One week paffed away; bút M'r. Thórnhill The made no efforts to restrain hér nuptials. fucceeding week he was ftill affiduous; bút not more open. 'On the third hè difcontínued his vífits entirely, and instead of my daughter teftifying any impatience, ás 'I expected, fhè feemed to retain à pénfive tranquillity, which looked upón ás refignation. For my own part, I was now fincerely pleased with thinkng that my child was going to be fecùred in contínuance of cómpetence and peace, ánd réquently applauded her refolùtion, ín preférfing happiness to oftentation. 'It was within about four days of her inended nuptials, that my little family át night were gathered round à charming fire, telling tories of the páft, and làying schemes for the future. Bified in fórming à thousand projects and laughing at whatever folly came uppermoft. "Well, Mofes," crìed I, wè fháll foon, my boy have a wedding in the family; what is your opinion of matters and things in genetal?" ,,My opinion, fáther, is that all things go on véry well; and I was júft nów thinking, that when fifter Livy is married to farmer Williams, wè fháll then have the loan of his cyder préfs r) and brewing- túbs fór nothing." That wè fháll, Mòfes," cried ,,ánd he will fing ús Death and the Lady ), to raise our fpirits into the bárgain." r) Cyder, Name eines Getränks, welches aus Aepfeln bereitet wird; Apfelwein. s) Titel eines Gefanges, deffen Melodie abfchreckend melancholisch ift. Der Tod redet unter andern darin ein Mädchen mit den Worten an: Fair Lady lay your coaftly robes afide, hás taught that fong to our Dick," cried Mòses, „ánd I think he goes through ít véry pret tily." „Does he fò?“ crìed 'I, „thén lét ús have it: whére's little Dick? lét hím úp with it boldly." ít - ,,My brother Dick, cried Bill, my youngest, is just gone out with fifter Lívy; but Mr. Williams has taught me two fongs, ánd I'll fing them for you, Papá. Which fóng dò you chủfe, The dying Sun t), or the 'Elegy on the death of à mad dog?",,The elegy, child, by all means," fáid 'I; „,'I never heard that yet; and Déborah, my life, grief you know is dry, lét ús háve à bottle of the best goofeberry wine, to keep up our spírits. 66 'I háve wept fò múch át áll fórts of elegies of late, that withoút án enlivening gláfs I am fùre this will overcóme mè; and Sophy, love, take your guitár, and thrúm ín with the boy à líttle." 'An 'ELEGY on the Death of à Mád-dóg. 'And if you find it wond'rous fhórt, 'In 'Ifling town there was à man, 'Of whom the world might fày, Thát ftill à gódly race hè rán, Whené'er he went to prày. t) The dying fwan ift die Ueberschrift eines Englischen Gefanges, der mit den Worten anfängt: 'T was on a river's verdant fide A dying fwan with mufic try'd |