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and that, with them, no man is handfome, none ugly, none virtuous, valiant, or wife, but as he is rich.

The fmiles of the lady in the blue and filver, which gladdened the heart of my friend, were not beftowed upon him, but upon the fortune, which, by the mifchievous folly of young Cooper, the was led to imagine he poffeffed. Charmed by her affability, and mifled by the complacency with which the received his attentions, my friend affured himself of having a place in her heart. His fortune is not large, but he imagined it fufficient to preclude every inconvenience; and indulged himself, in forming the most enchanting picture of domeftic felicity. He went out this morning, with an intention of imparting his scheme of happiness to her, on whofe approbation it was to depend. He was chagrined, at hearing fhe was not at home : but was met at the gate, by the master of the house, who is brother-in-law to the lady, and who politely entreated him to return. How great was his furprise, on entering the apartment, to which he was led by the gentleman, to fee the fair object of his paffion, feated befide a rich civilian, to whom fortune has made amends for the fparing boons of nature; and on whom, the young Bibby fmiled with the sweetest complacency. Poor Grey, ftunned by

this appearance, was yet more embarraffed by the diftant coldnefs with which the returned his falutations. He did not long remain in a fituation fo cruelly mortifying, but cafting a look of contempt on his miftrefs, haftily withdrew.

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He was met, in the anti-chamber, by young Cooper, who, reading in the countenance of the rejcted lover all that had paffed, burft into a loud laugh. So, she has difcovered the trick,' cried he, I could lay a hundred guineas by the woeful length of your countenance, that fhe has found us out.' Grey, who was in no humour to be trifled with, quickly put an end to his mirth, and forced from him an explanation of the circumftances to which he alluded. Cooper confeffed to him, that the very evening on which the lady was first introduced to his acquaintance, he had mentioned him to her, as the worthy poffeffor of many lacks.

Piqued at being thus made the dupe of the mischievous trick of a boy, and the fcorn of an ambitious woman, he rails at the whole fex, without confidering, that disappointment is, moft frequently, the

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fruit of the tree of our own planting." He knew not the character of this damfel --but fhe was beautiful; and he affured himself it must be excellent! He knew not from whom her mind had received the

light of inftruction-but she danced gracefully; and he gave her credit for every accomplishment. She fmiled upon himand was it poffible to doubt her difcernment? The qualities which alone conftitute the affectionate wife, the faithful friend, the tender mother, were the fpontaneous offspring of his own impaffioned fancy. Born of error, how could they be expected to live to maturity?

This affair has given me much pain, on account of the wound it has inflicted on the feelings of my friend; and, for my own part, I grieve to find, that these lovely females of England are not totally free from imperfection!

Having juft had notice, of an opportunity of dispatching this packet, I haftily bring it to a conclufion.

May the errors of others teach us wifdom, and while the waters of experience flow through our hearts, may they fructify and enrich the foil! The bleffing of thy father reft upon thee.

What can I say more?

LETTER XI.

From the SAME, to the SAME.

SINCE I laft held the reed that is dedicated to friendship, my foul has been toffed in the whirlwind of conflicting paffions. My defires have been at variance with each other. Friendship calls me to Almora, while the infatiable thirft of curiofity, the love of knowledge, and of novelty, all unite in prompting me to the hazardous undertaking of an European

voyage.

Full of dangers, and of difficulties, as this ftep may appear to you, no obftacle prefents itself to my view, half fo formidable as thy disapprobation. But why fhould a difference of opinion between men of found principles caufe a breach of friendfhip? The ftalk of the Lotus may be broken, and the fibres remain connected:' and are not the fibres of affection, that unite our hearts, of a stronger texture?

Let not the length of the voyage, or the confideration of its dangers, give any uneafinefs to the breaft of my friend; for 'what is too great a load for those who

have ftrength? What is diftance to the indefatigable? What is a foreign country, to those who have science? Who is a ftranger, to those who have the habit of fpeaking kindly*?

Every thing I have feen, every thing I have heard, fince I have been in this place, has tended to create doubt, and aggravate curiofity. My opinion of the morals and manners of Chriftians, formed upon the precepts contained in their Shafter, has been frequently ftaggered by the obfervation of practices, inconfiftent with its fimplicity and the knowledge of actions, irreconcilable to the tenor of its precepts.

It is true, these instances are not univerfal; and that by far the greater number of those with whom I converfe, are men who, though they have not the words of their Shafter often in their mouths, feem to have imbibed a part of its spirit in their hearts. Indeed, the extreme delicacy observed by the Chriftians of this place, in regard to the expreffion of religious fentiment, is fo univerfal, that I do not wonder that to fuch à fuperficial obferver as Sheermaal, it should have appeared doubtful whether they really had any religion at all.

* See Heetopades, page 93.

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