cious blood. She has told me the story of your first love, and the recollection of it never fails to bring tears from my eyes. But I must, hereafter, hear the whole from your own mouth, with all your other adventures; the smallest incident will be very interesting to me, I assure you. O my dear, my sweet fellow! you are to a hair the very man I wish for my Louisa-the brave, the tender, gentle, and generous heart; just the thing I would have wished for myself when I was at the age of my Louy.

But, my dearest, my honoured madam, loved and honoured next to heaven, you have not yet told me how your Louisa is inclined. Whereupon the bewitching creature, archly smiling and blushing, and reaching forth a polished hand of living alabaster-Here, she cried, I present you with this trifle in token that I do not hate you-very much.

Mr. Clinton, said my lady, I have sent off my favourite servant Gerard with my despatches to my lord. He is the only one that remains of all my retinue. Your surgeon has dressed his wound, and pronounced it so slight as not to incommode him in his journey. I chose him more particularly for the carrier of my purposes as he was the witness of your valour—as he can testify to my lord with what intrepidity you rushed foremost into the thick of the assassins, and with what unexampled bravery you defeated, in a short time, a body of four or five times your number. These things, I trust, will have their due weight; for, though my my lord is of a lofty and inflexible nature, he is yet alive to the feelings of honour and justice, so that our affairs have a hopeful and auspicious aspect. But you are a little flushed, my child; we will not encroach further upon you till to

morrow.

During the three following weeks, though confined to my bed, I was permitted to sit up, and my wounds, though not skinned, were healing apace. What happiness did I enjoy

during that ecstatic interval! The maternal and filial angels scarce ever left my side. One morning, when I just awoke from a terrifying dream, they both entered with peace, and comfort, and healing in their countenances.

What is the matter, my Harry? said my lady; your face does not seem composed to that fortitude and complacence which is seated in your heart.-Ah, madam! I cried, I have been all night tormented with the most alarming and horrible visions I ever had in my life. Three times I dreamed successively that my Louisa and I were walking hand in hand through the fields of Elysium, or on the banks of Meander, or in the gardens of Alcinous, gazing and drinking in large draughts of love from each other; when at one time a huge and tremendous dragon, at another a sudden earthquake, and at another an impetuous hurricane came, and caught and severed us far asunder.

But my visions, my honest friend, said the heavenly smiling Louisa, have been of a very different nature. I dreamed that, while we were standing on the bank of a frightful precipice together, your Matilda descended, all celestial, and a thousand times more lovely than she appears in the lovely portrait that you carry about you. At first I feared that she came to reclaim you to herself; but instead of that she smiled upon me, and began to caress me, and, taking my right hand she put it into yours. Then, ascending in her brightness, she hovered a while on high, and casting down upon me a look of fixed love, she gave me a beck with her hand, as it were to follow, and was immediately lost in glory.

O, my dear children! cried the marchioness (for such she was), might I but once see you united, how I should lift my head! or, rather, how satisfied I should be to lay it down in peace, having nothing further to care for on this side of eternity!

That night I slept sounder than usual, and did not awake till the day was something advanced. On opening the curtain I saw James seated in a moody posture by the side of my bed. How are the ladies, James? said I.-Gone, sir.Gone, gone! I cried out.-Yes, sir, gone indeed; but with very heavy hearts, and both of them drowned in tears. Here has been a large body of the gens d'armes sent for them, so that there was no resisting. Poor Gerard went on his knees to his lady to beg permission to throw himself at your honoured feet, as he said, and to bid you adieu, but she would not allow him. Meantime she charged me with this watch and ring, and this letter for your honour.

I catched at the letter, and tearing it open, read over and over, a thousand times, what will for ever be engraven in my memory and on my heart.

"We leave you-we leave you, most beloved of men, and we are miserable in so doing; but, alas! we are not our own mistresses. My lord, for this time, has proved unjust and ungrateful; and refuses your Louisa, as well to my prayers as to your infinite merits. He has affianced her, as it seems, to a prince of the blood, and his ambition has blinded him to all other considerations. Be not yet in despair, we shall exert our very utmost to get this injurious sentence reversed; and, if your Louisa inherits my blood or spirit, not all the engines in France will ever compel her to give her hand to another. In the meantime, follow us not; come not near us, we beseech you. Should you be discovered, you will inevitably be assassinated, and we also should perish in your loss, my son. We are distracted by our fears for you, and it is this fear that has prevented us from disclosing ourselves fully to you. Keep up your correspondence, however, with our friend De Wit, and through him you shall learn the first favourable turn that happens in our affairs. I leave

you my ring, in token of your being the wedded of our heart; and Louisa leaves you her watch, to remind you of time past, and to look upon when at leisure, and think of

"Your ELOISA DE

"Your LOUISA DE—”

Yes I cried, ye precious relics, ye delicious memorandums, to my lips, to my heart! Be ye the companions of my solitude, the consolers of my affliction! Sooner shall this arm be torn off, and time itself pass away, than one or the other shall be divided from my custody.

Ah, how useless are admonitions to the impatience of a lover! Fervent love can know no fears. I was no sooner able to sit my horse than I set off directly for Paris, with this precaution only, that my people were to call me by my mother's maiden name of Goodall.

As we knew not the names or titles of those after whom we were in search, our eyes became our only inquisitors; and we daily ranged the town, peering into every carriage of distinction for a sight of the mother or daughter; and even prying among the lackeys and liveries for the face of our friend Gerard.

On a day, as my valiant Tirlah and I rode abroad, reconnoitring the suburbs, we heard a noise and shout of distress that issued from a distant farm-house; and as we hastened up the tumult grew louder, and the cry of Help! and Murder! was several times repeated.

We instantly knocked at the door, but were refused admittance, when Tirlah alighted, ran against it, and breaking through bars and all with his foot, threw the door off its hinges.

On entering, we saw a man with four others about him, who were going to slit his nose, and to use him very barbarously. Stay your hands, I cried; I will shoot the first

man through the head who shall dare to proceed in this business.

Why, sir, said a young fellow, this man wanted to be gracious with my pretty young wife; I caught him in the very attempt; and so I think it but fair and honest to spoil his beauty for such sport for time to come.-Ay, but, said I, you might murder him, and I cannot suffer that. Come, my friend, no harm, appears to be done as yet; and if he pays a handsome penance for the wickedness of his intention, I would advise you to pass matters over for the present. Say, how much do you demand?-Five hundred louis-d'ors, said the fellow; if he pays that he shall be quit for this turn.

Five hundred louis-d'ors! I exclaimed; why, all the clothes on his back are not worth the hundredth part of the sum.-True, master, said the peasant, winking, but his pockets may happen to be richer than his clothes.-Well, said I, if he secures you in half the sum I think you may be satisfied. Why, master, since you have said it, I will not go back. Whereupon the astonished prisoner was permitted to rise.

What do you say, you very bad man? Are you willing to pay this fellow the sum I agreed for, in compensation of the injury you attempted to do him?-I am, sir, said he ; with many thanks for your mediation. Then, hastily putting his hand to his pocket, he took out a note on the customs, which, with some small matter of cash, made up the money, and we departed the house together.

As I was just going to mount, he came up and accosted me with elegance and dignity. Sir, said he, you have made me your debtor beyond expression, beyond the power of princes to pay. Be pleased, however, to accept the little I have about me; here are five thousand louis in this little note-book.—Not a penny, sir, indeed; I am by no means in want. You must not refuse, said he, some token of my