menced, together, an incoherent, but affecting, account of the late occurrence; concluding with a powerful appeal to the compassionate feelings of the mother.

"Well, my dear," replied Mrs. Jerningham, we must hear what papa says to it. Where is the poor little fellow? Go and bring him here, while I find your father."

The children flew to execute the command; while Mrs. Jerningham returned to the parlour, where her husband was sitting; and, in a few minutes afterward, Augustus and Emma came in, bringing with them the object of their commiseration.

"Little Godfrey, by Mr. Jerningham's desire, recounted the circumstances of his disaster; and with more collectedness and perspicuity than his perturbation and alarm had previously permitted him to do.

During the recital, Emma clung round her uncle's knees, and looked imploringly up in his face, as if she would have intreated something, which she wanted the courage to ask for. But Mr. Jerningham, whose maxim it was never to suffer a child to be sensible of whatever influence they might obtain over his feelings, affected not to understand the purport of the appeal contained in Emma's eloquent blue eyes. And, when Godfrey had concluded his simple and pathetic story, reprimanded him, somewhat sharply, for his carelessness; but immediately afterward ordered a large glass of wine to be given to him; the bitter tears, however, of anguish and regret, mingling with the cordial draught, counteracted its exhilirating effects.

Mr. Jerningham, after conferring for a few minutes with his wife, put his hand into his pocket, and turning round, with a good humoured smile, said, "Here's something to dry your eyes with, my lad," at the same time extending his hand with a five pound note.

At sight of the money, the boy, instead of rushing eagerly forward, and breaking out into a transport of thankfulness, retreated a few paces, kept his eyes fixed wistfully on the tempting offer, but said not a word; though, by the varying emotions pourtrayed in his countenance, a thousand feelings seemed struggling for the mastery.

"What wont you have it, child?” asked Mr. Jerningham.

"I don't think I deserve it, and I'm sure I can never repay it," muttered Godfrey.

"Never mind that, my fine fellow, we do not want it back again,” observed Mr. Jerningham, delighted with the independent, yet humble spirit, that could have dictated this reply; and, without another moment's hesitation, hastened to secure the money within the breast of Godfrey's tattered garment; who remained silent and passive while this was performing; and it was not until he found the treasure actually transferred to his own possession, that he burst into an hysteric flood of tears, and sunk on his knee before his benefactor, vainly endeavouring to articulate his acknowledgments.

But the tide of his gratitude was interrupted, by the rays of the setting sun reminding him of the length of time that had elapsed since he had set out on his errand, which still remained unexecuted; making another effort, therefore, to pour forth his infantinė prayers and blessings, he hurried from the house, endeavouring, by proportionate speed, to compensate for the time that had been already consumed.

Godfrey having despatched his bu siness at Norwich, was returning homeward as fast as his limbs could convey him, yet could not forbear stopping, to take one last, lingering look, as he came to the spot where he believed his money to have been dropped. And now that his perception was clearer, inasmuch as his mind and attention were less distracted, he, in an instant, caught a glimpse of the scarlet wrapper, which enveloped the deeply-deplored and anxiously sought treasure; which, the frequent passing of the carriages having removed the dust of the high road, lay partially revealed to his searching glance; though, by a casual observer, it might have long remained unnoticed. He seized it with inexpressible delight; but, as he went on his way, debated within himself, whether he should detail the curious circumstance of it's loss and recovery at home, or should suppress the story altogether. He well knew, from the irascible temper of his father, that his negligence would be as severely chastised, as if it's effects had

been more calamitous; and, by the time that he reached the cottage door, his fears prevailing over his natural love of truth and candour, had determined him not to mention the occurrence to any one, but to repair early on the following morning to Atherfield, to return to Mr. Jerningham his kind and timely donation.

Accordingly, as Mr. Jerningham with his two children were taking their accustomed walk before breakfast, they encountered Godfrey on his honest errand; who, after mentioning the unexpected recovery of his lost sum, presented it for Mr. Jerningham's acceptance, precisely in the same state in which he had described it, when missing, if any doubt could have been entertained of his veracity; and it was not until Mr. Jerningham had repeatedly and peremptorily refused to receive it, that Godfrey was persuaded to retain it for his own advantage; and with a heart overwhelmed with gratitude, and eyes filled with tears, at this additional instance of gratitude, retired from the presence of his benefictor, breathing a prayer, that he might one day be enabled to shew his sense of so vast an obligation.

Twenty years had passed since the date of this occurrence, when Mr. Jerningham, exhausted by a lingering and painful disease, sank into the grave; nor did his disconsolate widow long survive his loss. In consequence of which, the very valuable and extensive manor of Atherfield devolved to their only son Augustus, and the amiable Emma, who, about ten years previously to the demise of her foster parents, had, with their entire concurrence and approval, given her hand to her cousin in marriage. One daughter, named Meliora, was the sole offspring of this union; a young lady, whose rare beauty and accomplishments had captivated the heart of Alfred Arden, the eldest son of Sir Matthew Arden, a baronet of the first rank and respectability in the county of Norfolk. Sir Matthew was a high minded and ambitious man; one who preferred nobility of lineage to real worth; who entertained the chimerical notion, that all which was desirable of attainment, and capable of conferring happiness, were comprised in a coronet, or an honourable gencalogy; and who had been heard to declare, that the personal and mental

endowments of the, woman whom his son might lead to the altar, were but secondary, in his estimation, to the important qualification of having an high sounding title prefixed to her name: and as the lovely Meliora was deficient in this empty distinction, Alfred's attachment excited the severest displeasure of his father, insomuch, that lest his son's imprudence should disappoint those elevated views which Sir Matthew had conceived, he determined to weaken the force of his boyish passion, by separation from it's object; and Alfred was, accordingly, despatched on a visit to the Continent; but not before he had found an opportunity to interchange vows of eternal love and constancy with his adored Meliora.

Atherfield had been in the possession of the Jerningham family very nearly forty years, when a man, named Henry Winter, stating himself to be the son of the rightful heir, to whom the property had been primarily bequeathed, set up a claim to the estate. At the same time adducing such indubitable proofs of his identity, and, by reverting to numerous corroborative facts, so completely succeeded in substantiating his title, that though some very able counsel recommended Mr. Jerningham to litigate the cause, on the ground of the long period of tenure, yet, as such a proceeding would inevitably involve an immense expense, cr, at best, but an uncertain issue, he chose rather, since Mr. Winter rejected all compromise of the matter in question, in compliance with the suggestions of his amiable partner, and the dictates of his own naturally pacific disposition, to at once surrender all title to the ample revenues of Atherfield; and was taught to consider his treatment as being peculiarly merciful and lenient, in his not having been called on to refund the arrears of forty years' misappropriation.

Mr. Jerningham, though not an extravagant, had never been a saving man. Anticipating the estate of Atherfield as a dowry for his daughter, he had given himself no care to make any provision against future contingencics, but had uniformly lived up to the extent of his income; consequently, when this privation came thus suddenly upon him, the utmost limit of his property, actually in possession, scarcely amounted to the sum of £1000.

Mr. Jerningham, on his reverse of fortune, quitted Norfolk, and took up his residence within a short distance of Cambridge; a former friend of his father's having procured for him a very respectable situation as classical tutor at an academy in that city. But the discharge of the incumbent duties proved irksome and harassing to a temper, already soured by the vicissitudes of fate, he grew negligent and inattentive, and often absented himscif on no other plea than disinclination.

In leaving Atherfield, he had dissolved all his friendships, and separated himself from all his acquaintances; and he refused to form any new connexions in his new abode, confining himself exclusively to the society of his beloved wife and daughter.

But Mr. Jerningham's mind was not formed to struggle with adversity; the rapid change from abounding affluence to comparative poverty, from cheerful and polished society, to solitude and seclusion, from being accustomed to dispense those benefits and advantages on others, which, he might now, perhaps, have to crave for himself, pressed sorely on his spirits, and induced a morbid melancholy, which operating on his corporal frame, tèrminated his existence in a few years, leaving his widow and orphan in very indigent circumstances.

A few years previous to this melancholy event, a lady, named Goodwin, who resided in the neighbourhood, having frequently, in her walks with her daughters, encountered Meliora, as she affectionately tended the faltering steps of her sick parent, charmed with the beauty, the grace, and the gentle deportment of this exemplary daughter, contrived to accomplish an introduction to the family. There was something in Meliora's air and aspect that was remarkably interesting and prepossessing: her's was such a countenance as an artist would have chosen as a study for his delineation of pity no blooming rose mantled on her cheek, no laughing graces played around her lip; but the meekness and humility of her disposition shining with a soft radiance through her dark hazel eyes, the gently bending forward of her slight but symmetric figure, her finely formed head, somewhat inclined on the right side, communicated a

mild pensiveness to her whole appearance, that was truly angelic. During Mr. Jerningham's last illness, Mrs. Goodwin's kindness was unremitted; and her penetration having discovered to her the impoverished state of his finances, she afforded to him, on his death-bed, the consolatory assurance, that Meliora and her mother should never want a home, nor a friend, so long as she possessed the ability to aid them; and, in consonance with this generous declaration, as soon as the father had breathed his last, she had his distracted wife and child removed to her own house, where every attention was rendered to their feelings, and every mild amusement resorted to, that might tend to mitigate their sorrow.

It was about five weeks after this mournful occurrence, that Mrs. Goodwin, having received a letter from the Countess of Annesley, her old and intimate friend, communicated to Mrs. Jerningham the following portion of it's contents :

"Will you, my dear madam, allow one of your little Hebes to come and spend a month in town? I have lost my good Beresford, and being under Halford's embargo not to stir out for this fortnight to come, am half expiring of ennui. Apropos, be so kind as to be on the look out for a female factotum for me; you know precisely what I want: she must be sweet-tempered, but not a simpleton; agreeable in her manners, without striving to appear so; genteel in her notions, but not lofty; interesting, or even pretty, in her person, but not a beauty; lively without levity; modest without bashfulness; with enough of taste to suggest an improvement in a presentation dress; enough of information to superintend a gala; enough of sensibility to sympathise in my nervous headaches; and enough of good sense, to hear, and see, and say nothing. In short, she must be my double, my very looking-glass. Such a one, I promise, should taste largely of my bounty; now pray don't forget me. I have got, to be sure, not far minus of a myriad of nieces and cousins, whom you might suppose would suit my purpose; but I blush at the thought of bringing out a raw, ruddy, rusticated bumpkin, who did not know Italian from Irish, or, who would perhaps startle a table full of tor,

by calling for porter with her dinBer."

⚫ Mrs. Goodwin, then, with the utmost delicacy, proposed to Mrs. Jerningham to embrace this situation for Meliora, provided that the young lady herself felt no objection to such an arrangement. Mrs. Jerningham accepted the offer with pleasure; and was gratified to find, on consulting with her daughter, that she unhesitatingly concurred in the measure. An answer was instantly returned to Lady Annesley to this effect; preliminaries were soon adjusted, and, in little more than a week, Mrs. Jerningham and Meliora, accompanied by Miss Goodwin, set out for the metropolis. Lady Annesley had been the daughter of a wealthy clothier in Yorkshire, and a celebrated beauty in that part of the country. But the noble relatives of the Earl of Annesley, highly incensed at the plebeian alliance, could never be prevailed on to visit at bis house, nor to recognize the lovely Countess, notwithstanding they -lived in a style of great splendour, and the first rank and fashion were to be met with at their elegant mansion in Hamilton Place. The Earl himself, however, had never once repented of -the step he had taken; the lady was fascinating in her manners, the husband was liberal in his allowance, and they resided together with a greater share of felicity than is frequently to be found in fashionable matrimonial life. They had now been married nearly five years, without having any family, a circumstance which the Earl deeply regretted; and it was on this account that her ladyship provided herself with the society of some young lady of her own age, for the Countess of Annesley was still in the bloom and loveliness of five and twenty, who might prove herself,in various respects, an useful, but humble friend.

When Meliora was completely and comfortably settled in Hamilton Place, Mrs. Jemningham occupied apartments in Chapel Street, Grosvenor Place. Being thus near to her daughter, in order that she might the more readily enjoy as much of her society, as the share of her time and attention engrossed by Lady Annesley would conveniently admit.

Meliora had been in London about a month, when one day as the Countess and her protegée were driving along Eur. Mag. Vol. 81. Feb. 1822,

Pall Mall, the attention of the latter was powerfully interested by the singular appearance of a gentleman, who was walking, very slowly, with his eyes fixed on the ground, his hands crossed behind his back, and, altogether, apparently engaged in intense meditation. His height, had it not been diminished by the low stoop in his shoulders, would have been upwards of six feet; his figure was heavy and corpulent; his dark grey eyes, deep sunk in his head, were overshadowed by black shaggy brows; his features were rugged, yet without any expression of harshness in them; and the furrows that were indented in his face, seemed rather to have been the result of care and reflection, than of age, for he was but little turned of fifty: he wore a dark brown coat, cut in a foreign fashion, ornamented with large silver buttons, and a broad brimmed white hat; while the massive diamond buckles that adorned his knees and shoes, completed the oddity of his aspect.

Meliora had just exclaimed, "Dear my lady, what a strange looking man,' when he raised his head, and, at the same moment, the Countess pulled the check-string, and drew up to address him:

"Well encountered, my good friend," cried her ladyship, "I have been dying to know how you relished the char that I sent you; you forgot, probably, to acknowledge the receipt of it.”

"I will ask my wife how she liked it, and despatch an express to let you know, in order to save your life," answered the other, dryly.

66

"Ah, you provoking creature," said her ladyship, with a sweet smile, we shall have the pleasure of seeing you on Thursday, I hope."

"It is at present my will to be with you, but I do not say that I will be with you," was the ambiguous reply.

As the eccentric pronounced the last words, his eye chanced to wander to Meliora, as she was seated by the side of Lady Annesley; he frowned, and slightly started,-seemed to ponder for nearly a minute, then fixing his stern gaze on her blushing countenance, with an expression of the deepest interest, pored over every feature, as if he would have stamped the beautiful lineaments on his memory with an indelible impression.. S