streets, humming cheerful airs, as merrily

as before. Is this credible? Or fhall we

fay, that, like Cymon in the fable,

"They whistle as they walk, for want of thought?"

Pray write the moment you have seen your brother.

Yours, affectionately,

D. FRANKLIN.

LETTER LXXXIII.

Mifs HORATIA CLIFFORD to Lady DIANA

FRANKLIN.

London.

AFTER fo long an absence, I was most impatient to meet my brother.-A few kind expreffions in his letter had effaced the impreflion which fome part of his conduct had left on my mind: I recollected nothing but the agreeable scenes of our childhood, and his ftriking likeness to my father. On our way to town, I put my uncle and aunt in mind of this refemblance.

My uncle faid, " he hoped that time and reflection would incline William to endeavour, in all refpects, to refemble the excellent man to whom he had fo ftrong a likeness in the features of his countenance." My aunt, with whom my brother ever was a favourite, added, "that she was fure it would be so.”

The tender remembrance of my father, ever linked to that of my mother, gratitude for the kindness of my uncle and aunt, a thousand endearing ideas and recollections, rushed on my mind at once. When I attempted to thank them for the pleasing hopes they imparted, my heart was fo full that I could not articulate-I preffed their hands, and burst into tears; yet my sensations were not painful: and though I hardly spoke during the whole of our journey, my reverie was not painful.

I fent word to my brother of our arrival. We expected to have seen him that nighthe did not come till the following day.

Mrs. Demure called foon after breakfast. As my uncle expected William every inftant, and did not wish to have our first interview disturbed with the prefence of any stranger, he had given orders to admit nobody.

Mrs. Demure found her way in, notwithftanding. She made her apology, by faying

"the knew we were all at home, and waiting for my brother; that she would withdraw as foon as he arrived; but, in the interval, she hoped we would forgive her impatience to fee friends for whom she had so high a value as foon as poffible after their return from the country."

I afked if she had feen my brother, and how he looked.

She answered, with a vivacity unusual to her, "that the bad feen him the preceding night at lady Deanport's affembly, to which he had been brought by his lordship, with whom he had almoft conftantly been ever fince his arrival; that his appearance was generally admired; and fome of the ladies prefent had pronounced him to be the handsomeft man in town.

"That would not have been the cafe, perhaps," faid my uncle," if your friend Mr. Mordaunt had been present."

་ My friend!" the repeated, with an air

of furprise." I cannot conceive, Mr. Darnley, what should make you think Mr. Mordaunt a particular frind of mine."

"I did not fay a particular friend, madam," replied Mr. Darnley.

"Mr. Mordaunt," refumed fhe, "is, unqueftionably, of my acquaintance."

"I meant no more," faid he." We are apt to call people's acquaintance their friends, though the people themselves may, perhaps, have reafon to think them their enemies.".

"We are fo, Mr. Darnley," replied she, fimpering, and with an air of indifference: "but the perfon you mentioned happens to be neither friend nor enemy of mine. Yet, if I recollect his figure perfectly, even if he were in town, I fhould think Mr. Clifford ftill the handsomeft-Would not you, my dear?" added fhe, looking to me.

I reminded her that I had been in the country or abroad when Mr. Mordaunt was

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