me the name of Walker the haberdasher, as if I could be tempted by his pitiful fortune and new houfe, to leave the first-rate fociety of men of high rank, which fometimes dines with my lord, and of ladies, which vifits me, and which dreffes as genteel as any in the capital, to pass my life in the marshes of Yorkshire, with fuch vermin as Walker, and his friends the diffenters.

As for lady Deanport's being offended, that gives me little concern; perhaps she may have reason to repent the airs she has given herfelf, and that she has made an enemy of one who was difpofed to be her friend and benefactor. She ought to remember that she was no better than a plain mifs, as well as myself, when the late lord Deanport married her; but of that I choose to be filent at prefent only, before I conclude, I must inform you, that I defire no more of your admonitions, which, in spite of all the fugar you have put into them, I found fo nauseous that I threw them into the only place fit for them.

If I had shown your letter to my lord Deanport, he would, perhaps, have given you a lesson that would have made you write with proper refpect of your fuperiors, and taught you,

old

as you are, better manners in future.-No more at present, being, fir,

Yours, &c.

MARGARET ALMOND.

LETTER CIII.

Mifs HORATIA CLIFFORD to Lady DIANA

FRANKLIN.

Ashwood.

JULIET gains ftrength every minute; she fits up feveral hours daily. Her recovery has filled this whole family with happiness, and diffused joy over a populous neighbourhood. The arrival of Mr. Mordaunt communicated additional fatisfaction to colonel Sommers. I was prefent at their first meeting. I never beheld more genuine marks of delight than both manifefted. It was not thought proper that he should be prefented to Juliet till the next day. She afterwards told me, "that, prepared as she was to fee a man eminently agreeable, the engaging eafe and elegance of Mr. Mordaunt's manners and appearance had exceeded her expectation. Of the praises which she was accustomed to hear

her husband bestow on him, she had imputed a greater share to the partiality of friendship than she now thought juftly belonged to it."

It is not difficult to perceive, my dear lady Diana, that this gentleman gives you some uneafiness on my account. Notwithstanding your defire of seeing the marchionefs, and entertaining her at the Grove, before the leaves England, I greatly fufpect that you would not have left Mrs. Denham, until he was fully recovered, had it not been for that reafon.

Though I do not think your apprehenfions well founded, I have the warmest fense of obligation to you for the maternal attachment from which they originate.

Your earneftness for my immediate return to town I believe to be, in a great measure, derived from the fame fource; though, to fpare my felf-love, you impute your anxiety to the malevolent constructions of the world, rather than to your fear of any weakness on my part. Yet I remember having heard

you obferve, that those who expect to efcape free from the idle and malicious rumours that bufy and envious people are continually circulating, will, in all probability, be disappointed. But ftill you fay it is proper, particularly for young women, to avoid whatever may be confidered as a plaufible foundation for malice to build upon. Without making myfelf an abfolutè flave, by unceafing circumfpection where I apprehend no danger, I have obferved your maxim, and been at pains to avoid what malice could plaufibly build a fcandalous ftory upon. What has the pains I took for this purpose availed ?-Nothing. Malice requires no plaufible or folid pretext to build on; the rears her fabrics on shadows light as air. Mr. Mordaunt pays a visit to his moft intimate friend a little after I went to comfort mine in her illness. Is there any plaufible foundation for malice here? What says Malice? Why, that under the pretext of vifiting a female friend, I have given a rendez