did neither: fhe remained in her box till the confufion was over, without ftirring, except to reach her falt-bottle to a woman who feemed ready to fwoon in the pit. As I was paffing through a lane the next day, I faw her footman ftanding at the door of a tradesman's houfe, who, fhe understood, had been dangerously bruised in endeavouring to escape from the gallery. The fervant told me that his mistress was then with the man's wife and children. Judging, from what I had previously remarked in her character, that she would be displeased with my intrufion, I did not enter the house; but I afterwards learnt, from the poor man himself, that she had afforded him very seasonable and liberal relief. pre Naturally cheerful and gay, mifs Clifford never lofes that dignity of manner which vents men of sense from all improper freedoms, and covers with confufion the fools. who risk them. I am glad that she never attempts painting. How defpicable are the productions of occafional pretenders to that charming art, when compared with the works of the artists by profeffion. The frames of the former are, in general, all that is worth looking at. To excel in inftrumental mufic is alfo the work of many years. I rejoice in the conviction, therefore, that mifs Clifford has spent her time to better purpose. She attempts nothing more than fimple airs on the harp or piano-forte, which the accompanies with her own delightful voice. To enumerate her other accomplishments is unneceffary; for I may fay with truth, that she cannot look, or move, or speak, without conveying an impreffion to her advantage. By this time, I am perfuaded, you think me a little enthusiastic: you will be still more of that opinion when I acknowledge that I have attempted poetry in this lady's praise; but I find, that, though every poet is an enthusiast, every enthufiaft is not a poet. Instead of any of my own effufions, therefore, I fhall, with a fmall variation, tranfcribe two ftanzas from 1 "The Baviad," in which my idea of mifs Clifford is expreffed in the genuine language of poetry. For her has liberal Nature join'd Her riches to the ftores of art, A foft and fympathifing heart; A gentle and perfuafive look; A voice, that might with mufic vie; An air, that every gazer took; A matchlefs eloquence of eye. With regard to what you feem most anxious about, there is nothing to apprehend. To hope for success in a scheme to seduce a woman of this ftamp, a man must be the most prefumptuous of all coxcombs; and, were it poffible for him to foresee that, by infinite art, and all the means of seduction, he would fucceed, ftill to convey endless remorse into the breast of another, on purpose to obtain a tranfient gratification, would mark him for the greatest of all villains. What there is reafon more to fear is, that my fuit, on the most honourable terms, will be unfuccefsful. I acknowledge, my dear brother, that it is already beguħ; not, indeed, by any direct propofal, but by the whole of my conduct. I am convinced that mifs Clifford already knows that all my old prejudices against marriage are annihilated, and that the supreme wish of my foul is to be legally united to her for life. Should that wish be accomplished, I shall think I have obtained more certain happiness than wealth, honours, or even fame, can bestow; and nothing would afford me more fatisfaction than the affurance of your approbation of my prefent pursuit. I remain Your affectionate brother, J. MORDAUNT. LETTER CX. Lady DIANA FRANKLIN to Mifs HORATIA CLIFFORD. MY DEAR HORATIA, London. I CANNOT CANNOT exprefs the fatisfaction I had in perufing your last letter: all my apprehenfions are vanished. I afk your pardon for having ever harboured any. I am happy at your not having left Afhwood. I fhould have had great uneafinefs in the reflection of having brought you away, unneceffarily, at a time when you were rendering such an essential fervice to mifs Proctor. How infinitely is the obliged to you! I cannot suspect that any light behaviour on her part encouraged brother to fuch an attempt. In rendering it fruitless, you have performed as important a fervice to him as to her; for what fervice can be more important than preventing a man from committing an ill action? I hope your |