LETTER LXIX. From the Same to the Same. Rofe-Mount. Ir happened as I expected. I had acciden tally heard that lady Afpic, with her niece, had arrived at the duchefs-dowager of who lives, at present, at no great distance from my brother's. her Knowing that he has the highest esteem for grace, I was fomewhat furprised that he had not proposed to pay her a vifit. As he did make this propofal, however, immediately after the arrival of thofe two ladies, I was no longer at a lofs for his reason for not propofing it sooner. He did not mention to me his knowledge of lady Amelia being with the duchefs, and I allowed him to remain in the belief that I was as ignorant of that circumstance as he thought I was. Lady Afpic is an acquaintance of Mr. Plaintive. I knew that Travers had fometimes visited her with him. When the day was fixed for our visit to the duchefs, I informed Travers what company. was with her grace, and added-" Your uncle will be glad to receive from you a particular account of lady Afpic's health: I hope, therewill take the jaunt with us.". fore, you "I thank you kindly," replied he, making a very wry face: "but I would just as soon take a dofe of phyfic." "What fhall I fay to my brother? He expects you will accompany us.” "Tell him I am engaged to dine with the parfon-He is a very worthy fellow." That he is. But, to my knowledge, he fet out for London yesterday." "Tell him I am to dine with the parfon's mother-She is a very worthy woman, and never complains of her health." My brother, I knew, would not be ill pleafed that Travers did not accompany us, which was my reafon for informing him that lady Afpic was with the duchefs. When my brother and I arrived at her grace's, we found the duchefs alone. After half an hour of agreeable converfation, lady Afpic entered. She entertained us with the hiftory of a head-ache, which, before she had finished, began to infect me." It was occafioned," the faid, "by vexation on account of her niece, lady Amelia, who had been indifpofed." The duchefs expreffed furprise, as well as uneafinefs; faying-" that he had never seen lady Amelia look better than when they separated the preceding night." "Looks are fallacious," faid lady Afpic; "but I obferved her to change colour a little before the retired: on which account I perfuaded her to take fome drops, which always agree with her; and, accordingly, though fhe feemed a little fickifh after taking them, fhe was better towards morning, and will appear at dinner.” Though I had seen lady Afpic immediately before I went lait abroad, and knew that the laid on white, as well as red, pretty liberally, yet that seemed nothing, when compared to the profufion in which the deals in those arThe pains fhe takes to conceal ticles now. age and wrinkles render them more apparent, per fumed, her cheeks deeply rouged, and her youthful dress, brought Shakspeare's lines to my recollection : "Hoary-headed frofts Fall in the fresh lap of the crimson rose ; A gentleman of the neighbourhood, with whom I was unacquainted, was announced; and, foon after, two of the most spruce figures I ever beheld; the one a clergyman, the other an officer. It was evident, that in the dress of the first an anxious attention had been paid to be up to the fummit of the fashion, in the most minute particular: and though he kept within the limits prescribed by custom for the eccle fiaftics of this country, yet the whole of his drefs betrayed this gentleman's defire to overleap them, and get to fomething more buckifh. Travers has fince told me, "that this young man, whofe name is Milliner, had received a liberal education, of which few traces remain, except his knowledge and taste in the cut of clothes, which he acquired at the university, from fome young students of fashion with whom he was acquainted there, and in whofe company he made frequent excurfions to the capital. He is," continued Travers, always filent when any religious or literary fubject is introduced into converfation; but he can speak very eloquently on the cut of a frock, a button, or a button-hole; and makes › a very pretty figure in a pulpit, in all respects, except preaching-My friend, the reverend Dick Milliner," he added, " has only two moderate livings at prefent; but it is thought he cannot be long without getting one of |