it, a beautiful chintz negligee, tied up with green ribband, and a hat decorated with ribband of the fame co

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lour. As I fat down by her, fhe affumed a fmile, though there was a penfiveness on her brow; yet at the same time, there appeared fo much fense and character in her countenance, as could not but interest whoever approached her. I complimented her on the arrival of the fhips, that were then lying full in our view, and on the welcome news they had brought, of the INGOT's being fo near home.-I meet it indeed, fhe replied, as a circumftance of real joy ;-nor ought I to figh, if the path of life I have trodden, hath been uneven, provided it leads to happiness at last.

And what better termination, faid I, can the fmootheft conduct us to?

to? It is no unpleafing idea, which fome have entertained, that every one hath a guardian Spirit hovering near, whofe friendly office it is, to give us fafe convoy through all the difficulties which lie acrofs our way, and to fupport us under the fevereft trials. -Why may we not conceive this imaginary existence to be HOPE?We cannot, I am fure, truft to a fafer guide, nor wish, in the hours of adverfe fortune, to be led forward by the hand of a more cheering companion.

But prithee, my gentle lady, what thorn hath been rankling in thy poor little bofom?-Thou haft hit, perhaps, upon fome melancholy page of life, and turned down the leaf to ruminate on it.-Who meets not with

immense work of creation, is continually raising up others, who have breasts that glow with virtuous fentiments, where congenial hearts may fecurely repofe.

Believe me, MARIANNE, it hath only been by viewing events on the favourable fide, that I have myself borne fo well the buffets of fortune.For I have alfo, among my own family pictures, fome abominable originals, and fuch terrible, strong likenesfes too, that out of humanity, I keep a curtain over them.

-I verily think, in the difpofition I then was, that to divert her ideas, I should have pulled it a little afide, to have given her a peep at one, or two of them,—had we not been interrupted by three or four ladies of our acquaintance, who were come up with their glaffes

glaffes in their hands, to take a view of the new-arrived INDIA-MEN, and immediately joined us at our bench.I believe MARIANNE wifhed them, just at this time, any where else;-but they faved me the pain of uncovering a fingle portrait, and fully answered the fame purpose:-For among the many advantages that attend perfect good-breeding, there is one, that hath never been enumerated, though far from being the least;—and that is, the relief which the mind, when under any depreffion, receives upon the fudden intrufion of company, by finding itself compelled to bestow on another, that attention, which would otherwise be rivetted to its own fituation.

one !-The fimplicity of his character, made him daily meet with fome fancied diftrefs, which, to another, who was more hackneyed in the ways of mankind, would only have paffed among the common occurrences of life;-though, to fay truth, nothing fat long on his mind; a deep figh or two blew off the load, and a whistle, or a fong, which foon followed, obliterated every trace of its weight. It chanced, however, that I got to my lodgings foon after his return from the INDIA-MAN, and before either the figh, or the tune was come to his aid, or had effaced the firft impreffion of his prefent grievance ; which was fufficiently apparent in LA PIERRE'S Countenance, that was at all times an index to his bofom, and like a well-printed fhop-bill, notified

every