Perhaps I judged wrong in sending you her letter. But as you had frequently seen, and were, in some degree, acquainted with the gentleman, and, as I expected that, at all events, you would have opportunities of knowing him still better in the course of the visits he proposed making to you, I thought your judgment would not be misled by the awkward light in which he is put by my old friend in her letter to me. Instead of making extracts, therefore, I sent you the original.-This might have convinced you that I meant to leave you to your own reflections, without wishing to attempt persuasion.

Be assured, my dear, that I never shall endeavour to persuade you to marry a man you do not like; but knowing that Mr. Carelton was a gentleman much respected in the county, on account of his family, fortune, and benevolent character, I thought it highly proper that you should have allowed yourself to be more fully acquainted with him before you should come to the decision of rejecting his suit.

Though I never shall wish you to marry a man you dislike, yet I am not so fully certain, my dear Horatia, that I may not wish you to dislike some man whom you may have an inclination to marry.-You are wrong in thinking I am disposed to push you into the arms of a dunce on purpose to secure you from falling into those of a libertine. I hope you will fall into the hands of neither. But I acknowledge that it is my decided opinion that you would have opportunities of doing more good, and would be a happier woman, on the whole, as the wife of a man of the character of Mr. Carelton, than by being married to a man of brighter talents, looser principles, and less benevolence.

I am sufficiently acquainted with your turn of mind, to know that you are not to be bribed into matrimony by fortune or by rank; but I do think, my dearest Horatia, that there is a possibility of your being allured into it by qualities in a man, which give as little security for a wife's happiness as either fortune or rank; and it would be easy for me to give you the history of women married to men

of bright talents and acknowledged wit, who have been rendered fully as unhappy by marriage as your friend Fanny Faukener. This consideration, my dear, may make those who are solicitous for your welfare wish, that, instead of becoming the wife of a brilliant man of this kind, you were united to a respectable man, of a disposition and fortune to allow your beneficent and generous mind free scope,

I have heard again from the marchioness: she seems highly delighted with what she has seen of the country of England; she is greatly struck with the high cultivation, the pleasing variety, and smiling verdure of the fields. This is often the case with French people. But I never met with one of them who did not think London un triste sejour in comparison with Paris-I mean before the revolution; for, since that period, I should think the latter by much the most mournful abode on earth: yet I am told it is not so. I have heard that the Parisian wo men are more gay and fantastical in their dress than ever; and that the men frisk through the streets, humming cheerful airs, as merrily as before.-Is this credible? Or shall we say, 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,

LETTER LXXXIII.

P. FRANKLIN,

MISS HORATIA CLIFFORD to LADY DIANA FRANKLIN,

London.

AFTER so long an absence, I was most impatient to meet my brother.-A few kind expressions in his letter had effaced the impression which some part of his conduct had left on my mind; I recollected nothing but the agreeable scenes of our childhood, and his striking likeness to my father. On our way to town, I put my uncle and aunt in mind of this resemblance.

My uncle said, he hoped that time and reflection would incline William to endeavour, in all respects, to resemble the excellent man to whom he had so strong a likeness in the features of his countenance,' My aunt, with whom my brother ever was a favourite, added, ‘ that she was sure 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 so full that I could not articulate I pressed 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 sent word to my brother of our arrival. We expected to have seen him that night-he did not come till the following day.

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

Mrs. Demure found her way in, notwithstanding. She made her apology, by saying, she knew we were all at home, and waiting for my brother; that she would withdraw as soon as he arrived; but, in the interval, she hoped we would forgive her impatience to see friends for whom she had so high a value as soon as possible after their return from the country.'

I asked if she had seen my brother, and how he looked, She answered, with a vivacity unusual to her, that she had seen him the preceding night at Lady Deanport's assembly, to which he had been brought by his lordship, with whom he had almost constantly been ever since his arrival; that his appearance was generally admired; and some of the ladies present had pronounced him to be the handsomest man in town.'

• That would not have been the case, perhaps,' said my uncle, if your friend Mr. Mordaunt had been present.'

My friend!' she repeated, with an air of surprise.— ⚫ I cannot conceive, Mr. Darnley, what should make you think Mr. Mordaunt a particular friend of mine.'

• I did not say a particular friend, madam,' replied Mr. Darnley,

Mr. Mordaunt,' resumed she, is, unquestionably, of my acquaintance,'

I meant no more,' said he.- — We are apt to call peo ple's acquaintance their friends, though the people themselves may, perhaps, have reason to think them their enemies.'

"We are so, Mr. Darnley,' replied she, simpering, and with an air of indifference: but the person 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 should think Mr. Clifford still the handsomest. -Would not you, my dear?' added she, looking to me.

I reminded her that I had been in the country or a broad when Mr. Mordaunt was last in town, and had never seen the gentleman.

My aunt said she had seen him; that he was, certainly, both a handsome and an agreeable man: though,' she added, I must confess I am of Mrs. Demure's opinion, that he is not quite so handsome as my nephew.'

6

• Quite so handsome !' exclaimed Mrs. Demure; ' not within a hundred degrees so handsome: nor can he be compared with your nephew, Mr. Darnley, in any respect, either in mind or body.'

• I will not pretend to give any opinion on Mr. Mor, daunt's beauty, after the point has been decided against him by much better judges,' said my uncle, smiling; but I think he is generally allowed to be a man of wit.'

Many a man,' replied Mrs. Demure, who passes for a wit among fools, would be thought a fool among wits." "It is pretty clear,' said my uncle, that the gentleman in question has not had the wit to retain your favourable opinion.'

He could not retain what he never possessed,' replied she, with quickness. Then, turning to my aunt and me,

she added, I cannot conceive how we come to talk so much about a man whom none present have any concern with, when we are in expectation of seeing one in whom we are all so much interested.'

This is not the first time I have remarked that the mention of the name of Mr. Mordaunt seemed to agitate Mrs. Demure. There are particular points on which the most circumspect are thrown off their guard. Mrs. Demure creates a strong suspicion that Mr. Mordaunt is a person who interests her a great deal by her earnest and repeated declarations that he does not interest her at all.

What my uncle said was without any meaning beyond the plain import of his words. He mentioned Mr. Mordaunt merely as a common acquaintance of Mrs. Demure's. I have some reason to believe he thinks somewhat differ, ently now.

Mrs. Demure regretted that my brother was on such an intimate footing with Lord Deanport, who seems to be as little a favourite of hers as Mr. Mordaunt.

I recollect Lord Deanport's having told me that he had met with my brother abroad. He spoke of him in high terms of commendation. The panegyric afforded me small satisfaction, because I had no high opinion either of his lordship's sincerity or judgment.

My brother did not arrive till near one o'clock. He was received by Mr. and Mrs. Darnley in the most affec tionate manner. I need not tell you how I was affected at seeing him. Mrs. Demure did not leave us till a considerable time after his arrival. She then repeated her apology for having intruded at such a moment among near relations; for which, she hoped, her warm regard for all the company would be received as an excuse.

My brother handed her to her carriage-a ceremony I hardly ever saw him perform; but, indeed, he could not well avoid it on the present occasion; for, as she retired, she actually presented her hand to him; and, after she was in the carriage, she continued to speak to him with an air of great satisfaction, and did not order her coachman to drive on till she saw me at the window.