⚫ dwindled into an humble nymph-she the Diana, I merely one of her train. But I live in hopes of fome favourable change-fhe feems dancing upon the edge of a precipice; and, if I can conveniently contrive it, fhall not want a little fhove to determine her fate. The filly colonel has not a wifh beyond laying his liberty at her feet: - but the truly spurns the bleffing, for no other reason that I can. discover, than that it may be eafily obtained. She cannot forbear playing off fome airs and graces with Sir Mathew Sanxfey -I think it will do by and by-if she makes a tool of him merely for the pleasure of tormenting one of the fineft fellows in England, why fhould he not be made an inftrument of her punishment?-With your affiftance I am fure I could effect her reduction from this moft arrogant height, to the lowly estate of unavailing mortification but I can do nothing without you. Who could, with any degree of patience, bear bear to be fhouldered out of every one's approbation; even my mother's affection for me is diminifhed fince her introduction into her family; and that by an artifice fo pretty, and fo amiable, that the world either will not, or cannot detect it. The colonel is ever extolling her opennefs and generofity -I have, indeed, been favoured with a fpecimen of each-for fhe has not fcrupled openly to ridicule my drefs, my behaviour, and, as I have been informed, generously laments, in my abfence, the weakness of my understanding, and the pernicious effects of my mother's ill-judged indulgence. Sir Mathew and this incomparable one have for fome time been upon fuch good terms, that the poor flighted foldier has been forced to feek quarter from a less hoftile party you know my folly, nor fhall I ever conquer it and as it is my misfortune to be the prey of a hopeless paffion, paffion, I own it is a great fupport to my pride, that the object sufficiently justifies the partiality he has infpired. Had I the fame power over him that he has been pleased to inveft this lady with-how differently I fhould exercife it bút this is idle prattle yet you have often flattered me that he does not dislike me, notwithftanding the many flights I have sustained; and that half the uneafiness I have fuffered, has been owing to my own petulance, that would not fuffer me to wait a favourable turn, without playing off some flirting airs, that inftead of anfwering the defired purpose, have only drawn upon me additional neglect: therefore, who knows, if I could have followed your advice, and this all-conquering beauty had not been caft in his way, what effect time, a good fortune, and fome other advantages might have produced, notwithstanding his too natural infenfibility; at least I had not forfeited that fupport of the wretched - a ray of hope which her prefence totally ob obfcures. Self-preservation incites me to remove her and removed fhe fhall be or I will die in the attempt. I conjure you, my dear friend, to destroy this evidence of my folly - you have hitherto been faithful to me forfake me not at this trying juncture — but permit me to pour my grievance into your bofom. LET LETTER XV. Mifs PITTBOROUGH to Mifs NANCY PITTBOROUGH. T is impoffible I fhould be mistaken! Kitty, the felf-fufficient Kitty, is most certainly fmitten with this man of valour -he cannot furely-but the fuppofition is odious I have already obferved that she is not, even what nature intended her, agreeable and I know the colonel to be an utter enemy to every fpecies of affectation. Yet I own it teazes me to fee him fo affiduous, as the flirting girl has now and then the art to render him—and I fear the perceives it, as I have detected her cafting |