You may hear one woman traduce another, with all the virulence, to use a masculine phrase, of her sex. A man (with such rancour as no expreffions can give you an idea of ) shall profeffedly profecute and perfecute his congenial mortal; yet fhould you enquire into the merits of either the male or female cause, or the parties connexions, twenty to one but you found the provocation a trifle, and the traduced and profecuted wretch, the father, brother, fifter, or mother of the traducer and profecutor: who, upon fuch an occafion (a ftranger in particular), could forbear crying out, oh! oh! these are persons among whom I must be greatly upon my guard; for if they are capable of treating their own flesh and blood fo mercilessly, what have not I to apprehend?

But, prefumptuous prating girl, how dare you prefume to cenfure and lash mankind? you who are, at this juncture,

as

as it were, merely dropped from the clouds, unknowing as unknown, talk of degeneracy: - look to yourself; your pasfions are ftrong, your reafon as yet in its cradle; how do you expect to ftem the great torrent with security? blinded by felf-love, mifled by felf-wifdom (and naturally fond of every species of gaiety) undone take care we may not add

mention

-

by felf-confidence: pertnefs, vanity, and youth, are dangerous companions, not to Nay, Nancy, none of your severity; furely in the second person one might have faid a civil thing: - but your over-fqueamishness has thrown me out of my train,

I am, moft certainly, at prefent furFounded with bewitching fnares; a fplendid habitation, numerous retinue, with every other elegance the ambitious figh for, are provided for my accommodation : my neat rural habiliments are to be ex

changed for all the luxury of fashion and expenfive adornments.

Methinks it is pity though to renounce the little prim air I was wont to assume. — Six thousand pounds would, indeed, have enabled as well as authorized me to flutter before this late period, had not our prudent mother (perceiving the wild bent, I prefume, of her younger daughter's inclination) intended our quaker-like appearance for a curb-bridle : but here am I a living proof how little internals are affected by externals. Had the been continued to us, I fhould not even now have been permitted to launch at large; and yet you cannot deny but I have the experience of full eighteen winters to boast of. How unaccountable her averfion to public life! how happily correspondent her spouse's inclination by mutual confent the good fouls buried themselves in gloom and folitude, from the fecond year of their union,

when

when life was in its gayeft prime, except, indeed, a grand annual excurfion to our neighbouring city; from whence, as I have been informed, they conftantly returned rather disgusted than amused. — Is it poffible, Nancy, that I derived my origin from fuch a pair ?

My trades-people have juft brought home my gay trappings, and most enchantingly elegant they are. -How impatiently fhall I wait the arrival of that ftated period for being drawn forth. Great bodies, my demure fifter, you will please to obferve, moft invariably move by rule; little ones, perhaps, by reafon.

L

You remember De la Fontaine's fhepherd.-I fhall only reverse the scene. He, upon receiving disgust at court, most pathetically welcomes his ruftic garb, that had been exchanged by his prince for a pompous robe but it is my intention to B 4

caft

caft off the fimple country lass with suit

able feelings.

Adieu (my eyes languishing in unison with my expreffions) ye humble long-accuftomed garments! my round-eared caps, &c, &c. oh! adieu!-Adieu the pleasures

I

was wont to taste unruffled as unruffling! -Adieu much valued spot of my nativity and childish fports !- Adieu that foft, that ruftic-like repofe, derived from sober hours! But above all, adieu, a thousand times adieu, my dear, dear Nancy! I am compelled to yield myself a captive to unweildy affluence, and difgufting ceremony?

What will, alas! become of my poor head, or poorer heart, in this wilderness of folly, I am unable to conjecture - except with regard to the article of affection for you; where, and where only, it will eyer remain immutable.

LET