genius, or he would not be such a friend of Mr. Granville."

"Granville patronizes him, I believe, at Oxford."

"I do not think that is a word to apply to Mr. De Clifford," replied Bertha; "he is at least a gentleman, and of very ancient birth."

Sir Harry looked grave, and replied, "He is at least fortunate in having your good word, Miss Hastings."

"That will be of little advantage to him," answered she, in rather a hurried tone. "But I feel quite recovered, and if you please we will stand up."

Sir Harry bowed, and observed, before they moved away,

"Be assured, Miss Hastings, I meant to do any thing but disparage Mr. De Clifford, whose birth and talents I am aware of, as well as the inequality of his fortune to the former prosperity of his family. I should be glad to make his acquaintance."

"It would not disgrace you," said Bertha ; and they rejoined the dancers.

Indefinite, slight, and transitory as this was in itself, to me it was all interesting, and gave me subject for rumination the whole night. Having followed, therefore, the speakers with my eye till I lost them in the crowd, and there seemed no chance of seeing them again, Iresolved to retire, which I did, full of a thousand vague and indeterminate thoughts. For though to the conversation I had heard nothing important seemed to attach, to me it was attended with an indescribable effect. I turned it every possible way, I ran over it

twenty times in the night, and it was, on the whole, pleasing, though I could not exactly tell why. All that I knew was, that though I feared Sir Harry, I could not help respecting him, and that to Bertha I felt bound more than ever.

The next morning opened very different matters. True to my breakfast appointment with Granville, I hoped to hear much from him, though I knew not what; for, as I had seen him with the party the preceding evening, I was sure every thing would be interesting that he had to tell.

He began by rallying me on the impression which what he called my spouting had made the day before, on the ladies in the walk. My heart immediately beat high, and I panted to hear something of Bertha. Alas! it sunk into very ordinary beating when he could only cite Mrs. Mansell and her daughter as having made any remark.

"Yet," said I, "Miss Hastings seemed quite as much impressed."

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"O! yes, no doubt of it, only she did not happen to mention it as the others did."

My hope immediately fell.

"Except, indeed," added he, "to join with them in feeling sure you were the author of the lines."

"Well, I care not," said I; "the mistress addressed was, as you say, merely ideal."

"So I told them," said Granville.

"And how came you," cried I, "to tell them what you certainly did not know ?"

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Beg pardon," said he, “I did not think it was of

any consequence; but I will certainly rectify the mistake by telling them that, though without hope, you are really and desperately in love."

"Not for the world," I exclaimed.

"Some Oxford queen, perhaps," said he.

66 Nothing so little likely; besides, I only wrote the lines three days ago, on the side of the brook.”

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"O! I understand you," said he; "it is a York mistress, then, or a mistress at York, that inspired you," and he looked very significantly. "But our

tea and toast are getting cold."

Now these few words had deprived me of all appetite. I feared my secret was discovered, and could not eat a bit. He perceived it, for his observation in these matters was keen, and his own romantic disposition made him alive to mine. As he really, therefore, felt an interest about me, he would not let the subject drop, but rushed, indeed, at once to the point.

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'My dear Hugh," said he (for so he had used to call me at Oxford), "I wanted not this eagerness of yours to discover what you are ill able to concealthat you are caught by the sweet beauty, and sweeter character, of my pretty kinswoman, and that your stanzas, and the romantic devotion of hopeless love which you professed yesterday, all took their birth from her."

This sudden attack confounded me, so that I had not a word to reply, and I looked the disconcerted thing I felt. But I was still more alarmed when he continued:

"My real regard for you, added to what I think my knowledge of what your heart, if seriously moved, will make you suffer, would cause me to fear for this discovery, if I did not hope that it was the mere fleeting admiration of an hour; such a one as I own I myself, at your age, have felt without mischief, and such, I trust, it will be with you.”

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Supposing your surmise true," said I, not a little confused," may I ask your reason for your fear of the one, or your hope of the other?"

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Simply because I think you much too good a fellow to encounter the certain shipwreck of your happiness, as well as of all your prospects in life. This will indubitably attend your perseverance in an inclination (I will not yet call it a passion) which never can succeed."

Observing I looked in consternation, perhaps annoyed, he went on with increased earnestness, but also with an increased kindness of tone:

"If you think I am taking too great a liberty, I have done. If you think me only a friend, anxious for your welfare, you will open yourself freely to one who, though still young enough to know what a warmhearted youth can feel for such a creature as Bertha, has ten years more of experience than you, and may therefore not be despised."

"You think then," said I, in a tone less dogged than I was at first inclined to be, "that Bertha might at least justify the passion you suppose me to feel ?”

"First tell me," returned he, " whether I am right. But, whether right or wrong, I am free to say, that I

think Bertha might justify any warmth of attachment which any person, prince or peasant, might feel; and so, perhaps, Sir Harry Melford has for some time thought."

My heart sickened at the intimation. Alas! thought I, they are engaged. I gave a deep sigh, and mournfully said, “ I at least understand and thank you now, for cautioning me so kindly. As a relation, they have confided to you that Sir Harry and Miss Hastings are betrothed. Believe me, I am glad-very glad.”

And so I was; for, heavy as it weighed upon me, a gleam of common sense opening to my mind, I thought this the likeliest of all things, by putting an end to all possibility of prospect, to put an end to all my illusions. I was therefore almost sorry to be brought back again into the region of doubt and doating, by Granville's saying, "Sir Harry has attractions, and I wish, for his sake-indeed, for both your sakes-that your fears were founded. But whatever his wishes, they are at least not yet accomplished ; the pretty Bertha says her hour is not come."

My heart danced at this, yet I was a fool for allowing it to do so; for what could it do, but plunge me deeper in uncertainty and despair.

"Am I to understand, then," said I," that Sir Harry has offered and been refused ?”

"Not refused; yet not accepted. In the first place, her only feeling is that of surprise at any one thinking her (being so young) a subject for a proposal of marriage. She says, gaily and truly, that at present she is married to papa. In the next place, a confession