apparent of a baronet, led Mr. Sealand to repent his haste in admitting the addresses of Mr. Myrtle; and, on finding Sir John Bevil eagerly desirous for the match, he resolved to waive all considerations, and dismiss Myrtle without ceremony: Mrs. Sealand also readily agreed to the proposal of discarding Mr. Myrtle, but then she had her own motives for so doing. She was a pedant, and in her affectation of learning and singularity, placed every social and tender feeling out of her system; and she was the dupe of her cousin, a formal, pedantic, philo sophical coxcomb, a ridiculous compound of vanity, and weakness; with learning enough, to make a fool of such a woman as Mrs. Sealand; yet so deficient in the essentials of learning, that a schoolboy of twelve years of age might have perplexed him, on any subject. The strongest feature of this man's character was avarice; and having obtained an entire influence over the mind of the mother, he aimed at a marriage with the daughter, the sole heiress of her father's wealth. In short, this heavy learned fop contrived to inspire Mrs. Sealand with so much admiration of his high and lofty qualities, that sho thought herself honoured by his condescension in receiving her daughter's hand, and fortune. In the mean time the poor girl's affections were not taken into the slightest consideration by either party; and she was compelled in one case to listen to the conversation of Cimberton and her mother, and hear herself depreciated; as a being of such insignificance, that she was only taken, as a thing of course, an incumbrance on the estate, of which he was as matter of absolute favour, to become master; till sick at the insolence of Cimberton, and folly of her infatuated mother, she would sometimes flounce out of the room, at other times be ordered to retire.

Lucinda was very unhappy; loving and beloved by Myrtle, yet separated from him; alternately ex

posed to the addresses of Devil, and Cimberton; hurt at the cruelty of her father, and disgusted at the credulity of her mother; yet fearful of offending either, she yielded a sort of tacit obedience to both; repining at her situation, yet not having courage to confess herself dissatisfied, hoping like Bevil that circumstances would interfere to save her. She thus put a sort of cheat both on Bevil and her parents, from an idea of the necessity of obedience on the one hand, and a timid fear of exciting anger against ber, on the other. She had heard of the Indian lady at the masquerade, and hoped that Bevil would refuse her at last; while Bevil, who knew her love for Myrtle, every hour indulged himself with the hope of her refusal, to save him the pain of displeas ing his worthy father.

Thus were they all situated, deceiving themselves and each other; while the two beings most to be pitied, and whose conduct was most free from blame, were Mr. Myrtle, and the lovely incognita, the fair Indiana. Mr. Myrtle and Mr. Bevil were intimate friends; had been school-mates, and their confidence was mutual: yet this confidence was in some measure broken in upon, by the projected marriage at Bevil and Lucinda. Myrtle knew that Bevil had

an attachment, but was ignorant of its nature'; and as the time of the proposed nuptials drew near, his mind became inflamed by jealousy. Viewing his mistress with the eyes of a lover, he could scarce admit the possibility of Bevil beholding her with indifference, and began to suspect that he was imposed upon; that Bevil's addresses to Lucinda were serious; that she would become his wife; and that her peace of mind must thus be sacrificed to a man, whose affections were, and would remain engagedwhose mistress would engross his time and attention, while Lucinda would be a neglected wife!

These ideas inflamed him to madness; and having heard from Bevil's servant, that he had been the bearer of a letter secretly to Lucinda, and had as secretly received her reply, he formed innumerable and improbable conjectures from this common place circumstance; discarded all belief in the truth of Bevil's professions of friendship for him; and, guided by his impetuosity, in defiance of his reason and judgment, seut a challenge. Bevil was hurt; but, feeling sympathy for his sorrow, he resolved to bear with his irritation.

With this laudable resolution he met his jealous friend, who could not easily be appeased, but treated Bevil's coolness with contempt; saying it was a mean subterfuge to save his life, which he was desirous to preserve; having a convenient friend for his hours of dailiance; whose extravagance he would uphold out of the fortune of his wife, the lovely and betrayed Lucinda! Bevil's temper could hardly sustain this double attack upon his own honour, and In the imthe reputation of his beloved Indiana.

petuosity of the moment, he rung, and ordered a coach; but his servant Tom, whom Myrtle had questioned respecting the letter, imagining himself the cause of this quarrel between his master and kim, and alarmed for the result, entreated them to

take time for consideration. Bevil offended, peremptorily ordered him to quit the room, but his hint that he should take time for consideration," was not lost-the instrument was humble, yet Bevil did not disdain to hear the voice of reason and reflection, though from a lowly mouth. He therefore thought it better to submit the letter of Lucinda to the perusal of Myrtle, though in so doing he transgressed her commands; but of the two evils, he chose the least it was surely better to disobey a alight injunction on the part of Lucinda, than hazard the life of the man she loved as well as his own, in a mistaken quarrel.

:

Myrtle, whose good sense whispered to him he had been too violent-that he was perhaps unjustand that he had no cause to doubt the sincerity of his friend, was not merely ready, but even anxious to listen to any explanation which Bevil might have to offer and when he presented Lucinda's letter, containing an expression of acknowledgment for his assurance of wishing to decline a marriage with her, and an earnest hope that Mr. Myrtle would find some means to extricate her out of her present dilemma, he was ready to sink with shame and confusion; instantly offering every suitable apology to

Bevil, who willingly pardoned an offence resulting from the fervour of love; and their former friendship thus re-established, they were the better able to as sist each other in plans for future comfort and happiness.

Mr. Sealand's positive commands put a stop to the marriage proceeding at present and he determined to wait till he could gain certain information respecting the masquerade adventure; yet how that information should be obtained, was a difficulty. Sir John Bevil was entirely ignorant; he placed a firm reliance on the honour of his son, but the favourable opinion of a doating parent was not a testimony to be depended upon and Bevil himself, he could not with propriety question; as it would be assuming an authority before he had a privilege, and from which the young man would most likely revolt, thus occasioning an everlasting breach. An application, to the lady herself, appeared therefore the most feasible plan; but how to obtain her address was a difficulty.

He next sought an interview with honest Humphrey, who was equally the friend of father and son. and had rather a difficult task to perform, in acting with faith to both-yet not showing any particular partiality to either.

Humphrey knew of the Indian lady, but he knew not the precise nature of his master's engagements with her; he knew that he loved her, that he earnestly wished to marry her, but that he feared to offend his father by asking his permission, she being an unknown orphan, without fortune; and, though from her very helplessness, she was thus endeared to Bevil, yet that might not have influence on his father, when opposed against a splendid fortune, and a union in the family of a friend he valued. Humphrey was faithful to his young master, because he had promised him he would be so; but he