But the measure of his folly was not yet full. A feducing little gipfey, with no pretenfions to beauty, but with a large fhare of cunning, flattered him fo much by making him believe fhe was in a dying condition for him, that he, through mere pity, married her. The moment Mifs Snarewell had fecured her gudgeon, fhe pulled off the mask, and foon convinced him that he had not only married a woman with nothing but a woman deeply in debt, he then, instead of beholding her with eyes of compaffion, (love was out of the question, for no Narciffus can love another perfon,) looked at her with more than difguft, with deteftation, with abhorrence. Viewing her in the most odious light, he treated her with the moft opprobrious language; forgetting, while he loaded her with reproaches for having deceived him, that he had brought the grievance of which he fo loudly complained, upon himself by his own folly. Mrs. Meredith having gained her point by marrying him, was very little concerned about his feelings, in confequence of his disappointment: fhe therefore, anfwered all his vituperative addreffes to her with equal virulence, and fometimes adopted phrases which would have put a Billingsgate water-nymph to the blufh.. Harry, in a few months E e 2 months after this very imprudent marriage, being hard pushed by his wife's creditors, as well as his own, found himself under a neceffity of felling the family eftate, in order to fatisfy their clamorous demands. The conduct of Tom Meredith, upon his father's death, was very different from his brother's. Having while he pursued his ftudies, made fome ufeful friendships, and ftrengthened the credit which his abilities gave him, by the integrity of his life, and the propriety of his whole carriage, he, though a young man, met with much more encouragement than he could have expected. He had not, like his brother a handsome perfon; neither was he, like his brother, a puppy. With regard to their capacities, nature had made a wide difference between them; and Tom, by the diligent cultivation of his natural parts, raised himfelf in the world, in fpite of his unpromifing appearance. By his extenfive knowledge and unblemished character, he made his circumftances, in a few years, perfectly eafy, and, by a prudent alliance, affluent. Tom, who could not feel a cordial affection for a brother by whom he had been grossly infulted when he came to his inheritance, faw him driving faft faft to ruin without pity; he did not, indeed, deserve any pity: and attended to the encrease of his own fortune with redoubled activity. The moment he heard from a friend that Harry was obliged to fell his estate, and had given the neceffary orders to Christie concerning it, he defired that friend to purchase, it in his own name, for him at all events. "I cannot bear the thoughts (faid he) of seeing the estate go out of my family, after having been fuch a number of years in it. Besides, I fhall, by the purchase of it, have an opportunity to triumph in my turn over my brother. I will behave to him as he would, I imagine, behave to me upon a fimilar occafion: he deferves to be. mortified, and he shall be severely mortified," In a fhort time afterwards, Tom took poffeffion of his brother's estate. Harry had met with innumerable mortifications during his right and title to it, but this was the leaft fupportable; he was now more painfully than ever fenfible of the difference between an ugly man of fenfe, and a handfome puppy without brains. ANECDOTE. ANECDOTE. A Correfpondent informs us, that the late pro pofition of a Member of the French Convention, to iffue a decree for the deftruction of WOLVES, &c. reminds him of a converfation at which he happened to be prefent, in New Jersey, foon after the commencement of the troubles which occafioned the rebellion in America. It was at the table of Governor FRANKLIN, fon of the celebrated Doctor FRANKLIN. A foreign gentle-man, one of the company, who was then on a tour through the middle colonies, with the intent of purchafing a plantation, and becoming a fettler, was very inquifitive of the Governor (to whom it feems he had been particularly recommended) refpeating the foil, climate, &c. Among a variety of queftions, he asked, if there were any mifchievous animals in America? which being answered in the affirmative, he then requested to know what they were called, and was told by the Governor (with all the affum'd gravity of a profound naturalift) that thofe fpecies moft diftinguished for their mifchievous qualities were, wolves, foxes and patriots. Not being fufficiently converfant in the English language, to know the meaning of the word patriot, and imagining it was really the name of fome wild beast, beaft, the foreigner defired to be informed of its nature, and what kind of animal it refembled. "Why, Sir," faid the Governor, "his general refemblance, is that of a human creature; he walks on two legs, has the power of occafionally affuming various forms and hues, infomuch that I have known him, the better to inveigle and feize on his defined prey, not only put on the appearance of a man, but even the countenance of an honest man; at which time he is far more dangerous than the rattle-fnake, who always gives previous notice of his malignant intentions. But what, perhaps, Sir, will furprize you more than all, is, that though our wife affemblers have paffed acts in every province, giving a bounty for the destruction of wolves, and foxes and even fquirrels, yet they at the fame time permit the patriots to go at large, and roam throughout the continent without moleftation, notwithstanding they evidently do more mifchief to the inhabitants in one year, than all the other animals could accomplish in an age.” "Hah! hah!" cried the Foreigner," me now understand, I fhall never fee de Wolf, or de Fox, but I fhall tink " of de Patriot, nor de Patriot, without tinking of de Wolf or de Fox." "Mine Got! added he, it is von terrable animal inteed! I tinks I muft co back to mine own country.. |