support upon the approbation of a kindred spirit; and though the nature of their in tercourse had been so much changed of late, Geraldine's mind instinctively reverted to the image of lady Louisa Southwell, as to the one who would appreciate and applaud a sacrifice made to honour.

In a letter, longer and less constrained than her former ones had been, Geraldine painted her difficulties, her struggles, and her final success-success, alas! against herself; and when she sent it off, experienced a calm in the idea of lady Louisa's restored good opinion: for the poet, the musician, or the artist, does not turn with more eagerness, from the unenlightened commendation of the multitude, to the discriminating praises of the connoisseur, than does the refined and delicate spirit, to meet the approval of a congenial human heart.

Time passed but dully for Miss Southwell after the above-mentioned interview with O'Melvyl. His duty now summon

ed

ed him frequently to the lodge in the Phoenix Park; and poor Geraldine was obliged to rejoice in any circumstance that prevented her having a fresh dispute with him, on the propriety of intermitting his very pointed and assiduous attentions while her fate remained in suspense. It was during this interval, and while her mind was disposed for any thing but gaiety, that Mrs. Rainsford mentioned that she was commissioned to pass as many tickets as she possibly could, for a concert that was to be given for the benefit of a distressed musician's family."There are very few great people in town," she said," but those who are have been strenuous in their exertions on this occasion; so it would be quite fashionable and proper for us, Miss Southwell, to go, and would, besides, be doing a real act of charity."

As Geraldine, though indifferent to amusement herself, was too good-natured to make any opposition to that of others,

the

the party was soon arranged, and, in the evening, the carriage conveyed them from the Black Rock to the street in Dublin where the performance took place. The first act was nearly over when Geraldine and her chaperon entered a circumstance which highly delighted Mrs. Rainsford, it appeared "so very stylish!"

They had not been accommodated many minutes when Miss Southwell was induced to turn round, by feeling a part of her drapery suddenly and somewhat forcibly pulled from behind her.

At the same moment she was reassured, by a very soft voice, saying, in the accents of civility, tempered by a sweet and mellow southern brogue-" Don't be afear'd, maʼam; I put the tail of my coat between my fut and your coat."

Looking at the smiling speaker, Geraldine saw the widow of the antiquary, Mr. O'Carolan, a lady of whose epistolary talents we have already presented a specimen to our readers. Her language was

no

no less original, and required exactly what she possessed-uncommon beauty, to make her conversation tolerated. But had not the widow O'Carolan been, as she really was, one of the prettiest women in Ireland, to Geraldine she would have appeared so, for with her returned the remembrance of home and of Meadowscourt; and the persons who have recently seen or been visited by those we love, seem, to the eye of affection, invested with a part of their attractions.

The conversation began by Geraldine's good-humouredly assuring the lady that she had caused no inconvenience to her; and Mrs. O'Carolan, who sat on the bench just above her, had indeed, as she said, before she indulged in the convenience of resting her foot on the seat next her, provided against any possible mischief from its contact with an elegant dress, by inserting part of a most unfashionably-long train between herself and Geraldine. Soon the widow attracted the greatest part of

our

our heroine's attention, by mentioning that she had passed some part of her time at sir Charles Southwell's; and as much as they could, between the intervals of the music, they became engaged in a whispered conversation about their mutual friends at Meadowscourt. Geraldine asked Mrs. O'Carolan how she liked the period she had spent on a visit there?

!

"Why, pretty well-pretty well, indeed, ma'am. Lady Louisa, to be sure, was a good deal taken up writing of let ters, and fidgetting, and fretting, and watching the post; and Miss Southwell, I believe, is a consated sort of body; but Miss O'Reilly was exceedingly affable and obliging; and sir Charles!-oh! it's sir Charles Southwell himself has won my warm heart! Pity he isn't matched to a sweeter-tempered lady; for I don't know how it was, the more civil and polite he was, the more stiff and contrary my lady grew, and didn't seem to half-like me; yet sir Charles never paid me a com

pliment