to her happiness; but, alas! my angel niece had almost immediate cause to repent her ill-starred marriage. My sainted sister did not long survive the catastrophe, and Amelia never can see, without feelings of the deepest indignation, the destroyer of her sister, to whom he does not even allow the consolation which the society of her little girl might afford her."

"What!" exclaime Julia, with irrepressible curiosity," Mrs. Lascelles lives then, but they are parted?"

Miss Ravenshawe looked as if she had said more than she intended, blushed, bridled, and at length laconically replied"Yes, they are parted."

Here she seemed inclined to drop the subject, but it was now Julia's turn to be inquisitive." At least, madam," she said, "I am told Mr. Lascelles owes his preferment in the church to his merit, and the admiration which lord Rothbury, the patron of his living, felt (though personally unknown to him) upon the perusal of some K 2 lectures

lectures of his, which had obtained the prize at college."

"No such thing, ma'am," resumed Miss Ravenshawe; "lord Rothbury is just such another as himself, and it was an old college friendship. I only thought it right to warn you-I thought it right to warn you, Miss Somerville, but should not be in the least surprised if my good intentions were misunderstood. Mr. Lascelles is an artful pleader, and has a tongue would wheedle with the devil."

6

As she pronounced these words, the usually sedate, dignified Miss Ravenshawe became animated, her eyes flashed fire, her voice once more rose into a scream; and to give her denunciation more effect, she unconsciously rose in her seat, and struck both her hands forcibly upon the table.

She would now have entered into some commonplace chat, but Julia had had enough for that day; so, after a few faint and constrained efforts to support a lan

guid conversation, Miss Ravenshawe's footman was summoned, and the stately lady took leave. Her departure was to Julia like the removal of a horrible nightmare, but it was a nightmare that left an inconceivable oppression behind. And was it possible?-was the character of worth, of candour, and magnanimity, so indelibly written on that fine countenance, deceitful? Julia felt ready, with Miranda, to exclaim

"There's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple;
If the ill spirit have so fair a house,

Good things will strive to dwell with't."

And, after all, of what did Miss Ravenshawe complain? That a girl of sixteen had found Mr. Lascelles agreeable, and that he, on his part, had not been able to resist "an angel;" for as such she had repeatedly characterized her niece.

Aye, but facts-painful facts!-the suc ceeding part of the story. What could she say to his want of worth, so repeatedly and positively asserted?-Nothing, but

that she felt it impossible to believe guilt could reside with or around him.

Notwithstanding Miss Ravenshawe's vehemence, she had failed to produce cómplete conviction; enough, however, remained on Julia's mind greatly to alter her opinion of Mr. Lascelles; while the discovery that he was a married man, though parted from his wife (a circumstance so uncommon in a clergyman, and in the country), made her determine to avoid the least appearance of intimacy with him, except in the presence of her brother.

That beloved brother, on his return home, soon perceived something had happened to disconcert his little Julia. He affectionately asked if she had had any visitors during his absence.

"None of any consequence. Miss Birkit, Miss Nelthorpe-Miss (the worst always comes last) Miss Ravenshawe-"

8

"Miss Ravenshawe she's a wonderfully-entertaining personage; I hope the

cat

cat has not been saying any thing to vex or teaze my Julia."

"No, indeed; but she was abusing the neighbourhood, I believe, and I don't like to hear people abused-that's all."

66

All, my Julia! 'tis enough to make your actual existence perfectly miserable. If you don't resolve to be without eyes, ears, or understanding, whenever the conduct of your neighbours is concerned, those senses and that understanding will be in danger of being perpetually offended, by the tissue of malice and folly presented to them; and believe me, of all those minor plagues of life, the completest repertory is a country town."