This was a stroke upon which I had never once calculated, and my astonishment was awful. Barbara then was not in love with me after all, and the concern which I had felt for her blighted affections was altogether erroneous ! I had made the proposal to be revenged on Lady Betty, and my disappointment had completely turned the tables upon me. Instead of bringing her to shame, I was ashamed of myself, and my mortification made me feel as though she had heaped a new injury upon me. What I said upon the occasion I cannot precisely remember, and if I could, I doubt whether my reader would be able to make head or tail of it. I concluded, however, with my compliments to the lady-mother, and an urgent necessity to decamp. Barbara knew not whether she ought to laugh or to cry. I gave her no time to recover herself, for Betty would be home presently, and it was material to be off before they had an opportunity of comparing notes. In three minutes I was mounted on my horse, and again ruminating on the various advantages of hanging, drowning, and shooting.

I thought I had got clear off, but at the end of the lawn I was fated to encounter the be-witching smile of Lady Betty on her return from the village. Her words were brimming with tenderness, and her delight to be rid of that odious Lord S- was beyond measure. It had quite restored her to health, she was able to recommence her rides, and would order the donkey to be got ready immediately.

So, then, it appeared that the drive to the charity-school had not answered the purpose after all, and I was to be the locum tenens of Lady Betty's affections till the arrival of a new acquaintance. I know not whether my constitution is different from that of other people. A pretty face is certainly a terrible criterion of a man's resolution; but, for the honour of manhood, I contrived for once to be superior to its fascinations. To adhere strictly to truth, I must confess, however humiliating the confession may be, that this dignified behaviour was very materially sustained by the transactions with Lady Barbara, for the consequence of whose communications there was no answering. I declined the donkey ride, looked a most

explanatory look of reproach, and declared my necessity of returning to town. Lady Betty was amazed remonstrated intreatedlooked like an angel-and finally put her handkerchief to her eyes.

There was no standing this. "I go," said I, "I go, because it is proper to quit whenever my presence becomes troublesome-I will not oblige you to put me on the shelf-I will not be too encroaching upon your temperate regard

Heigh-heigh-ho!" With that I plunged the spurs into my steed, and vanished at full gallop.

It was long before I heard anything more of Oakenshade or its inhabitants. In the middle of the following December I received a piece of wedding-cake from the gentle Barbara, and in the same packet a letter from Lady Betty.

She had written instead of mamma, who was troubled with a gouty affection in the hand. She spoke much (and I have no doubt sincerely) of the cruel separation from her sister. Touched feelingly upon the happiness of the time I had spent at Oakenshade, and trusted

she might venture to claim a week of me at Christmas. She was truly sorry that she had no inducement to hold out beyond the satisfaction of communicating happiness, which she knew was always a paramount feeling with me. She was all alone, and wretched in the long evenings when mamma went to sleep; and reverted plaintively and prettily to the little study and the ghost stories. As for the lilac pocketbook, she had cast up her follies and misdemeanors, and found the total, even before the end of the year, so brimfull of shame and re- = pentance, that she had indignantly thrown it into the fire, trusting to my kindness to give her another with fresh advice.

Dear Lady Betty! my resentment was long gone by-I had long felt a conviction that her little follies were blameless, and not at all uncommon; and I vow that had her happiness depended upon me, I would have done anything to ensure it. I was obliged, however, to send an excuse for the present, for I had only been married a week.

INSURANCE AND ASSURANCE.

Bernardine,-I have been drinking hard all night, and will have more time to prepare me, or they shall beat out my brains with billets. I will not consent to die this day, that's certain.

Duke.-Oh, Sir, you must; and therefore I beseech you look forward on the journey you shall go.

Bernardine,-I swear I will not die to-day for any man's persuasion,

Measure for Measure.

"IT is inconceivable to the virtuous and praiseworthy part of the world, who have been born and bred to respectable idleness, what terrible straits are the lot of those scandalous rogues whom Fortune has left to shift for themselves!"

Such was my feeling ejaculation when, full of penitence for the sin of urgent necessity, I wended my way to the attorney who had swept

VOL. I.

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