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The breeze kept steadily on its course, and, when the sun arose, the small fishing-boats were fluttering about, like butterflies, in the mouth of the Tweed-that sweet river, to cross which is so often more important than the passage of the Styx itself. Each object upon the water and the land was glittering through a mist of crimson. The flocks of divers and seamews were pursuing their wildest evolutions, and screaming with joy; and shoals of bright meteors were rippling the clear wave around us, all sportive as the dolphins of Arion. There was not a monster, from man to mullet, which did not concur with me that such a morning as this was made on purpose to be married in. The plunge of our anchor vibrated perceptibly on my beauty's bosom — the blood leaped into her blooming cheeks; and, as I helped her into the boat, her pretty hand throbbed like a bird in a trap.

“I dare not think of what I am doing," she whispered. "I could not if I would-my wits are in such a terrible tangle, that I have not a needle-full for service. Only tell me that you will not judge harshly of your poor prisoner,

and remember that had I not been taken by surprise, I might not have been taken at all.”

"Do you not love me then, Titania ?"

"I have not had time to consider-I will do my best."

"And, as I live, the pains you have spared me in winning you shall be religiously employed in teaching you not to repent it."

Titania and I were, and are, and are likely to be twenty years hence-married. As soon after this deliberate event as the thought occurred to us, we procured a frank to communicate the intelligence to our honoured uncle, with violent aspirations after his pardon and presence, which could both be conveyed at the same time, expense free, by the "Water Lily." The temptation of following the prescription of his physicians, gratis, completely overpowered his displeasure, though, it will be naturally supposed, he felt pretty strongly at being robbed of an extravagant rebel, who spoilt her stockings, and laughed at him. His voyage and its effects were charming, and the good man tendered his hand to us as readily as a doctor for his fee. The remedy, which I had

not time to propose on our first meeting, was applied copiously; and though I never could open his heart sufficiently for a penny to slip through to a beggar, I had the satisfaction of banishing, in less than a fortnight, all pains and elixirs, saving those of the gout and the grape. Since that time he has gratified me by being extremely constant in his periodical consultations, and has stipulated to pay me all my fees in one, when my engagement, to keep him well as long as he lives, is concluded. To sum up my great good fortune (though he still thinks the packet, or the stage-coach, would have answered our purpose as well as the "Water Lily") he allows that I am by no means a scamp, and that Titania · my sweet, mischievous Titania-has entirely left off flirt

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THE SILENT RIVER.

A Bramatic Sketch.

PERSONS.

LORD RAYLAND.

LUKE.

CALEB.

MARY.

THE SILENT RIVER.

PART I.

SCENE- An extensive marsh; a river winding through it - LUKE and CALEB in a boat, having just drawn in their net.

LUKE. AGAIN successless! Let us toil no more. Caleb. Another cast, good Luke.

Luke.

I' faith, no more.

This ancient river, like the world beyond,

Is toc capricious in its charities,

And hides its treasures most, methinks, from want.
Caleb. (fastening the boat, and coming forward).

Why, then, we'll cease, and rest upon this bank
Of sheltering flags, bedropp'd with flowers of June,
For you are weary. See, your flask is full—

You've tasted nought since daybreak.

Luke.

No hunger.

I have felt

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