Not to arise from such an observing

by-stander as my brother.'

MISS GR.

SIR CH.

Conscious, Charlotte!'

May be not-'

May be, is doubtful: may be no, im

plies may be yes."

LADY L. You have made Charlotte uneasy: indeed, brother, you have. The poor girl has been harping upon this string ever since you have been gone.'

SIR CH. I am sorry what I said pressed so hard-Do you, Lady L. if this delinquency comes to trial, offer yourself as an advocate for Charlotte? LADY L. I know not any act of delinquency she has committed.'

SIR CH. The act of delinquency is this-Shall I, Charlotte, explain myself?"

MISS GR.Teasing man! How can you-' Mr. Grandison rubbed his hands and rejoiced. Miss Grandison was nettled. She gave Mr. Grandison such a look!-I never saw such a contemptuous one- -Pray, sir, do you withdraw, if you please.'

MR. GR.

Not I, by the mass! Are you afraid of a trial in open court? O-ho, cousin Charlotte !—' Have I not a cruel brother, Miss

MISS GR.

Byron?'

LORD L. Our sister Charlotte really suffers, Sir Charles.'

SIR CH. I am sorry for it. The innocent should not suffer. We will drop the cause.' LADY L. Worse and worse, brother.'

SIR CH. How so, Lady L.? Is not Charlotte innocent?'

DR. BARTLETT. ‘If an advocate be required, and you, Sir Charles, are judge, and not a pleader in this cause, I offer myself to Miss Grandison.'

SIR CH. A very powerful one she will then have. You think her cause a just one, doctor, by your offer.-Will you, Charlotte, give Dr. Bartlett a brief? Or have you given him one?'

DR. BART. 'I have no doubt of the justice of the cause.'

SIR CH. 'Nor of the justice of the accuser, I hope. I cannot be a judge in it.'

LADY L. Nay, then!-Poor Charlotte!'

MISS GR. 'I wish cousin Grandison, you would withdraw.'

MR. GR. 'I wish, cousin Charlotte, you would not wish it.'

MISS GR. But are you serious, brother?'

6

SIR CH. Let us call another cause, sister, if you please.-Pray, my lord, what visiters have you had since I had the honour to attend you?' MISS GR.Nay, brother-Don't think—' SIR CH. 'Be QUIET, Charlotte.'

LADY L. Your own words, sister?-But we had a visit from Lady Anne S. yesterday.'

[I am glad to hear Lady L. say this. But nothing came of it.]

SIR CH.

"You have seen Lady Anne more than once, my Emily: How do you like Lady Anne?'

MISS EMILY. Very well, sir. She is a very agreeable lady. Don't you think so, sir?'

SIR CH. I do-But, Charlotte, (and looked tenderly upon her) I must not have you uneasy.'

She sat vexed-her complexion raised; and playing with a lump of sugar; and sometimes twirling round and round a tea-cup; for the teathings, through earnestness of talking, were not taken away, though the servants were withdrawn. MR. GR. Well, I will leave you together, I

think. Poor cousin Charlotte!-[Rising he tapped her shoulder.] Poor cousin Charlotte! Ha, ha, ha, ha!'

MISS GR. Impertinence!' with a look, the fellow to that she gave him before.

MISS EMILY.

I will withdraw, if you please,

madam,' rising, and curtseying.

Miss Grandison nodded her assent, and Emily withdrew likewise.

Dr. Bartlett offered to do so. Miss Grandison seemed not to disapprove of his motion: but Sir Charles said-The doctor is retained on your part, Charlotte: he must hear the charge. Shall Miss Byron be judge?"

I begged to be excused. The matter began to look like earnest.

MISS GR. (Whispering me.) I wish, Harriet, I had opened my whole heart to you. Your nasty scribbling! Eternally at your pen; or I had.'

Then I began to be afraid for her. 'Dear Miss Grandison!' re-whispered I, 'it was not for me to obtrude-Dear Miss Graudison, my pen should never have interfered, if-'

MISS GR. (Still whispering.) 'One should be courted out of some sort of secrets. One is not very forward to begin some sort of discoursesYet the subjects most in our hearts, perhaps. But don't despise me. You see what an accuser I have: and so generous a one too, that one must half condemn one's self at setting out.'

HARRIET. (Whispering.) Fear nothing, my Charlotte. You are in a brother's hands.'

MISS GR. Well, Sir Charles; and now, if you please, for the charge. But you say you cannot be judge and accuser: who shall be judge?

SIR CH. 'Your own heart, Charlotte. I desire all present to be your advocates, if their judgment

be with you: and if it be not, that they will pity you in silence.'

He looked smilingly serious. 'Good Heaven!' thought I.

MISS GR. Pity me!-Nay, then-' But, pray, sir, your charge?'

SIR CH. The matter is too serious to be spoken of in metaphor.'

MISS GR. 'Good God!-Hem!' and twice more she hemmed- Pray, sir, begin. Begin while I have breath.'

Lord and Lady L. and Dr. Bartlett, and I, looked very grave; and Miss Grandison looked, in general, fretfully humble, if I may so express myself: and every thing being removed, but the table, she played with her diamond ring; sometimes pulling it off and putting it on; sometimes putting the tip of her finger in it, as it lay upon the table, and turning it round and round, swifter or slower, and stopping through downcast vexation, or earrest attention, as she found herself more or less affected-What a sweet confusion!

SIR CH. 'You know, my dear Charlotte, that I, very early after my arrival, inquired after the state of your heart. You told me it was absolutely free.'

SIR CH. Not satisfied with your own acknowledgment; as I know that young ladies are too apt to make secrets of a passion that is not in itself illaudable [I know not why, when proper persons make inquiries, and for motives not ungenerous;] I asked your elder sister, who scrupled not to own hers, whether there were any one man whom you preferred to another?— -She assured me, that she knew not of any one.' LADY L.

My sister knows I said truth.'

MISS GR. your veracity.' SIR CH.

Well, well, Lady L. nobody doubts

Dear Charlotte, keep your temper. MISS GR.Pray, sir, proceed' And the ring turned round very fast.

SIR CH. On several occasions I put the same question, and had the same assurances. My reason for repeating my question, was owing to an early intelligence Of which mo:e by-and-by.'

MISS GR.

Sir!"

SIR CH. And that I might either provide the money that was due to her as my sister, or take time to pay it, according to the circumstances of her engagement; and take from her all apprehensions of control, in case that might affect the happiness of her life-These, and brotherly love, were the motives of my inquiry.'

MISS GR. example.'

Your generosity, sir, was without

SIR CH. Not so, I hope. My sisters had an equitable, if not a legal, right to what has been done. I found, on looking into my affairs, that, by a moderate calculation of the family circumstances, no man should think of addressing a daughter of Sir Thomas Grandison, without supposing himself entitled, either by his merits or fortune, to expect 10,000l. with her-And this, even allowing to the son the customary preferences given to men as men; though given for the sake of pride, perhaps, rather than natural justice. For does not tyrant custom make a daughter change her name in marriage, and give to a son, for the sake of name only, the estate of the common an. cestor of both?"

This generous hint affected me. my own case, you know. I might been a rich heiress, and might have

It was nearly otherwise have had as strong