divine grace, I will endeavour to make some reparation for the offence of which I was last night guilty.'

"The lacquey, in obedience to the request of Frederick, immediately shot into the wood through a winding and obscure path, and having proceeded a considerable time, making his way through brakes and bushes still wet with dew, he conducted Beauclerk at length into a more open part of the forest, where a tree having been felled lay across the glade. There Frederick saw several young men assembled in the costume of the royal hunt; among whom he soon discerned Altamont, who was leaning carelessly against the trunk of the tree before mentioned, and gaily conversing with his companions.

"At sight of Beauclerk he started up from his lounging attitude and stood erect, looking fixedly and insolently upon him as he approached, and scarcely deigning to notice his salutation. The countenance of Altamont bore strong evidence of the disorders of the past night, and it was apparent from the wildness of his eye that he was still under the influence of intoxication.

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"Well, Sir,' said he, addressing Beauclerk, who was now come up close to him, what is your business with me? I am now at leisure to give you a hearing.' My first business,' replied Frederick, calmly, 'is to apologize to you, my Lord, for having yesterday been led by the ardour of my feelings to intrude myself upon you at an inconvenient moment. I am sensible of having acted most improperly in so doing, and not less so in having spoken with so much heat; and I take this the first opportunity which presents itself of making my apology.'

"As the Christian motives which induced Frederick Beauclerk to use the words of humility and apology where those only of defiance were expected, were totally inexplicable to Altamont and his companions, they failed not to attribute his conduct at this crisis to cowardice: insomuch that Altamont drew up his lip with an expression of contempt and scorn, while the young Frenchmen murmured the word 'poltroon' in whispers sufficiently audible to be heard by every individual present. withstanding which provocations, Frederick was enabled to proceed with composure, and to address his brother with an air of unfeigned gentleness-reminding him of

Not

their former friendship, and their near connexion; and earnestly requesting a private interview.

"Is not the present place sufficiently private, Sir?' returned Altamont.

"Frederick made no reply; but looked at the two young noblemen who stood by.

"These gentlemen are my friends,' said Altamont. There is nothing you can say which they may not hear.' If it must be so,' replied Frederick, 'I must then submit to this intrusion, and avail myself of the present opportunity to intreat you, my brother, to return to your country, and to that wife who no doubt perpetually mourns the absence of her husband.'

Altamont replied, with scorn, that he would not allow any interference between himself and his wife. "Frederick pleaded the privilege of a brother. "Altamont answered, that no brother, or other relation, should interfere in his affairs, unless he could prove himself his superior in strength of arm; and thus saying, he laid his hand upon his sword, (for at that period, in France, no gentleman appeared abroad without a sword,) with an air of defiance and insolence, which could not but excite the applause of the by-standers.

"Frederick calmly observed, that he came to reason with a brother, and not to contend with an enemy.

"Altamont told him, that fine-turned periods were but the subterfuge of cowardice, and that religion was a very convenient protection for a man who dared not fight.

"Frederick flushed high upon this, and his hand for a moment rested upon the hilt of his sword; but recollecting himself, he removed it.

"He had now further insults to bear from Altamont and his companions: the end of which was, that he grew warm, and, being thrown off his guard, made use of some expressions which so irritated Altamont, that he angrily drew his sword, compelling him in self-defence to do the same; though his Christian principles still so strongly prevailed, that his weapon was used only in protecting himself, without the least attempt to injure his adversary. The unequal contest however was soon decided; and Altamont had the momentary satisfaction (if satisfaction it were) of seeing his meek and unoffending foe extended bleeding upon the ground,

"On this occasion, however, Altamont shewed that he was not past feeling: for no sooner did he behold his early companion bleeding, and apparently dying, than, being sobered instantly by the sight, he threw himself on his knees by his side, endeavouring to stop the blood, and dismissing his companions in all directions for assistance. Feeling however some degree of alarm for his personal safety in case of Frederick's death, as soon as he heard the steps of his returning servants, he arose, and leaving Beauclerk senseless upon the ground, he plunged into the thickest part of the wood; intending there to remain concealed till he should hear the end of this disastrous affair.

"In the mean time, Mr. Osborne (who had been extremely uneasy ever since the departure of his pupil) found his mind at length so violently agitated as obliged him to hire a carriage and follow Frederick to Versailles; where finding his servant, and being informed by him that his master had gone in the direction of St. Germaine, he followed him thither, tracing him, with great difficulty and by dint of many enquiries, to the very forest; where meeting with the lacquey, who was at that moment returning with a surgeon whom he had brought from the town, he arrived in company of these persons at the spot where his beloved pupil lay stretched upon the bare earth fainting and covered with blood.

"The wound however having been examined and bound up, and certain cordials administered, it was found that there existed no danger of immediate death. This became a source of unspeakable comfort to Mr. Osborne, who was extremely anxious that some interval for reflection might be allowed to his amiable pupil, and that he might not be hurried away into the eternal world immediately from scenes in which his passions had been vehemently excited. The good man also blamed himself beyond measure for not having used all his influence to restrain his pupil from tempting those dangers to which he had so rashly exposed himself; though he had been far from looking forward to a catastrophe so speedy and dreadful as that which he was here called to witness. But regrets, and tears, and anguish, were now utterly in vain.

"The unfortunate young man was lifted gently from

the cold ground, and carried to the town; where lodgings being procured, he was immediately put to bed, and every assistance furnished which might administer either to his bodily ease or his spiritual consolation.

Although the wound given by Altamont was the ultimate cause of the death of Frederick Beauclerk, yet his life was protracted for more than twelve months; during which time he was enabled to give a full and accurate account of his visit to Versailles, and the events which followed. He attributed his misfortune to selfpresumption in supposing himself able to endure trials. to which he was not called: and being thus humbled and self-abased through the influence of the Holy Spirit, he was favoured with the most clear and consolatory views of redeeming love. Before his death, he expressed himself as having heartily forgiven the man by whom he had been thus cruelly injured; thanked his tutor for his paternal kindness; prayed for the peace of his afflicted sister; and in this frame of mind yielded up his life into the hands of the great Father of spirits. His remains were committed to the dust near the place in which he died.

"But the disasters of this unfortunate family (unfortunate as it respects this world and its concerns, though, we trust, highly favoured and peculiarly blessed with respect to their spiritual interests) did not end with the death of Frederick. The dreadful event of her brother dying by her husband's hands was related to Amelia: and her cup of woe being thus filled up, she shortly afterwards fell into a disorder which terminated her life.

"I forgot to mention in its proper place, that Mrs. Beauclerk had attended her son in France; whence she scarcely returned in time to watch the progress of that disease which speedily brought her daughter to the grave. Thus this afflicted parent proved the dreadful effects of that departure from simple Christian principles, which she had candidly avowed in her letter to Mr. Osborne.

"Amelia was buried in a vault with her infant in the parish-church belonging to the house in which she had resided ever since her marriage; the church itself being situated in a retired part of the pleasure-grounds, encompassed with forest-trees of magnificent growth.

"To this shadowy retreat the afflicted mother, who had taken a small house in the village after the death of her children, very frequently repaired; having caused a marble monument to be erected in the church to the memory of her daughter and her infant, presenting figures as large as life, correctly copied from a portrait in which the mother was drawn looking down upon her lovely infant who lay sleeping on her breast. Certain impressive texts of Scripture descriptive of the hopes of the departed were inscribed beneath the figures, with the name, the age, and the day of the departure of each: and at the bottom were placed these words

"La notre Amelie."

"The name, age, and day of the death of Frederick Beauclerk were also engraven on a tablet in a part of this monument, together with the place of his sepulture; but without any reference to the circumstances of his death.

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"In the mean time, Altamont, the author of all these complicated woes, pursued his mad career in different cities of Europe, to which he successively repaired after his fatal rencontre in the forest of St. Germaine. do not presume to say, that he felt no remorse for the injuries which he had inflicted, or that the memory of those amiable persons whose deaths he had undoubtedly occasioned did not sometimes embitter his gayest hours -certain however it is, that, whatever he might feel, his conduct was not at all affected by those feelings, but that he continued to trouble society by his thoughtless and profligate behaviour, till being involved in debts on all sides, and not knowing where to obtain further supplies, he heard with no small satisfaction the report of his father's death; upon which he hastened home to secure his inheritance.

"Being arrived in England, where he appeared as the head of an ancient and respectable family, and where he was happily separated from some of his worst connexions, Altamont conducted himself for a few months in such a manner as inclined his friends to hope that a happy change had been effected in his sentiments. And here I would remark, that on this occasion his worldly acquaintance were very probably led to hazard many