\\ hile I was debating within myself, whether I should be angry or pleased, he returned, and found me walking about tiie room. .Soul of my hope, said ht% taking with rcverencj my hand; I now presume that you can, that you nv’//, oblige me.

You have given me no time, Sir: but let me re-quest, that you will not expect an answer, in relation to the early day you w ear’y ask for, till after the re-cci})t of your next letters from Italy. You see how the admirable lady is urged; how reluctantly she has given them but c/i-^laiu hopes of complying with tlu.‘ir uislies. I .should be glad to wait for the next letters; fur those, at least, which will be an answer to yours, acquainting them, that there is a woman with whom you think you could be happy. I am earnest in this request. Sir. Think it not ovving to alfectation.

I accjuicsce; madam. The answer to those letters nil! ^oon be here. It will indeed be some time before I can receive a reply to that I wrote in answer to .leroiiymo’s last letter. I impute not affectation to my dearest 31iss Byron. I can easily comprehend your motive: it is a generous one. I’utit befits me to say; that tiie next letters from Italy, whatever may be their contents, can?iorv make no alteration on my part. liave I not declared myself to your friends, to \ou, .;’.:(! to the world?

Indeed, S/r. they “’<”.’// make an alteration on mine, highly as I think of ih.e honour Sir Cliurles Grandi-t-on doch me by his good opinion. Tor, pardon me, bliould the most excellent of women think of resuming a j)lace in your heart

Let me interrupt you, madam. It cannot be, that

Lady Clementina, proceeding, as she has done, on motives of piety, zealous in her religion, and all her relations now earnest in another man’s favour, can alter her mind. I should not have acted with justice, with gratitude, to her, had I not tried her stodfastness by every way I could devise: nor in justice to both ladies, would I allow myself to apply ior your favour, till I had her resolution confirmed to me under her own hand after my arrival in England. But were it novo possible that she should vary, and were you, madam, to hold your determination in my favour suspended; the consequence would be this: I should never, while that suspense lasted, be the husband of any woman on earth.

I hope, Sir, you will not be displeased. I did not think you would so soon be so very earnest. But this, Sir, I say. Let me have reason to think, that my happiness will not be the misfortune of a more excellent woman, and it shall be my endeavour to make the man happy who onli/ can make me so.