Besides, said I, (my own case in view) when our eye has led our choice, imagination can easily add all good qualities to the plausible appearance. But to give our hand where we cannot give a preference, is surely, madam, acting against conscience in the most important article of life.

\ prefernicp we ought to give, my Lucy; but need this be the preference of giddy inclination? No aver-, sion presupposed, will not reason and duty give this preference in a securer and nobler way to the man who, upon the whole, is most suitable to us? It is well known, that I was always for discouraging our Harriet’s declarations, Huit she never would be the wife of any other man than him she is now so happy as to call hers. If (as we all at one time apprehend-ed) our hopes had been absolutely impracticable, the noble Countess of D. who gave such convincing reasons on her j>ido of the question,* would have had

See Vol. XIII. Lettcriviii, my good wishes for the Earl of D. So, before him, had not ill health been an objection, would Mr. Orme. You all know, that I wished but to live to see my Harriet the wife of some worthy man. A’ single woman is too generally an undefended, unsup-ported creature! Her early connexions year by year drop off; no new ones arise; and she remains solitary and unheeded, in a busy, bustling world; perhaps soured to it by her unconnected state. Is not some gratitude due to a worthy man, who early offers himself for her guide and protector through life? Gratitude was the motive even of Harriet’s inclination at first.

Nancy smiled. Why smiles my Nancy? asked your smiling grandmamma. I am sure you think, child, there is a weight in what I said. ‘. Indeed, madam, there is Great weight But just as you gave us an idea of the dreary unconnected life of a single woman in years, 1 thought of poor Mrs. Penelope Arby. You all know her. I saw her in imagination, surrounded with parrots and lap-dogs! So spring-like at past fifty, with herpalepink lustring, and back head Yet so peevish at girls! And she, resumed ^Irs. Shirley, refused some good oflfers in her youth, out of dread of the tyranny of a husband, and the troublesomeness of a parcel of brats! Yet now she is absolutely governed by a favourite maid, and as full of the bon-mots of her parrots, as 1 used to be of yours, my loves, when YOU were prattlers.

Yet let us not, said Mrs. Seiby, with the insolence of matrons or brides-expectant, be too severe upon old maids. Lady G. surely is faulty in this particu-lar. Many worthy and many happy persons in that class, have 1 known: many amiable and useful in ociety, even to their latest age You, madam, to Mrs. iJhirlpj’, had a friendMrs. Eggleton,