Now you call upon me, madam, replied he, I will tax her with a real fault. I open ail my heart to her, as subjects occasionally offer: I want her to have a will, and to let me know it. The frankest of all female hearts will not treat me with that sweet familiarity which banishes distance. You see, my

SIH CHARLES GRANDISON. 387 dearest love, that I chide you before your parental friends, and your Lucy.

It is your own fault, Sir; indeed it is. You prevent me in all my wishes. Awe will mingle with the love of persons who are under perpetual obli-gation. My dear two mamma’s, you must not blame me; you must blame Sir Charles: he takes away, by his goodness, even \\\c power of making suitable acknowledgments, and then complains I do not speak.

]\Iy uncle Selby came in. He stood looking upon my cousin, for a few moments, in silence! then broke out. Sir Charles Grandison, you may indeed boast, that you have for a wife the Jioxver of the British world, as you once called her: and, let me tell you, niece, you have for a husband the noblest and gallantest of men. Happy, happy pair! say I. iVIy dear Mr. Deane said he, who just then entered, if you will keep me in countenance, I will venture to salute that charming creature.

Sir Charles presented his bride to them both. With a bent knee she received their salutes. At that moment came in the three lords, who followed the example. Lord W. called her angel Sir Charles looked delighted with the praises of his bride.

The rest of the company being come, we proceeded to church.

We were early; but the church was crowded. How were the charming couple admired on their alighting, and as they walked to their pew! Never did my cousin //cv,vr//‘look so lovely. How charm-ingly looked the bridegroom! But he forgot not tluit humble dcportmeat, full of reverence for the j)lace, and the divine offices, which seemed to make him absent for the time to that splendour and beauty which took every eye out of our own pew. His example was enough to give a proper behaviour, had it been needful, to every one in it.

I should have told your ladyship, that Mr. Gre-ville had sent, over-night, a sullenly-complaisant request to my aunt, in writing, importing that as he heard the bride would make her appearance on the morrow, the bride-men and maids, if it broke not into our ceremonial, would accept of his pew, which is over-against ours, for the look of the thing, he said; though he could not promise but he should all the day curse the occasion. By this we found, he was not gone to Lady Frampton’s, as he had designed. His offer was thankfully accepted.