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 Crim. Con. 
 
 A NOVEL, 
 
 FOUNDED ON FACTS. 
 
 BY H. M. MORIARTY, 
 
 Authoress of " Brighton in an Uproar" §c. Sfe. fyc, 
 
 in two volumes* 
 VolTi. 
 
 Domestic Happiness, thou only bli^s 
 Of Paradise tnat nast sarviv'd the Fall! 
 
 Thou art the nurse of Virtue! • • • 
 
 Thoo art not known where Pleasure is ador'd ; 
 That reel in? goddess with the zoneless waste 
 And wand'rm: eyes, stili leaning on the arm 
 Of N'o-elty, her fickle, frail support: 
 
 in art meek and constant, hating change*, 
 And finding in the calm of troth-tied love 
 Joys that her stormy raptures never yieid. 
 Forsaking thee, what shipwreck lia.'e we made 
 Of honour, dignity, and fair renown! 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED FOR AND SOLD BY TitE AUTHORESS, 
 
 At Messrs. Seaton and Smith's, Stationers, 40, Oxford 
 
 Street (corner of Newman Street); and may 
 
 be had of all Booksellers, 
 
 1812.
 
 
 4 Co tjje f ufcltc* 
 
 Having more than once ap- 
 peared before an indulgent 
 tribunal, my timidity on the 
 present occasion is lessened by 
 my former success; and my 
 humble talents have been once 
 more called into action by the 
 argent claims of four father- 
 less children, to whom I am 
 not a little ambitious of <riv-
 
 VI 
 
 ing an education suitable to 
 the rank of their parent who 
 is now no more. 
 
 I throw myself again, there- 
 fore, on the clemency of the 
 Critics, The title which I 
 have assumed for my present 
 performance will, perhaps, 
 startle some Novel readers. — 
 It may be necessary, however, 
 thus early to make a solemn 
 protestation of my innocence 
 of all intention to encourage 
 vice or immorality in the fol- 
 lowing pages ; on the contrary, 
 my Readers will rise from the
 
 VI 1 
 
 perusal of the Work, satisfied, 
 as I presume to hope, that my 
 best endeavours have been 
 used to promote the cause of 
 Virtue, and to point out the 
 true basis of Domestic Feli- 
 city. 
 
 To those who object to the 
 eccentricity of my title, I 
 would reply in the words of 
 our incomparable Bard, when 
 speaking of adversity : 
 
 " the toad, ugly and venomous, 
 
 Wears yet a precious jewel in its head." 
 
 I shall now take my leave ; 
 and I trust that, if I am doom-
 
 via 
 
 ed to pass the ordeal of the 
 Court of Criticism, the verdict 
 which condemns me will be 
 special, — Guilty of publish- 
 ing- — but not with a criminal 
 intention I 
 
 H. M. MORIARTY. 
 
 April, 1812.
 
 CRIM. CON. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 No more remains, but now a trusty band 
 
 Must ever at the pump industrious stand, 
 
 And while with us the rest attend to wear, 
 
 Two skilful seamen to the helm repair ! 
 
 O source of life, our refuge and our stay ! 
 
 Whose voice the warring elements obey. 
 
 On thy supreme assistance we rely, 
 
 Thy mercy supplicate, if doom'd to die. 
 
 Perhaps this storm is sent, with healing breath, 
 
 From neighb'ring shores to scourge disease and death : 
 
 Tis ours on thine unerring laws to trust ; 
 
 With thee, great Lord ! whatever is, is just. 
 
 As Mr. Moundfort was observing 
 the return of some boats which had 
 been sent in the hope of saving the car- 
 go of a merchantman which had been 
 
 vol. I. B
 
 2 
 
 recently wrecked, his attention was ar- 
 rested by the piercing sighs of a genteel- 
 looking young man. The stranger 
 made the most eager inquiries respect- 
 ing the success of those persons, who 
 had even risked their lives in expecta- 
 tion of saving the property of others ; 
 but, when he learned that their exertions 
 had proved of no avail, he struck his 
 forehead in a frantic manner, and in evi- 
 dent agony quitted a spot in which his 
 peace of mind was apparently buried. 
 
 Mr. Moundfort was shocked at seeing 
 a fellow-creature in such misery : an 
 involuntary emotion prompted him to 
 follow the object which had so pow- 
 erfully interested his feelings : he walked 
 at a distance, and was pondering how 
 he could proffer his services to the un- 
 happy stranger, without appearing of- 
 ficious, or wounding those feelings 
 which were already so lacerated ; but, 
 on perceiving the young man take some-
 
 s 
 
 thing From his pocket, he quickened his 
 pace, and fortunately arrived in time to 
 strike from his hand a pistol. 
 
 " Is it thus," said Mr. Moundfort, 
 "that a christian presumes to rush into 
 the presence of his Maker ? It is heaven's 
 prerogative to recal what first it gra- 
 ciously bestowed, — thy breath ; and it is 
 man's duty patiently to await his doom, 
 not to take from the Supreme Disposer 
 of all human events his instruments of 
 death. Our Great Father is just; and 
 the same power which puts man's forti- 
 tude to the severest trials, by the vari- 
 ous afflictions to which humanity is heir, 
 mercifully lends religion as a shield, 
 which will guard and support us iu every 
 situation. Why, then, risk by one 
 rash act to forfeit the kingdom of hea- 
 ven ? For where is the crime equal to 
 self-murder? or what act of cowardice 
 •can we compare with it ? Rest assured 
 that the truly brave, by patience and
 
 4 
 
 exertion, endeavour to overcome diffi- 
 culties ; but it is the weak and pusilla- 
 nimous only who sink under them. 
 Have you, then, no link to attach you 
 to the chain of life ? Are you not 
 blessed with some relative who will de- 
 plore your loss? No affectionate mo- 
 ther nor sister who are anxious for your 
 safety ? or a wife, whose happiness is 
 interwoven with your existence ?" 
 
 Mr. Moundfort had scarcely con- 
 cluded the sentence when the stranger, 
 clasping his hands, exclaimed, with 
 vehemence, (i I have a wife ! — O God !" 
 and sunk senseless on the ground. 
 
 Some hours elapsed before the unhap- 
 py man shewed any symptoms of return- 
 ing animation, during which period he 
 had been removed to a neighbouring 
 cottage, and proper means used for his 
 recovery. Mr. Moundfort dismissed 
 every one from the chamber, when he 
 thus addressed the stranger :
 
 D 
 
 "Sir, to say that the action which 
 introduced me to your acquaintance im- 
 presses me with a favourable opinion of 
 your morals, would be telling a false- 
 hood ; but, from whatever cause your 
 rashness proceeded, I pity you. If pe- 
 cuniary difficulties tempted you to for- 
 get your religious and moral duties, 
 I have the inclination and the means of 
 assisting you ; if your rashness pro- 
 ceeded from any other cause, confide in 
 me, and I pledge you my word that I will 
 only use such confidence to serve you ; 
 for, although I abhor vice, I consider 
 it an indispensible duty to my Maker, 
 and to society, to devote my time and 
 property to lead the repentant sinner to 
 the path of righteousness." 
 
 "Alas! Sir," feebly articulated the 
 stranger, " despair alone induced me to 
 seek refuge in death from the calamities 
 which pursue me. In the ship which
 
 6 
 
 was wrecked sunk all 'which 1 possessed, 
 My beloved wife is now laying in a 
 fisherman's hut, sick, almost naked, 
 and starving ; and I am destitute of 
 the power of even procuring for bcr the 
 common necessaries of life!" 
 
 " Let me hasten, then/' replied Mr. 
 Moundibrt, "to procure for your wife 
 whatever she requires. But for whom 
 must I ask ?" 
 
 u The fisherman is named Jerome; 
 and, if you inquire for Mrs. Dalrymple, 
 you will be conducted to my wife. But 
 let me entreat, Sir, that you will not di- 
 vulge how our acquaintance com- 
 menced, and I hope in a few hours to be 
 sufficiently composed to join you." 
 
 The benevolent Mr. Moundfort im- 
 mediately repaired to the hut, but, upon 
 inquiring for Mrs. Dalrymple, Fonchon 
 a i red him that the poor lady appeared 
 in the agonies of death ; that she had
 
 'i 
 
 dispatched her husband for the doctor ^ 
 and she expressed her astonishment that 
 the gentleman had been so long absent 
 
 During this discourse, Jerome re- 
 turned with a surgeon, who, after re- 
 maining some time with l\irs. Dairy n> 1 
 pie, communicated the mournful intel- " 
 iigence that probably in a few hours she 
 would visit " that bourne from whence 
 no traveller returns." Mr. Dalrympl$ 
 entered as the surgeon was giving his 
 opinion, but was so absorbed in grief, 
 that he was totally incapable of any ex- 
 ertion. Mr. Moundfort sent for ad- 
 ditional medical assistance, but their 
 efforts proved fruitless; as the same 
 hour which gave birth to a female iu- 
 fant, terminated the existence of its mo- 
 ther. 
 
 The miserable Dalrymple became per- 
 fectly frantic, and coercive measures be- 
 came necessary to tear him from the 
 corpse of his wife: hi was conducted
 
 8 
 
 to Mr. Moundfort's villa, and for seve- 
 ral weeks it was doubtful whether he 
 would ever recover his reason. 
 
 Mrs. Dalrymple was buried in a re- 
 spectable manner ; and, as it was not 
 probable that the child would long sur- 
 vive, she was baptized. As the fathei 
 was incapable of naming the infant, 
 JVIr. Moundfort had her called Ange- 
 lina, and placed under the care of Fon- 
 chon. All the information that could 
 be obtained respecting this unfortunate 
 couple was, that a merchant's ship had 
 been wrecked at the mouth of the Ga- 
 ronne : Jerome, having his fishing-boat 
 near, fortunately saved the lives of three 
 persons, Mr. and Mrs. Dalrymple, with 
 a seaman, who had since died, from a 
 contusion which he had received in the 
 side. 
 
 Mr. Moundfort's villa was situated in 
 an extensive vineyard, with a pic- 
 turesque view of the Garonne. No one
 
 9 
 knew from whence he came : he never 
 received any letters ; he left Polignac 
 every year for about -six weeks, but did 
 not take any servant with him, or was 
 either the time of his departure or his 
 return ever previously known. On his 
 first settling in France, these peculiari- 
 ties excited much curiosity ; but, after 
 a : short time, they were forgotten, as 
 his unbouuded charity and benevolence 
 endeared him to all ranks in society, 
 and the only sentiment that prevailed 
 was admiration of his virtues, and re- 
 gret that, from bis retired habits, so 
 worthy a man was lost to what is called 
 the world. 
 
 At the period when Mr. Dairy mple 
 was shipwrecked, Mr. Moundfort was 
 just returned from his annual visit. 
 He had then been settled in France about 
 ten years, and was verging cowards his 
 forty -fifth year ; but he was blessed 
 with that serenity of mind, unruffled by 
 b 5
 
 10 
 
 violent passion?, which is so conducive 
 to health and happiness ; and, being of a 
 florid complexion, he appeared scarcely 
 forty. His address was open, without 
 any affectation in his manner, which 
 Was rather grave than courteous : he 
 had a most engaging countenance, 
 spoke little, but whatever he said 
 abounded with good sense and solid 
 judgment. His behaviour on all occa- 
 sions was governed by the strictest de- 
 corum : he never appeared either gay or 
 melancholy ; he was himself serious ; 
 but the gentleness of his deportment 
 rather excited cheerfulness in others : 
 Jiis great Amusement was developing 
 characters, and, in general, he formed 
 his opinion with impartiality and justice. 
 In his establishment there was no dis- 
 play of luxury, but plenty, with all 
 the real conveniences of life ; and what- 
 ever was left of the day's provision, 
 was, the following morning, distributed
 
 1] 
 
 among the poor. His family appeared 
 to be the model of that regularity which 
 is observable in the moral government of 
 the world, as order was preserved with- 
 out any abridgment of liberty. In Mr. 
 Moundfort's establishment his visitors 
 never discovered that formality which 
 is more inconvenient than useful, or 
 that mistaken profusion which, by being 
 encumbered with superfluities, renders 
 every thing useless : he made his arrange- 
 ments at first with so much precision, 
 that every thing afterwards went on of 
 itself. 
 
 It is natural to imagine that the me- 
 lancholv fate of the Dalrymples be- 
 came the general topic of conversation : 
 several ladies humanely proposed to su- 
 perintend the poor little Angelina, who, 
 contrary to the expectation of the me- 
 dical tribe, appeared determined to con- 
 tinue in this world of sorrow. Mr. 
 Moundfort requested that his friends.
 
 12 
 
 Monsieur and Madame du Val, avouIcI 
 come to him : they resided at Bour- 
 deaux, and he wished that Madame du 
 Val should see the little Angelina, with, 
 the hope that, as she had no children, 
 she would interest herself in the fate of 
 the interesting infant. Madame du 
 Val anticipated his wishes, by volun- 
 tarily offering to supply the place of a 
 mother to Angelina, 
 
 At the expiration, of three months, 
 Mr. Dairy mplc seemed to emerge from 
 the stupor which had so alarmed his 
 friends ; but he never reverted to the 
 past, or inquired after his child. When- 
 ever the door of his apartment was 
 opened, expectation and anxiety sat on 
 his brow. By desire of the faculty, 
 Madame du Val entered his room with 
 Angelina in her arms : it had the de- 
 sired effect. Dalrymple burst into 
 tears, and from that period became per- 
 fectly composed, and appeared dcsi-
 
 13 
 
 rous of preserving that existence which 
 before he considered as a burthen not 
 worth retaining. 
 
 Soon after the interview with his 
 child, Dalrymple sought Mr. Mound- 
 fort, fell on his knees, and expressed in 
 the most eloquent terms his gratitude 
 for the unbounded munificence and 
 kindness with which he had been treat- 
 ed ; requested that Mr. Moundfort 
 Mould inform him of all the particulars 
 respecting his wife's death, interment, 
 &c. ; after which, he communicated 
 to his benefactor how he was situ- 
 ated. 
 
 " I am, Sir," said Dalrymple, " the 
 son of an officer, who lost his life in de- 
 fending his king and country : he left 
 three orphan children, of whom I am 
 the only survivor. A small sum was 
 granted from the Compassionate Fund, 
 but very inadequate to my support -, 
 and if the benevolent Lord W ,
 
 14 
 
 who commanded the army in which my 
 father fell, had not paid for my educa- 
 tion, I should not now have been known 
 to you. At a proper age I was placed at a 
 military academy, and presented with 
 a pair of colours ; hut, unfortunately, 
 the packet in which I sailed to join 
 my regiment was taken, and I was con- 
 ducted as a prisoner into the interior of 
 France, where I became acquainted with 
 Georgiana Clermont : she resided with 
 an elderly lady, with whom she had been 
 placed when a child ; but, for some 
 years, the stipend for her board had not 
 been regularly paid, and she experienced 
 all the hardships which poverty meets 
 from overbearing pride. First I pitied 
 the beautiful girl : this impression soon 
 turned to a warmer sentiment. You, 
 Sir, must acknowledge, that no passion 
 exposes us to such delusion as love : we 
 flatter ourselves it will never cool, and 
 that, in possessing the object of our
 
 15 
 
 adoration, the vv f orld has nothing else 
 worth our acceptance. 
 
 " Suffice it to say, we married ; but 
 a few months brought us to reason, and 
 myself to the keenest affliction, for my 
 remittances from England were very 
 precarious. I had the prospect of being 
 a father, and Georgiana's delicate con- 
 stitution required the greatest care, and 
 delicacies winch my limitted income 
 could very ill afford. In hopes of bet- 
 tering my situation, and being again 
 able to fight in my country's cause, I 
 contrived to make my escape, and took 
 our passage in the vessel which has 
 proved so destructive to my happiness." 
 11 And what are your future plans ?" 
 asked Mr. Moundfort : u it will be dif- 
 ficult for you to be long concealed in 
 this place ; it will be equally impracti- 
 cable to procure a conveyance to Eng- 
 land. But, when you are sufficiently 
 recovered to bear the fatigues of a jour-
 
 16 
 
 ney, if you will follow my advice, and 
 accept of my patronage, I will provide 
 you with every thing necessary for your 
 journey, and give }'ou recommendations 
 to some persons in Holland, who will 
 forward your wishes. But it will be best 
 that your infant should remain here: 
 she is too young to be exposed to such 
 a voyage, and in me she will ever find a 
 far her. Madame du Val will supply the 
 place of a mother. A f?\v years may 
 make a grea 'radon in your pecu- 
 
 niary concerns ; during which period, 
 rest assured that Angelina shall have 
 every attention paid to her education 
 which her tender years will admit. I 
 feel an interest in the welfare of the 
 child: it seems as if Providence had 
 designed that she should in me find a 
 protector. '* 
 
 Dairy in pie in every respect consented 
 to follow the advi f his benefactor ; 
 amlk was determined that, as soon as he
 
 17 
 
 had perfectly regained his health, he 
 should proceed to Holland. His me- 
 lancholy continued, but he now bore 
 his misfortunes as a man. The infan- 
 tine caresses of Angelina made him feel 
 that he was a father, and that it was his 
 duty to exert himself for the sake of his 
 child ; that, in so doing, he proved the 
 ardent affection which he had for her 
 mother, while tliey reminded him that 
 he ought not by unavailing affliction to 
 shorten a life on which the future wel- 
 fare and happiness of his infant depended. 
 Dairy mple had been extremelj' well 
 educated, and had a retentive memory ; 
 his conversation was interesting, and 
 the eloquence of his manners could not 
 fail to procure him friends. Mr. Mound- 
 fort found his society very agreeable ; 
 and, as the time drew near for his de- 
 parture, he felt sorry that he was so 
 soon to lose his companion : he even 
 hinted to Dalrymple, that, if he could
 
 18 
 
 make himself happy in residing with him 
 in his house, he should ever find a home. 
 Most joyfully would he have accepted 
 of this generous proposal, if he only con- 
 sulted his own feelings: hut Dalrymplc 
 possessed a mind tremblingly alive to ho- 
 nour ; he had already incurred pecuniary 
 obligations, which he feared he would 
 never have it in his power to cancel. 
 To continue inactive when his country 
 demanded his services, was totally im- 
 possible; and when he stated these sen- 
 timents, Mr. Moundfort no longer urged 
 his request. He had every thing pre- 
 pared for Dalrymple's departure, without 
 once consulting him on the subject: he 
 not only gave him clothes, and such 
 things as were indispcnsible for his jour- 
 ney, but a selection of such books as 
 would strengthen his mind, and enable 
 him to bear with firmness the misfor- 
 tunes which he might probably encoun- 
 ter in his peregrination through life.
 
 19 
 
 Mr. Moundfort was induced to do this, 
 
 as he feared, from what he had observed, 
 
 that Dalrymple's religious principles had 
 
 not been sufficiently attended to. 
 ■f 
 
 He took an opportunity one day, 
 when talking of Angelina, to ask Dal- 
 rymple in what religion he would have 
 "her educated ; that she had been baptiz- 
 ed in the Catholic faith, as she was then 
 in such a state, that it was supposed 
 that she would not live many hours, 
 consequently they applied to the cler- 
 gyman of the parish to christen her ; 
 that he, Mr. Moundfort, was a Catho- 
 lic, but he was no bigot ; consequently 
 that, whatever were :VJr. Dalrymple's 
 wishes on the subject, they should in- 
 variably be followed. Dairy rnple assur- 
 ed Mr. Moundfort that it was quite 
 indifferent to him; for, to confess the 
 truth, it was a subject on which he never 
 took the trouble to think.
 
 20 
 
 (; I am/' he carelessly replied, "an 
 unbeliever." 
 
 " An unbeliever !" exclaimed Mr. 
 Moundfort : " what are you, indeed, so 
 curst, as to have no hope of a future 
 state ? well might you, then, presume 
 to end a being which you consider at 
 your own disposal. I have given you 
 my friendship: it now rests with you to 
 merit its continuance," said Mr. Mound- 
 fort ; " and, if you wish for it, you must 
 allow me to endeavour to secure your 
 happiness here, by Convincing you that 
 you must live hereafter/' 
 
 " Most willingly, Sir," said Dairy tu- 
 ple, " will I listen to your admonitions. 
 I have been so situated, that I have 
 never considered very seriously the sub- 
 ject ; I have formed my opinions more 
 from observation than sound reasoning. 
 In my short intercourse with the world, 
 I have scarcely seen one person live up
 
 21 
 
 to the faith they professed : I have heard 
 even priests ridicule the superstition of 
 the very religion they propagated, and 
 out of their churches commit all those 
 sins, which, in their preaching, they so 
 strenuously forbid to their parishioners: 
 and I have often met with men of sound 
 sense and probity, who have not scrupled 
 to affirm that religion was only a bug-bear 
 to deter the lower orders of society from 
 proving obnoxious to their superiors." 
 
 " Then you deny the existence of a 
 God, the immortality of the soul, and 
 the free will of mortals! — that accident 
 places us on earth, only to exist, to suf- 
 fer, and to die ! — that the life of man is 
 without design, end, or moral object l" 
 
 " Life I consider as valuable to those 
 who have the power of enjoying the va- 
 rious blessings it has to offer : while 
 life is agreeable, we all earnestly desire 
 its continuance ; but it would be folly 
 to suppose that a wise man can appre-
 
 22 
 
 ciate existence as a blessing, when 
 visited by sickness, want, sorrow, and 
 tbe loss of tbose tender ties which 
 constituted his happiness and softened 
 all his cares ; otherwise it is allowing 
 that it is a blessing to man to crawl upon 
 earth with gloomy sadness, and dwindle 
 out an existence in pain and grief, be- 
 cause he has not courage to terminate* 
 an existence which is become insupport- 
 able. You may consider suicide as cow- 
 ardice, but surely no one will dispute 
 that the Romans were brave and wise ; 
 yet they preferred death to a disgrace- 
 ful existence. " 
 
 " You have formed a very erroneous 
 opinion of the character of the Romans, 
 my young friend, " said Mr. Moundfort, 
 "when you produce them as an example 
 to support your irreligious principles. 
 Refer to the period of the Republic ; then 
 point me out the citizen, who, even after 
 the most dreadful misfortunes, presumed
 
 23 
 
 to rush into the presence of his Maker, 
 to exculpate himself from the discharge 
 of his moral duties. It is incumbent 
 on us, before we voluntarily resign our 
 breath, that we should return the bene- 
 fits which every individual has conferred 
 on us, otherwise we rob mankind ; for 
 man cannot take one step without per- 
 ceiving some duty to fulfil, as every 
 soul is useful to society, if only from its 
 existence ; and it is expected that every 
 one shall perform the duties required 
 of him here : for, however low our sta- 
 tion, or limited our circumstanceSjObjects 
 of commiseration daily meet our view. 
 It is always in our power to comfort the 
 unfortunate, to defend the oppressed, to 
 sympathise with the unhappy : divest man 
 of these sensations, and he is placed on 
 the same footing as the brute creation." 
 
 Dalrymple pressed the hand of his be- 
 nefactor : 
 
 " I am ashamed, Sir, that I have at-
 
 24 
 tained my twenty-second year, without 
 having thought seriously on a suhject 
 which you have convinced me is so es- 
 sential to my present and future happi- 
 ness ; but I will endeavour to merit 
 your good opinion by making myself 
 master of those duties for which the Al- 
 mighty permitted me to exist : and as- 
 suredly I have unbounded reason to 
 worship and adore that Being, who, in 
 sorrow and sickness, conducted me to 
 Mr. Moundfort's hospitable mansion ; 
 and I feel most grateful, when I reflect 
 that Angelina has such a friend as you, 
 who will instruct her in such principles 
 as will render her a useful member in 
 society." 
 
 While Dalrymple remained at Polig- 
 nac, Mr. Moundfort had frequently cler- 
 gymen at his house, whom he had pre- 
 viously informed of Dalrymple's senti- 
 ments. Mr. Moundfort felt a sincere 
 affection for his young companion ; he
 
 25 
 
 lamented that a man so formed to fulfil 
 all the respective duties in life, and so 
 calculated to make others happy, should 
 be ignorant of that faith which gives 
 virtue all its merit and innocence all its 
 beauty ; that he should experience only 
 the dreadful torpor of an unbeliever: but, 
 as the persons whom Mr. Moundfort had 
 selected for the great purpose of convert* 
 ing Dalrymple were gentlemen who were 
 true christians, without possessing the 
 bigotry of the Catholic religion, they 
 conveyed their instruction in such mild 
 and interesting language, that Dalrym- 
 ple became a convert to their opinions ; 
 and, if he before felt grateful to Mr. 
 Moundfort for his benevolence, he now 
 regarded with veneration the man who 
 had extended his charity to relieve his 
 wants, not only here, but to give him a 
 temper, which would, in future, support 
 him through all the afflictions in this 
 world ; with a conviction that a certain 
 
 VOL. J, C
 
 26 
 
 reward awaits those whose actions here en- 
 title them to the crown of glory hereafter. 
 
 From being absent and gloomy, Dal- 
 rymple became cheerful ; such an effect 
 has religion on the true believer. As 
 the time approached for his departure, 
 his repugnance to parting from Angeli- 
 na augmented : he traced in her features 
 a resemblance to his departed Geor- 
 giana, and he fervently prayed that the 
 daughter's destiny might be more for- 
 tunate than her poor mother's. It was 
 true, he should leave her with such a 
 friend as sure never man before possess- 
 ed ; but it might be years before he 
 again pressed her to his heart. She 
 would have no recollection of her fa- 
 ther ; and those affections to which he 
 had an undoubted right would be la- 
 vished on others. 
 
 The day previous to his departure, 
 Mr. Moundfort thus addressed Dalrym- 
 ple, giving him a packet :
 
 fl 
 
 "This, my dear friend, you will deliver 
 to Mr. Van neck, at Amsterdam : from 
 him you will learn your future prospects, 
 and in him you will find a sincere friend. 
 An impenetrable secret prevents my dis- 
 closing to you my real name. Were I 
 to have letters addressed to me, it pro- 
 bably might discover my place of resi- 
 dence ; therefore you will write to me 
 under cover to Monsieur du Val ; 
 and, as you value my friendship, never 
 mention, directly or indirectly, your 
 having been here, or any thing concern- 
 ing me, not even to Mr. Vanneck. 
 
 " It is necessary I should tell you, 
 that, although I possess an ample for- 
 tune, it is only lifehold ; but, as I have 
 adopted Angelina, I will secure to her 
 sufficient to keep her from want ; and I 
 hope in a few years that you will have 
 it in your power to add to the little 
 which I can present her with."
 
 ^8 
 
 After Dalrymple's departure, every 
 one observed Mr. Mound fort was not 
 so cheerful as usual ; in fact, for the first 
 time, he felt the want of society, and 
 that books, at times, are a poor substi- 
 tute for social converse. Every day he 
 went to see his little charge ; but, the 
 winter coming on, he found the dis- 
 tance inconvenient, and he determined 
 to have Angelina brought home to his 
 house. The child took cold ; this 
 alarmed him ; and he resolved that she 
 should, in future, reside under his roof; 
 and, as he did not understand the ma- 
 nagement of infants, he prevailed on 
 Monsieur and Madame du Val to pass 
 a few months with him, which they ac- 
 cepted with avidity ; for they considered 
 Mr. Moundfort as a gentleman of for- 
 tune, and they had long anticipated to 
 partake of his riches. They knew that 
 he had some reason for the concealment
 
 m 
 
 of his name, and had frequently endea- 
 voured to obtain his confidence ; but 
 Mr. Moundfort always waved the sub- 
 ject, and they found it impracticable to 
 come at the truth of his situation : they 
 hoped, by becoming inmates of his, that 
 he would be off his guard, and probably 
 some fortunate event might discover to 
 them who he realiy was, and what ex- 
 pectations they might reasonably form 
 from the intelligence. 
 
 Madame du Val treated Angelina with 
 the greatest tenderness : the child be- 
 came extremely fond of her, and Mr. 
 Moundfort made the Du Vals many 
 valuable presents. When his little pro- 
 tegee began to lisp Papa, he was delight- 
 ed. Angelina had such strong hold of 
 his affections, that she filled his thoughts 
 by day and his dreams by night ; for he 
 considered himself bound to the father 
 to make some provision for her, which 
 he determined to accomplish as soon as
 
 30 
 
 he returned from his journey the fol- 
 lowing year. 
 
 Madame du Val, after her return to 
 Bourdeaux, frequently sent toys and 
 bon bons to Angelina, well knowing that 
 every trifle bestowed on her would be 
 returned twenty-fold by her benefactor. 
 
 Mr. Moundfort left his little charge 
 with Madame du Val when he took his 
 annual journey, and, on his return, de- 
 livered into that lady's hands a sealed 
 packet, directed for Angelina Dalrym- 
 ple, to be opened at his death for the 
 benefit of that child. Madame du Val 
 burst into tears ; fervently prayed that 
 she might not survive the day when the 
 world would be deprived of a man, 
 whose humanity and generosity made 
 such a conspicuous ornament to society. 
 
 Two letters had been received from 
 Dalrymple ; one, to inform them of his 
 safe arrival in Holland ; the other, to 
 say that the kind friends whom Mr.
 
 91 
 
 Moundfort had recommended him to in 
 Amsterdam had effected his escape to 
 England ; that, on his reporting himself 
 to the War-office, he was informed that 
 money had been lodged for a lieute- 
 nancy ; that he was appointed to a regi- 
 ment then in India, and that in a few 
 weeks he must sail for that country : he 
 also found in his agent's hands 200/. All 
 this munificence he placed to the ac- 
 count of that generous friend who had 
 restored him to life, to religion, and to 
 happiness. 
 
 As Angelina increased in years, Mr. 
 Moundfort instructed her in useful know- 
 ledge ; and at twelve years of age she 
 was an universal favourite : it Is true, she 
 had acquired no superficial accomplish- 
 ment, excepting dancing, an exercise 
 which Mr. Moundfort thought condu- 
 cive to health : but her mind was welt 
 stored with such knowledge as would 
 make her a pleasing companion, a sin-
 
 32 
 
 cere friend, and a good wife. She was 
 his almoner, attended the sick, consoled 
 the afflicted, and relieved the distressed. 
 She looked upon Fonchon as her dear- 
 est friend, next to her Papa, as she 
 called Mr. Moundfort. Frequently 
 would she steal to Fonchon's hut, and 
 listen to the good woman, with tears 
 running down her cheeks, M'hile she re- 
 lated the story of the shipwreck, and 
 the death of her unfortunate mother. 
 She would sit on the bed in which her 
 parent expired, and lament that she was 
 an orphan; then she would beg Fon- 
 chon not to tell her Papa Moundfort 
 that she cried, for he would think her 
 ungrateful for his parental kindness. 
 Surely he provided her with every thing 
 she could want or wish for, and she 
 loved him as a father; but, then, she 
 said, she Felt that she could love two fa- 
 thers; and, if her own dear Papa from 
 India was with her, he would amuse
 
 33 
 
 Mr. Moundfoit, for she was sure lie was 
 not happy, as frequently she saw him 
 an his "knees, praying devoutly, and 
 weeping bitterly ; and, when she begged 
 him not to be unhappy, lie would take 
 her on his knee, and tell her that she 
 must never take notice to any one that 
 lie wept ; that he loved her dearly ; in 
 fact, she constituted his only happiness, 
 for, in instructing her, he forgot all his 
 troubles. 
 
 Angelina always remained with Mon- 
 sieur and Madame du Val when Mr. 
 Moundfort went his annual peregrina- 
 tion j-and, to indulge her, they took her 
 to a concert. She was in an ecstasy, and 
 implored of Madame du Val that she 
 would let her learn the harp: her request 
 was instantly acceded to, and she was so 
 passionately fond of music, and so in- 
 defatigable in her application, that, on 
 Mr. Moundfort's return, he was sur- 
 prised and delighted at the progress 
 c 5 
 
 w
 
 34 
 
 which she had made, and engaged a 
 master to attend her at Polignac. Her 
 time Mas now fully employed, for Mr. 
 Moundfort was so fearful that her edu- 
 cation might not in every respect be 
 complete, that he procured her masters, 
 but always attended when she took her 
 lessons ; and, as he seldom saw any com- 
 pany, and never went out but for ex- 
 ercise, of course she reaped every ad- 
 vantage from his instructions. 
 
 At fifteen she was well accomplished, 
 and well informed both in modern and 
 ancient history ; and, as she had only 
 read such books as could tend to ex- 
 pand the understanding and improve 
 the morals, she possessed a fineness of 
 mind which surpassed her years, and a 
 judgment which promised through life 
 to guide her to the path of virtue and 
 happiness. 
 
 Mr. Moundfort perfectly doated on 
 her, and told Monsieur and Madame du
 
 35 
 
 Val that he really believed his fondness 
 for Angelina would induce him once 
 more to mix with a world which he had 
 long determined never to enter. To 
 part from her was impossible, and to 
 bury her in the solitude in which he re- 
 sided would be unjust ; and, although 
 he trembled for her future destiny, he 
 considered it bis duty to introduce her to 
 society suitable to her age and expecta- 
 tions in life; for, in the last letters 
 which had been received from Dairy Tri- 
 ple, he had enclosed remittances for his 
 daughter ; and it contained the pleasing 
 intelligence that he was promoted to a 
 major ; that he had been so successful in 
 India, that, in a few years more, he 
 looked forward to the pleasing certainty 
 of ending his days with his beloved An- 
 gelina, and his dear and respectable friend 
 and benefactor. He had not forgotten 
 the Du Vals, as valuable presents were 
 sent to the lady for her kindness to his
 
 3(> 
 
 daughter. In short, at this period, 
 every thing had the appearance of future 
 happiness for Angelina ; she felt the full 
 force of the blessings she enjoyed, and 
 was most grateful to that Providence 
 who had so peculiarly watched over her 
 infancy, by giving her such a protector 
 as Mr. Moundfort. 
 
 But, in the midst of her happiness, 
 she could not divest herself of some un- 
 easiness respecting the health of her be- 
 nefactor. Since his last return to Polig- 
 nac, he appeared extremely thought- 
 ful, and was more grave .than usual ; 
 at times he appeared even desponding, 
 and fled even from the society of his be- 
 loved Angelina. She once ventured to 
 ask him if she could not alleviate that 
 affliction under which he laboured : he 
 looked at her affectionately, and grave- 
 ly replied, 
 
 V My dear child, be assured that t 
 would not conceal from you any thing
 
 37 
 
 which could contribute to your happi- 
 ness. Were I to tell you the history of 
 my life, I should only excite in you 
 sentiments of horror, pity, and sorrow, 
 and I should reap no alleviation to my 
 grief by the recital, but disturb that 
 tranquillity which I have been years in 
 acquiring. Mine has been a dreadful 
 destiny ; but, as it has proceeded from 
 no fault of mine, I have the consola- 
 tion of knowing that, hereafter, I shall 
 reap the reward of a well-spent life. If 
 it were not for you, my dear child, I 
 should feel no regret at leaving a world 
 in which I have experienced such dread- 
 ful misfortunes. My present melancho- 
 ly will soon subside: to-morrow, Pcre 
 St. Paul is coming to pass some time 
 here ; and in his sensible society, with 
 the aid of religion, I hope to regi.ui that 
 serenity which I owe to my Maker and 
 to society."
 
 35 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 The chamber where the good man meets his fate 
 
 Is privileg'd beyond the common walk 
 
 Of virtuous life, quite in the verge of Heaven. 
 
 Fly, ye profane ! or else draw near with awe, 
 
 For here resistless Demonstration dwells! 
 
 Here tir'd Dissimulation drops her mask; 
 
 Here real and apparent are the same. 
 
 You seethe man, you see his hold on Heaven: 
 
 Heaven waits not the last moment, owns its friends 
 
 On this side death, and points them out to men ; 
 
 A lecture, silent, but of sov'reign pow'r; 
 
 To Vice, confusiou ; and to Virtue, peace ! 
 
 The good Pere St. Paul arrived ac- 
 cording to his promise, and in the so- 
 ciety of this venerable priest Mr. 
 Moundfort regained his usual compo- 
 sure of mind : but his health evidently 
 declined; and Angelina was apprehen- 
 sive that the fatigue of the approaching
 
 39 
 
 vintage would be too much for his 
 strength. She hinted her fears on this 
 subject; but her benevolent benefactor 
 assured her that he every day felt an 
 amendment in his health, and that, as 
 soon as the vintage was finished, he had 
 it in contemplation to pass the winter in 
 Paris, where she would have not only 
 the advantage of the best masters, but 
 mix in a world which she was so calcu- 
 lated to adorn. 
 
 Angelina was now a beautiful girl, ra- 
 ther above the middle size ; and the na- 
 tural impetuosity of a generous disposi- 
 tion was subdued by the excellent pre- 
 cepts which she had imbibed from Mr. 
 Moundfort and Pere St. Paul; she there- 
 fore felt perfectly satisfied in devoting 
 her time to her benefactor, and would 
 cheerfully have ended her days in the 
 solitude in which she had been brought 
 up ; but it was natural, at Angelina's 
 age, that she should wish to see the
 
 40 
 
 places of which she had only formed 
 her ideas from the authors which she had 
 read; and the few weeks she had, at 
 times, passed at Bourdeaux, had given 
 her a taste for the theatre and other 
 fashionable amusements, which, if Mr. 
 Mound fort accompanied her, Mould re- 
 ceive additional fascination in her eyes. 
 During the vintage, open house was 
 kept at the villa for all who assisted in 
 the vineyard. Monsieur and Madame du 
 Val always passed that season at Polig- 
 nac, and Mr. Mo ndfort, with all his 
 inmates, worked with the gatherers. An- 
 gelina, on these occasions, was in the 
 height of her glory; she laughed, danc- 
 ed, and sung with the young, assisted 
 the old, and listened to their long sto- 
 ries. Every heart at this period ap- 
 peared gay; a general good humour 
 seemed to prevail over the face of the 
 whole group. The sound of rustic in- 
 struments animated the people to work,
 
 41 
 
 while the clustered fruit, which heaven 
 has bestowed as a cure for all our woes, 
 formed a luxuriant and picturesque 
 scene. 
 
 The vineyard swells refulgent on the day, 
 Spreads o'er the vale, or up the mountain climbs, 
 Profuse, and drinks amid the sunny rocks, 
 From cliff" to cliff iucreas'd, the heightened blaze. 
 Low bend the weighty boughs : the clusters clear, 
 Half thro' the foliage seen, or ardent flame, 
 Or shine transparent ; while Perfection breathe* 
 White o'er the turgent film the living dew. 
 As thus they brighten with exalted juice, 
 Touch'd into flavour by the mingling ray, 
 The rural youth and virgins o'er the field, 
 Each fond for each to cull th' Autumnal prime, 
 Exulting rove, and speak the vintage nigh. 
 
 On week days only such indulgence 
 was allowed to the labourers as suited 
 their situations, for Mr. Moundtbrt 
 would not, by a superfluous liberality, 
 encourage idleness ; but, on the Satur- 
 day, everv one who merited additional
 
 42 
 
 pay, from their indefatigable industry, 
 received it. Angelina, on these occa- 
 sions, was the judge ; and she conferred 
 her bounty with such care and delicacy, 
 that it created no animosity amongst 
 the people ; it excited gratitude in the 
 favoured person, and industry in the 
 others, being assured that, when they 
 merited reward, they would obtain it. 
 
 After the evening service on the Sun- 
 days, they all assembled in a large barn 
 to dance : the family joined in this di- 
 version, supped with the labourers with- 
 out any distinction ; and the presence of 
 their superiors laid no restraint on the 
 people, as they promoted cheerfulness 
 and sobriety ; consequently the repast 
 ended in gratitude and festivity. 
 
 Angelina anxiously watched Mr. 
 Moundfort, for his altered countenance 
 assured her that he was far from well, 
 and that he frequently exerted himself 
 to ease her apprehensions for his safety :
 
 43 
 
 she entreated him not to remain so many 
 hours in the vineyard, as the evening 
 dew was very prejudicial. He only 
 smiled, and assured her that, as soon as 
 he had assisted old Fonchon with her 
 load of grapes to the press, he would 
 return to the house : but, whether the 
 weight was more than he was equal to, 
 or whether a faintness seized him, he 
 could not tell ; but a giddiness came 
 over him, and he reeled against a cask. 
 It was with great difficulty he walked to 
 the villa. 
 
 Angelina sent an express for Pere St. 
 Paul, who had left them but a few days, 
 as she knew that Mr. Moundfort had 
 great faith in his medical skill. Her be- 
 nefactor went to bed, and she watched 
 by him with the greatest anxiety. His 
 sleep was short and disturbed, frequent- 
 ly calling on Arminda. When St. Paul 
 arrived, he requested to be left with his 
 patient. It was two hours before the
 
 u 
 
 priest quitted the chamber: every one 
 was waiting with the greatest anxiety to 
 hear the good Father's opinion ; and, 
 when lie entered the parlour, however 
 great their anxiety to know the truth, 
 the dread of unfavourable intelligence 
 kept them silent. 
 
 Angelina approached St. Paul, took 
 his hand, and burst into tears. The old 
 man was so affected, that he mingled his 
 sorrow with that of the beautiful or- 
 phan's. Ci Then it is as I dreaded," 
 said Angelina ; u my benefactor, my 
 more than father, will die !" 
 
 " lie will, indeed, soon reap the re- 
 ward promised to those who live up to 
 the standard of their faith," replied St. 
 Paul: "his fever is high, and he has 
 long, my dear child, been in a decline. 
 Kecal to your mind the various and nu- 
 merous benefits which he hat conferred 
 on you; recollect now is the epoch 
 when you must prove that you are ^n-
 
 45 
 
 siblc of the gratitude you owe to him ; 
 and that fifteen years of anxiety and 
 care for your welware here and hereafter 
 have not been spent in vain. It is your 
 duty in his last moments to attend upon 
 and to comfort him; not by unavailing 
 regret to add poignancy to the bitterness 
 of death. I expect this of you, Angelina, 
 and I am convinced that you will now 
 exert that firmness of mind which you 
 so eminently possess. In half an hour 
 I will meet you in Mr. oVIoundfort's 
 room. The mixture which I have ad- 
 ministered requires that lie should at 
 present be kept quiet." 
 
 Angelina retired, and shut herself in 
 her closet : she devoted the half hour in 
 prayer and supplication to that Being 
 before whom the virtuous can never 
 plead in vain. 
 
 At the expiration of the appointed 
 time she went to Mr. Moundfort, to ap-
 
 46 
 
 pcarance perfectly composed. He held 
 out his hand to her, which she kissed. 
 
 " My dear child, I must soon leave 
 you ; and I trust that you will recollect 
 and follow those principles of religion 
 which have been early planted in your 
 mind. Without them, you can never 
 know happiness ; with them, you can 
 never be miserable. Till you hear from 
 your father, I would have you reside 
 with Monsieur and Madame du Val. 
 You will have sufficient to support you> 
 and also, in some degree, to exercise 
 that charity which is due to your fellow 
 creatures. Pere St. Paul will be a fa- 
 ther to you: consult him when you 
 need advice, and strictly follow his 
 opinion. Let not your grief at losing 
 your second father render you incapa- 
 ble of performing your religious and 
 moral duties. Recollect we shall meet, 
 my dear Angelina, to part no more. I
 
 47 
 
 am perfectly resigned to my fate : I 
 have endeavoured to perform the duties 
 required of me in this world of tempta- 
 tion and of sorrow. I prayed when in 
 health for divine grace and favour; it 
 was then that I was preparing for 
 death, — /or meeting my God and Judge 
 at the last hour. I feel assured that my 
 Redeemer is more merciful than I am 
 criminal, and my confidence in his 
 goodness increases as I approach nearer 
 to him. 1 do not meet him with the re- 
 pentance occasioned by a bed of sick- 
 ness, pain, and sorrow : 1 have dedicated 
 my whole life to him, full of errors and 
 faults I confess, but exempt from the 
 remorse of the wicked or the crimes 
 of the impious. I rejoice that I shall 
 soon appear before my Maker. My 
 body, it is true, still lives, but my in- 
 tellectual life is past. To suffer and to 
 die is all that remains for me on this
 
 48 
 
 side the grave, and this is nature's 
 # work." 
 
 " Your death, my dear Sir," said 
 Father Paul, " is such as always ac- 
 companies a well-spent life, and your 
 reward hereafter will be adequate to 
 your work in this world. Whether it 
 pleases the Almighty to restore you to 
 your afflicted friends, or to call you to 
 himself, may we all, while we remain on 
 this side the grave, live like you, and 
 in the end follow your example in death ! 
 Then shall we all be certain of happi- 
 ness in the world to come." 
 
 During this conversation, Angelina 
 had sunk upon her knees, and covered 
 her face with her hands ; but her smo- 
 thered sobs and heart-rending sighs too 
 evidently divulged the state of her 
 heart : at last she rose, and in the most 
 affecting manner addressed Mr. Mound- 
 fort:—
 
 49 
 
 M Allow me, my father, my benefac- 
 tor, and friend, to thank you for the 
 constant care with which you watched 
 over my infancy, and the good advice 
 which you invariably have given to be 
 the means of conducting me to the path 
 of virtue and Christianity. With what 
 mildness and complacency you have 
 borne with my errors, and even at this 
 moment to interest yourself in my future 
 fate! Most fervently will I pray, that, 
 by my perseverance in doing right here, 
 1 may secure the certainty of joining 
 you hereafter. Alas ! my dear Sir, why 
 does it not please the Almighty to take 
 me instead of you? I have only one 
 connection, only one tie, on earth — my 
 loss would only be felt by one indivi- 
 dual; but to take you, is robbing the 
 orphan of her protector, the unfortunate 
 of their hope!" 
 
 "Stop, stop, Angelina, " said Pere 
 St. Paul, " nor thus dare to arraign the 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 50 
 
 orders of Providence, or, by language 
 like this, disturb the composure of your 
 benefactor. It is your duty to submit 
 to the will of your Heavenly Father 
 with patience and resignation. Your 
 earthly father has taught you this lesson 
 by his practice : follow his example 
 here, and you will live and join him 
 hereafter." 
 
 Monsieur and Madame du Val had 
 some private conversation with Mr. 
 Moundfort, after which the servants 
 were summoned. He took leave of them 
 all in a most affecting manner, and 
 gave them such advice as would be of 
 service to them through life. They 
 then all remained with Pere St. Paul, 
 who said mass. 
 
 From this time Angelina never left 
 the room of her benefactor : she attend- 
 ed constantly to him ; and he was so 
 composed, that she began to hope that 
 the good Father's anxiety for his pa-
 
 51 
 
 tient's recovery had magnified his dan- 
 ger ; but Mr. Moundfort's complaint 
 gained ground every instant, and he 
 expired in the night. 
 
 Angelina was the first person who 
 approached the bed ; and Pere St. Paul, 
 perceiving what had happened, took 
 her to her chamber. She became per- 
 fectly frantic ; ran about the apartment, 
 wringing her hands ; sometimes calling 
 on her beloved father, her dear Mr. 
 Moundfort ; then shrieking most dread- 
 fully ; then beseeching Pere St. Paul to 
 let her take a last look at her benefactor : 
 in fact, she was in a delirium. It was 
 recommended that she should be let 
 blood, and for some days she was inca- 
 pable of rising. 
 
 During this period, every thing was 
 prepared for the funeral ; and, on com- 
 ing to herself^ Angelina, summoning 
 that fortitude which was natural to her 
 character, apologized to St. Paul for 
 
 UKn^srrif of oukoq
 
 52 
 
 the impetuosity which she had mani- 
 fested, and the little attention which 
 she had paid to his precepts, thus, in 
 the first severe trial she had encounter- 
 ed, to sink under it She requested 
 that she might he permitted to attend 
 her henefactor to his last home, and 
 the good Father consented to her re- 
 quest : he knew her disposition, and 
 he was sure that she would acquit her- 
 self properly on so solemn an occasion. 
 
 Angelina was accompanied to the fu- 
 neral hy all the principal persons in Po- 
 lignac , the poor also followed in de- 
 cent mourning. Mr. Mound fort was 
 buried by torch-light, and a more so- 
 lemn procession was never beheld. Pere 
 St. Paul preached a sermon on the event 
 which had brought them together : 
 every eye bore testimony to the virtues 
 of the deceased. During the ceremony, 
 Angelina kept her eyes fixed on the 
 corpse ; but, as soon as it disappeared,
 
 53 
 
 it was evident that she exerted all the 
 resolution she possessed to bear her grief 
 with quiet composure. 
 
 On her return to the villa, she acquit- 
 ted herself with the greatest serenity, 
 and from that day her conduct was such 
 as delighted Pere St. Paul. She regu- 
 lated the family in the same manner 
 which her beloved benefactor had done, 
 and she continued his bounty to the nu- 
 merous persons to whom he extended 
 his munificence. 
 
 The villa and vineyard Mr. Mound- 
 fort rented, and, as he left no regular 
 will, hut only memorandums, St. Paul 
 directed what was to be done respecting 
 his property. After six months Angelina 
 was to return with the Du Vals to Bour- 
 deaux, at which period all Mr. Mound- 
 fort's effects were to he s )ld, and the pro- 
 duce to be set apart for his beloved Ange- 
 lina; and, as he had a considerable sum of 
 money in the house, nearly two thousand
 
 54 
 
 pounds came to her share : but Pere St. 
 Paul could not but express his surprise 
 that a larger sum had not been secured to 
 Angelina, as Mr. Moundfort had repeat- 
 edly assured him that he had made am- 
 ple provision for his protegee. Mon- 
 sieur and Madame du Val also appeared 
 astonished at the smallness of Angelina's 
 fortune, but assured her, that, even had 
 she been pennyless, she would ever have 
 found an asylum In their house. 
 
 As to the orphan, she was perfectly 
 contented with what her benefactor had 
 left her ; but he had certainly told her 
 that he had placed property in Madame 
 du Vat's hands which would support her 
 in affluence : she mentioned this to Pere 
 St. Paul ; but, upon his hinting the 
 subject to Madame du Val, she assured 
 him that. Mr. Moundfort had talked of 
 so doing, but had never fulfilled his in- 
 tention. 
 
 As the time drew near for her leaving
 
 bb 
 
 the villa, Angelina felt the most poig- 
 nant affliction : every walk and tree at 
 Polignac was endeared to her by the re- 
 collection of former times. Fonchon 
 was too old to accompany her, and as 
 she felt even a parental affection for the 
 good woman who had reared her, it 
 would have been a great comfort to have 
 had her accompany her to Bourdeaux. 
 
 The night before she left the villa. 
 she visited the tombs of her unfortunate 
 mother and her beloved benefactor, 
 
 Iuvidious grave ! how Host I lion rend in sunder 
 Whom love has knit, and sympathy made one! 
 A tie more stubborn far than nature's band. 
 Friendship ! mysterious cement of the soul ! 
 Sweet'ner of life, and solder ofsociet\ ! 
 I owe thee much ! thou hast deserv'd from me 
 Far, far beyond what I can ever pay. 
 Oft have I prov'd the labour of thy love, 
 And the Mann efforts of the gentle heart 
 Anxious to please. 
 
 She passed several hours in the melan-
 
 56 
 
 choly abode of the dead : she was sen- 
 sible that she had hitherto been the pe- 
 culiar care of Providence, and to repine 
 at his decrees was sinful, but she felt 
 her forlorn and helpless state. It had 
 been several months since she had heard 
 from India ; she now more than ever la- 
 mented the great distance her father 
 was from her : in fact, she was alone in 
 the world, for she knew of no person to 
 whom she could claim kindred, and, if 
 she lost her father, the world would be 
 a desert to her. Naturally she was ex- 
 tremely lively, and the affectionate at- 
 tention of Mr. Moundfort had prevented 
 all her wishes : in his sensible and pleas- 
 ing society she had never felt the loss of 
 relatives. But a few months had mate- 
 rially altered her ideas ; she became pen- 
 sive and melancholy, and Madame du 
 Val was impatient for the moment which 
 was to convey them from a place which 
 had always been too retired to suit her
 
 57 
 disposition, and which, from the grief 
 which every person evinced for the death 
 of Mr. Moundfort, had now become 
 insupporlably dull. As the only legacy 
 he had left her was some beautiful old 
 china and a few diamonds, she felt dis- 
 appointed and discontented. 
 
 Angelina did not return from the 
 tombs till day-break. Pere St. Paul 
 joined her in the parlour. 
 
 " I respect your grief, my dear child," 
 said the reverend Father, " and far be 
 it from me to chide you for it ; but re- 
 collect that your benefactor is happy : 
 his last words were, to represent to you 
 the impropriety of unavailing regret, 
 and by that means weaken your mind, 
 and render you incapable of performing 
 those obligations to your fellow crea- 
 tures which are expected of you. You 
 are now going to enter into what is 
 called life : you will be flattered and 
 courted ; temptation will surround you 
 J)5
 
 5S 
 
 on every side ; and you must rely on 
 your own notions of what is right and 
 wrong to regulate your actions ; for 
 Madame du Val is better calculated to 
 shine at an assembly than ' to direct 
 the young ideas how to shoot.' Be 
 cautious how you form friendships ; be 
 careful to know the characters of those 
 in whom you confide, for oftentimes a 
 vicious heart accompanies a beautiful 
 countenance. It grieves me that I can- 
 not be near to direct your steps, and 
 watch over your welfare ; but I must 
 return to my convent, as my occupa- 
 tions there demand my presence.— 
 Write to me, and tell me every thing 
 which concerns your welfare. Look 
 upon me as your best friend, for I have 
 your interest much at heart. " 
 
 Angelina thanked Pere St. Paul for 
 . '* 
 
 his kindness, and promised to abide by 
 
 his advice. When the family met at 
 
 breakfajt, she received them with cheer-
 
 59 
 
 fulness, for she feared offending Madame 
 du Val by the great reluctance she 
 shewed at going with her ; but, when 
 the carriage appeared that was to convey 
 her from Polignac, all her fortitude for- 
 sook her, and she sunk lifeless into Ma- 
 dame du Val's arms. In this situation 
 they placed her in the carriage, and she 
 was a league from the villa before she 
 opened her eyes. 
 
 Variety of objects and change of 
 scene had the desired effect on Angelina, 
 and in a few weeks her natural vivacity 
 returned. Madame du Val kept a great 
 deal of company ; she frequented all 
 the public places ; and the orphan was 
 much noticed, both from her beauty and 
 the fascinating manners she possessed. 
 Frequently she pleaded powerfully to 
 remain at home, as the dissipated life 
 they led precluded her from attending to 
 those improvements which she was anx- 
 ious to obtain both in her music and
 
 60 
 
 drawing ; but Madame du Val alwavs 
 found some excuse or other which made 
 it necessary for Angelina to attend her ; 
 and, at the expiration of three months, 
 she was astonished to find that she had 
 profited so little from the instructions 
 of the most able masters. 
 
 She felt considerable uneasiness at not 
 hearing from her father ; she knew that 
 the regiment which he commanded had 
 been sent up the country, ..and she ap- 
 prehended that he might have fallen in 
 action, or have been taken prisoner. 
 
 Monsieur and Madame du Val had 
 some concerns which compelled them to 
 visit Paris ; and, as their stay there was 
 uncertain, they not only parted with their 
 house in Bourdeaux, but dismissed all 
 their servants. Angelina was delighted 
 at the thoughts of seeing Paris, and for 
 the first time she prepared for a journey 
 without experiencing regret : she should 
 also be enabled to gain more satisfactory
 
 61 
 
 intelligence there respecting her father. 
 Previously to her leaving Bourdeaux, 
 she returned to Polio-nac to see Fon- 
 chon, and also to arrange with her 
 the manner in which she should 
 from time to time make such remit- 
 tances as she could appropriate for the 
 relief of some of the persons whom 
 Mr. Moundfort had particularly patro- 
 nised ; for she now found that she 
 should be compelled to limit her bounty, 
 as the expences attending the appear- 
 ance she was compelled to make in 
 Madame du Val's house cut very deep 
 into her income : this was a subject of 
 great affliction to Angelina, for she was 
 generous and benevolent, and took great 
 delight in administering consolation and 
 charity to the distressed. 
 
 Her parting from Fonchon was very 
 affecting, as the old woman express- 
 ed her fears that they should never 
 meet more ; and Angelina could not
 
 62 
 
 but feel that, in all probability, she 
 saw her for the last time. Fortunately, 
 Mr. Moundfort had given Fonchon a 
 cottage, and sufficient to make the re- 
 mainder of her life comfortable: this 
 was a great consolation to the orphan, 
 for she now had it not in her power to 
 continue her usual munificence. In- 
 deed, every day she felt the indigent 
 state in which she was left ; and Ma- 
 dame du Val rather promoted her in- 
 curring expences than otherwise. 
 
 The week which Augelina passed 
 at Polignac with Fonchon was more 
 agreeable to her feelings than any she 
 had spent since the death of Mr. Mound- 
 fort ; for, although she liked public 
 places and mixing in society, yet the 
 persons who frequented Madame du 
 VaFs house were not exactly such as 
 suited her taste. 
 
 She now had leisure to reflect on the 
 future, and she determined to exert
 
 63 
 
 every effort to find out some of her fa- 
 ther's relations, also her mother's : she 
 knew her name was Bentinck, and she 
 flattered herself that at Paris she should 
 get acquainted with some English. At 
 Bourdeaux she had endeavoured to ac- 
 complish this ; but Monsieur du Val ap- 
 peared averse from mixing with them. 
 
 Their journey to Paris produced no 
 incidents worth relating. Handsome 
 apartments were taken in a central 
 part of that city. The French are so 
 naturally polite, amiable, and hospitable, 
 that Angelina was delighted with them. 
 She was charmed with the good sense 
 which she met with in French society, 
 not only amongst the learned, but 
 amongst the ladies : their conversation 
 was so easy and so natural ; it was gay, 
 without being noisy ; polite, without 
 affectation ; they reasoned without ar- 
 gument, and were witty without pun- 
 ning ; they discuss subjects for the sake
 
 64 
 
 of information, and desist before it 
 conies to a dispute. By this mode of 
 conversation every one improves, every 
 one amuses himself; and they part sa- 
 tisfied with each other. By these means 
 they form a proper judgment of life and 
 manners. This enables them to make a 
 right use of society, to know the people 
 with whom they converse, and to form 
 their friendships accordingly. 
 
 Angelina had always felt a predilec- 
 tion for the French nation ; she had 
 reaped great knowledge and improve- 
 ment from the authors of that country : 
 but, at first, the manners of the ladies 
 appeared rather too free to accord with 
 her ideas of propriety. Upon a further 
 acquaintance, she was convinced that 
 it only proceeded from a natural viva- 
 city which accompanied all their ac- 
 tions, and from their being more in 
 men's company than the women of other 
 nations ; for, in France, the ladies learn
 
 63 
 
 to act and form their ideas from the 
 other sex ; and frequently, from this 
 intercourse, the men become more effe- 
 minate than is suitable to the male cha- 
 racter. But our orphan, in the gaieties 
 of Paris, found that she could not se- 
 lect one female as a friend : they were 
 all polite, all fascinating in their pro- 
 fessions of friendship. But that reci- 
 procal regard which unites persons of 
 similar sentiments in other countries 
 did not reign in the bosom of a French 
 belle ; and Angelina, in the midst of 
 persons, all of whom expressed the 
 most ardent desire to serve her, found 
 that her heart was ready to communi- 
 cate, but could find no one ready to 
 listen ; and, after a few months' resi- 
 dence with the Parisians, she began to 
 feel disgusted with the unmeaning offers 
 of obliging offices of friendship and 
 civilities with which she was constantly 
 pestered.
 
 66 
 
 lame du Val was immersed in a 
 ne of dissipation, and the orphan 
 va cd Lo see with what address 
 
 that ci'ttcd herself into all so- 
 
 cieties. She constantly accommodated 
 her principles with those of the compa- 
 ny she was in ; she seemed to leave her 
 conscience at the door of every house 
 in which she entered ; she talked and 
 amused every one within her reach, not 
 a sentiment coming from the heart ; 
 and frequently, in the same breath, con- 
 tradicting what she had just hefore ad- 
 vanced. 
 
 Madame du Val still endeavoured to 
 prevent Angelina from mixing in the so- 
 cieties where she was likely to meet 
 with English, and the orphan was equally 
 vigilant to get introduced to some Eng- 
 lish families ; and, as Madame du Val 
 considered her own pleasure above all 
 other things on earth, she could not 
 give up any invitation which would pro-
 
 61 
 
 mote it. As her engagements were too 
 n such as she did not wish the or- 
 to witness, Angelina, on these oc- 
 casions, was left her own mistress ; and 
 it was the only time she could devote to 
 study, and writing to St. Paul. 
 
 To the good Father she candidly 
 opened her mind, and expressed a wish 
 to see him, as she confessed, since her 
 lence with .Madame du Val. she had 
 i i on to form a very indifferent opinion 
 of that morals : that she could 
 
 get no information respecting her fa- 
 ther; that she had hitherto heen pre- 
 vented ig any acquaintance with 
 the English in Paris; in fact, her situ- 
 ation was extremel) distressing, and 
 she entreated St. Paul to give her his 
 advice how she should act, provided he 
 could not come to her. 
 
 The good man lost no time in reply- 
 ing to her letter, which was delivered to 
 her by a priest ; and the benevolent
 
 68 
 
 person who presented it, by his proffers 
 of friendship, in some degree mitigated 
 the regret she felt in reading that Pere 
 St. Paid was now Superior of his Con- 
 vent, consequently could not leave it ; 
 but he assured her that the priest who 
 delivered the letter would in every re- 
 spect supply his place, and indeed, from 
 having mixed more with the world, was 
 better able to direct her actions than he 
 could be, who had never left his con- 
 vent but upon religious duties. 
 
 It was a great consolation to Angelina 
 to have such a respectable friend, and 
 through him she got introduced to a 
 Mrs. Stewart, who had resided some 
 years in Trance. She was a lady of re- 
 tired habits, but well informed, and one 
 to whom all the English paid great re- 
 spect : she related to her English friend 
 her situation, and the name of her mo- 
 ther. Mrs. Stewart assured her that 
 the Clermonts were persons of distinc-
 
 69 
 
 tion, and she strongly advised that An- 
 gelina should go to England, as there 
 she would be able to rind out either her 
 father's or her mother's family. 
 
 But the great difficulty was to accom- 
 plish this : her little property was in 
 Monsieur du \ r al"s hands ; and recently 
 she had experienced great difficulty in 
 even getting a few louis from him ^ 
 added to which, it had been Mr. Mound- 
 fort's desire that she should remain with 
 them till she had her father's orders 
 to act otherwise ; hut she was sure 
 that Mr. Moundfort did not know Ma- 
 dame du Val's real character, or he 
 never would have countenanced her ; 
 consequently, had he been living, he 
 would have withdrawn Angelina from 
 such protection. 
 
 But all Angelina's plans and projects 
 were settled by Madame du Val ; for 
 Monsieur du Val entered the orphan's 
 apartment like a madman, declaring
 
 70 
 
 that Angelina and he were both ruined, 
 as his wife had fled with some paramour, 
 and robbed him ; that he should imme- 
 diately follow, and take measures to stop 
 her ; but that, even if he succeeded, he 
 was sure that she would never give back 
 the sum she had taken. He then con- 
 fessed that Mr. Moundfort had placed 
 in Madame du Val's hands policies of 
 insurance on his life to the amount of 
 10,000/. ; that Madame had sent these 
 insurances to England, with the certi- 
 ficate of Mr. Moundfort's death ; and 
 that a few weeks since thesum had been 
 remitted to her. 
 
 Poor Angelina was petrified. That 
 Madame du Val, who had known her 
 from an infant, could act thus basely by 
 her, was indeed shocking to humanity. 
 Before she could make any reply to this 
 information, Monsieur du Yal had 
 quitted the room, and immediately left 
 Paris. The poor orphan was absolutely
 
 71 
 
 left pennyless in that great city; but, 
 although she severely felt the shock, she 
 bore it like a Christian. She sent for 
 her friend, the priest, and stated her 
 situation. He searched the apartments, 
 when they found that every thing of 
 value had been removed, but a small 
 parcel directed for Angelina, contain- 
 ing 3000 crowns. 
 
 After remaining some time consulting 
 with the priest, it was decided that he 
 should inform Mrs. Stewart of what had 
 happened; and in a few hours that lady 
 called on Angelina, and invited her to 
 remain at her house till some plan could 
 be adopted for the future welfare of the 
 orphan.
 
 72 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 O yet, while Heav'n suspends your doom, be wise, 
 
 My sons ! O cease to listen to the lure 
 
 Of Pleasure ! Death attends her forward step, 
 
 And Peril lays the sure though secret snare. 
 
 Hear, then, the words of age. Yet fate bestows 
 
 One hour; yet Virtue, with indulgent voice, 
 
 By me invites to shun the devious maze 
 
 Of error : Yet to crown with length of days, 
 
 With joy, with happiness, your bold career, 
 
 She hopes! O snatch the proffer'd boon ! be rous'd, 
 
 Ere her strong arm tremendous at your heads 
 
 Shall launch th' avenging thunder ; ere dismay'd, 
 
 Perplex'd, bewilder'd, wild, you seek the haunt 
 
 Of Peace, when darkness veils her lowly cot, 
 
 And mourn her gentle smile for ever gone. 
 
 The readers of this work, of course, 
 must be anxious to know how a man of 
 Mr. Moundfort's character and discern- 
 ment could have formed any intimacy 

 
 73 
 
 with persons of Monsieur and Madame 
 du Val's propensities. 
 
 On that gentleman's retiring to 
 France, his agent referred him to Mon- 
 sieur du Yal to settle the agreement re- 
 specting his villa at Polignac, which 
 residence was the property of Monsieur 
 le Marquis de Grammont. In conse- 
 quence of this reference, an intercourse 
 took place between Mr. Moundfort and 
 the Du Vals ; and, in his presence, their 
 conduct was so circumspect as to render 
 themselves agreeable to him. The lady's 
 great partiality to Angelina was suffi- 
 cient to demand his. gratitude ; and the 
 handsome presents which they received 
 in consequence of their attention to the 
 orphan, was such as amply repaid them 
 for the sacrifice which they occasionally 
 made in devoting their time to, in their 
 opinion, such insipid society ; as, from 
 Monsieur and Madame du Val's history, 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 74 
 
 it will appear that they had seldom be- 
 fore been received where virtue resided. 
 
 Madame du Vai's father held a small 
 place in the Customs. As he had a nu- 
 merous family, he was unable to leave 
 them fortunes ; he therefore considered 
 it prudent to place them in such situa- 
 tions in the world as would give them an 
 opportunity of acquiring a decent pro- 
 vision for themselves. 
 
 It was the lot of Madame du Val, af- 
 ter having acquired the tincture of a 
 fashionable education, to be appren- 
 ticed to a milliner in Lisle ; and, being 
 extremely pretty, she had the good for- 
 tune to captivate a respectable trades- 
 man, who married her, and for some 
 time she conducted herself becoming 
 the situation in which she was placed. 
 Her husband, by his attention and fru- 
 gality, at the age of forty, had acquired 
 a suificient sum to enable him to live
 
 m a comfortable manner, without the 
 great confinement and anxiety which 
 attends trade ; and, observing some le- 
 vities in his wife, he resolved to sell off 
 at prime cost, and retire from the smoke 
 and noise of a town to the wholesome 
 fresh air of the country. 
 
 His spouse was averse to this; but, 
 upon his assuring her that he did not 
 intend to seclude her from society, but 
 on the contrary should keep a chaise 
 and a livery servant, she became recon- 
 ciled to his plan of happiness. Ac- 
 cordingly, a house was taken, with a 
 good garden and some acres of land, 
 near a market town ; and, as Monsieur 
 and Madame du Bois' appearance and 
 establishment put them on a level with 
 the best families in the neighbourhood, 
 they soon had a respectable acquaint- 
 ance, and, for a few months, the no- 
 velty of the scene made the time pass 
 rapidly.
 
 76 
 
 As the winter approached, Mr. du 
 Bois began to find that his long resi- 
 dence in a city had rendered him a no- 
 vice to those amusements with which 
 the country abounds : he could neither 
 hunt, shoot, nor fish. A delicate con- 
 stitution prevented his, drinking 5 and a 
 pipe, which was his delight, was ob- 
 noxious to the persons with whom he 
 now associated. He soon found that 
 he was the subject of ridicule to all his 
 neighbours ; that, when he entered, sig- 
 nificant nods and winks were given : the 
 ladies in particular whispered and 
 smiled ; some of them also treated his 
 wife with great incivility, looking al- 
 ways another way when they met, that 
 they might not notice her. This was 
 more distressing to him than their beha- 
 viour to himself, as, since her residence 
 in the country, she had become more 
 domestic, and he did not perceive that 
 levity in her deportment which had
 
 77 
 
 caused him so much uneasiness at 
 Lisle. 
 
 Her chief companion was the apothe- 
 cary's wife, a mighty good kind of 
 body, he thought ; quite the gossip of 
 the village ; and, when he took his 
 pipe at a respectable cabaret which he 
 frequented, his spouse always went to 
 see her friend. As to the apothecary, 
 he was the gazette of the place, and 
 was held in great request by all the old 
 maids and bachelors, as he never entered 
 their habitations without bringing a 
 mouthful of news, which his patients 
 swallowed with avidity ; and it had a 
 most happy effect on their constitutions, 
 a* it induced them to take air and exer- 
 cise, that they might divulge it to those 
 of their unhappy acquaintance who did 
 not want Mr. Accoucheur's attendance. 
 
 In one of these visits, Mademoiselle 
 Chat, a young lady verging on her six- 
 tieth year, called where a particular
 
 78 
 
 friend of Monsieur du Bois was sitting : 
 she was scarcely seated before she eased 
 her mind of the burden of intelligence 
 which she had to communicate. " Well, 
 have you heard about the new-comers? 
 Oh! I have a delightful anecdote con- 
 cerning the lady — so much for marrying 
 a beauty. I have long known who she 
 was before she married : I thought what 
 all the new dignity would arrive at. 
 Poor Monsieur du Bois ! I believe he is 
 a worthy soul ; but it is laughable to 
 think how the good man is bamboozled. 
 While he, forsooth, is smoking his pipe, 
 his lady wife passes her time with the 
 Marquis de Grammont. In future, I 
 am sure I shall not visit her; and, in- 
 deed, I think Madame Accoucheur is 
 very reprehensible in carrying on the 
 intrigue : as she suffers them to meet 
 at-her house, no doubt she is well paid 
 for her complaisance. ,, 
 
 The person to whom this conversa-
 
 79 
 
 tion was addressed did all she could to 
 stop the subject, as she knew that Mon- 
 sieur du Bois' friend had a decided aver- 
 sion to the lady alluded to, and feared 
 that he would investigate the business; 
 but it was totally impossible to prevent 
 the torrent of scandal, and the result 
 proved fatal to Monsieur du Bois, as 
 measures were soon taken to convince 
 him of his wife's infidelity. A separa- 
 tion was the consequence, and the lady 
 placed herself under the protection of 
 the Marquis. 
 
 But Monsieur du Bois really loved his 
 wife, and her living a life of infamy in 
 the same neighbourhood where he resid- 
 ed, and where he had only a few months 
 before seen her caressed by persons of 
 the first respectability, afflicted him so 
 severely, that he only lived two years 
 after she left him. He bequeathed to 
 her one hundred per year for life ; and 
 as, at this period, the Marquis de
 
 80 / 
 
 Grammont was tired of his companion, 
 and having a treaty of marriage on foot 
 with a rich heiress, he made up a match 
 between his cast-off mistress and his 
 confidential valet. He added two hun- 
 dred per annum to their income ; and, 
 as Du Val was a fine handsome fellow, 
 the lady had no objection to being made 
 once more an honest woman. They re- 
 sided at Bourdeaux, where Du Val had 
 some concerns to transact for his mas- 
 ter ; and he had been settled there about 
 two years when Mr. Moundfort first 
 become known to them. 
 
 Madame Du Val was naturally a dis- 
 sipated character, and in Paris she found 
 that even an old woman could command 
 admirers. She soon fell into the hands 
 of a designing spendthrift, and eloped 
 with him, taking every valuable that 
 they could collect ; and, indeed, it was 
 strongly suspected that her husband 
 countenanced the flight, as no person
 
 SI 
 
 knew what road lie took when he left 
 Paris. 
 
 It may naturally he supposed that 
 Angelina was much afflicted at being left 
 in such a distressing situation : she was 
 now, indeed, alone in the world, for she 
 knew not a single heing to whom she 
 could apply to for assistance. Every 
 thing regarding her was wrapt in impe- 
 netrable mystery, and it appeared totally 
 impossible to her ever to be able to hit 
 on any clue by which she could find out 
 her relatives. Even Mr. Moundfort's 
 family she knew nothing of, as he had 
 never, in any one instance, named a 
 single person with whom he had any 
 connection. 
 
 Mrs. Stewart did all in her power to 
 meliorate the affliction of the orphan, 
 and under her hospitable roof she found 
 every attention she could wish ; but 
 Mrs. Stewart had a limited income, and 
 Angelina felt that she had no right to 
 E 5
 
 82 
 
 diminish that lady's comforts by becom- 
 ing burthensome to her ; she therefore 
 determined to exert the abilities which 
 she possessed, and she applied to her 
 friend to make some inquiries amongst 
 her English acquaintances for such a si- 
 tuation as she thought Angelina could 
 fill. This Mrs. Stewart promised she 
 would immediately do, and in a few 
 weeks the orphan was received into the 
 family of a lady of quality, whose deli- 
 cate health compelled her to be frequent- 
 ly at home, and, having few resources in 
 herself, she was in search of a compa- 
 nion who could contribute to her amuse- 
 ment, write for her, &c. &c. 
 
 Lady V was soon returning to 
 
 England, as she found that her residence 
 in France had not been productive of 
 those salutary effects on her health, 
 which she had flattered herself she should 
 have experienced from change of cli- 
 mate. It was her intention to visit Hoi-
 
 83 
 land before she returned to her native 
 land ; and, as she should not leave Paris 
 for some time, Angelina had an opportu- 
 nity of forming some idea of the charac- 
 ter of the person with whom she was 
 going to reside. 
 
 Lady V , who was at least fifty-five 
 
 years of age, was still extremely hand- 
 some ; but either from ill health, or some 
 other cause, she laboured under a de- 
 pression of spirits which at times was 
 really alarming, as she would for days 
 together shut herself up, and not admit 
 any person into her presence. She had 
 
 not any children, and Lord V was 
 
 in England ; therefore her establish- 
 ment consisted only of such servants as 
 were indispensible for her comfort and 
 attendance. She had also two nieces 
 with her ; but, as they were immersed in 
 all the gaieties of a fashionable life, she 
 wished for a young lady who could bear 
 confinement to reside with her.
 
 84 
 
 Angelina soon became a great favourite 
 with all the ladies, and she had every 
 reason to suppose that, in her present 
 asylum, she should he as happy as in her 
 extraordinary situation she could expect 
 to be. Mrs. Stewart had made her story 
 known to Lady V , who took a live- 
 ly interest in the fate of the orphan, and 
 assured Mrs. Stewart that every means 
 should be exerted to find out the rela- 
 tives of Miss Dalrymple. 
 
 In a short time Angelina became so 
 
 attached to Lady V , that she felt 
 
 quite a parental affection for her ; and 
 in the society of Angelina she seemed 
 to recover that cheerfulness to which 
 she had long been a stranger. Wherever 
 she went, she always took the orphan : 
 if she felt melancholy, the melodious 
 vok:e and plaintive tones of Angelina's 
 harp would soothe her sorrow. 
 
 When they arrived at Amsterdam, the 
 orphan recollected that Mr. Moundfort
 
 85 
 
 had told her that he gave her father a 
 letter to a Mr. Vanneck, of that place, 
 and she flattered herself, that, through 
 them, she might gain some intelligence 
 of her parent ; accordingly she inquired 
 for the house of Vanneck and Company, 
 and, upon being introduced to them, 
 made known her business : but who can 
 express her astonishment, when they 
 assured her that they had never known 
 any person of the name of Moundfort ? 
 She then begged them to recollect whe- 
 ther a gentleman of the name of Dal- 
 rymple had not, about seventeen years 
 since, brought a letter of recommen a- 
 tion to their house, in consequence of 
 which they had procured him a passage 
 to England : she told them that she was 
 particularly interested in this inquiry, 
 as the gentleman was her father. 
 
 Mr. Vanneck, seeing her distress, 
 told her that he perfectly knew the cir- 
 cumstance to which she alluded, but
 
 86 
 
 since that period he had not heard of 
 the gentleman. If she was going to 
 England, he told her be would give her 
 an address to a person in London who 
 probably could and would give her some 
 satisfactory intelligence respecting the 
 persons for whom she inquired. This 
 offer in a small degree lessened the disap- 
 pointment she had recently experienced 
 in the fruitlessness of her inquiries, 
 as she hoped that the packet entrusted 
 to her care would be the means of at 
 least introducing her to some of Mr. 
 Mound fort's connections. 
 
 They reached England without ex- 
 periencing any thing unpleasant in their 
 journey, and landed at Margate, where 
 
 Lady V proposed remaining some 
 
 weeks, to recover the fatigues of her 
 voyage. 
 
 Angelina felt a secret satisfaction for 
 which she could not account on setting 
 her feet on English ground. They were
 
 87 
 
 soon joined by Lord V and his two 
 
 nephews, and, as Miss Dal ryniple under- 
 stood the English language, she was at 
 no loss on that account. 
 
 Lord V was fast approaching to 
 
 his last home ; but, being vampt up, he 
 appeared many years younger than he was. 
 He was a professed debauchee, and he 
 eyed the interesting Angelina with evi- 
 dent delight : she received his atten- 
 tions and presents with that frankness 
 which ever accompanies the actions of a 
 grateful heart for benefits conferred. 
 
 The two nephews were of very oppo- 
 site characters : the eldest, who had re- 
 cently lost his elder brother, and had by 
 that event become heir apparent to an 
 earldom, was a description of person 
 whom Angelina had never had any con- 
 ception of: he was a complete sportsman 
 and jockey, and his dress, manners, and 
 conversation, perfectly corresponded 
 with the character. It appeared to her
 
 88 
 
 a most lamentable consideration, that 
 the heir to a title, a man of education, 
 should forego the pleasures of his rank 
 and expectations, merely to enjoy driv- 
 ing vehicles like stage coaches, and the 
 delight in following a pack of hounds in 
 the destruction of a helpless and fre- 
 quently a harmless animal. 
 
 The Greeks, she had read, encouraged 
 the pleasures of the race and chase, but 
 they did not adopt it to introduce the 
 pernicious vice of gaming ; and she 
 could not reconcile it to her feelings, in 
 this enlightened age, to see Nobles warm- 
 ly patronise such a destructive propen- 
 sity, more especially as they knew that 
 advantage was taken of them, and that 
 even their vassals laughed at them for 
 their folly. 
 
 Lord M , however, could not see 
 
 Angelina without confessing that she 
 was very handsome ; and, as he boasted 
 of the finest stud, the handsomest car-
 
 S9 
 
 riages, and the best clogs in the kingdom, 
 he thought, in obtaining her, he should 
 add the most beautiful mistress to his 
 collection of valuables ; never presuming 
 that a pennyless dependant could refuse 
 the immense settlement which he presum- 
 ed to offer. 
 
 Miss Dairy mple, at first, did not com- 
 prehend him ; "but, when he addressed 
 her in such plain terms as shocked her de- 
 licacy, she did not condescend to make 
 any reply, but left the room. 
 
 She now, indeed, felt her unprotected 
 situation : she was even debarred the 
 greatest alleviation of the troubles and 
 cares of life, as she had not the comfort 
 or relaxation of a friend whom she could 
 consult on this trying occasion. To ap- 
 peal to Lady V , would be to agitate 
 
 her delicate frame, and probably occa- 
 sion her a fit of sickness. If she spoke 
 
 to Lord M 's sisters, it would, in her 
 
 opinion, be indelicate to communicate to
 
 90 
 
 such near relations the depravity of their 
 kindred : she therefore, after a Ion <? 
 debate in her own mind, determined to 
 
 speak to Lord V , and abide by his 
 
 advice. 
 
 When he returned from his morning 
 ride, she attended him; but, on entering 
 his dressing-room, she was met by Au- 
 gustus Davenport. 
 
 " This is an unexpected pleasure, Miss 
 Dalrvmple, to meet you here. What do 
 you do with yourself? for in this scene 
 of gaiety you are quite a recluse." 
 
 " To confess the truth," replied An- 
 gelina, " I have particular business with 
 your uncle. I was in hopes of meeting 
 with him alone ; but, as we have met, 
 may I exhort a promise from you, that 
 you will not, to any person living, di- 
 vulge having seen me in his Lordship's 
 apartments ?" 
 
 Augustus, with a low bow, assured 
 Miss Dairy mple that her wishes should
 
 91 
 
 strictly be complied with ; but he said 
 this with such an impressive tone, that 
 the orphan's spirits were extremely de- 
 pressed, and she burst into tears. 
 Augustus took her hand. 
 
 " For God's sake, what is the matter ? 
 Would to God that you thought me 
 worthy to participate in what afflicts 
 you !" 
 
 Before she could reply, Lord V — — 
 appeared : he looked at her with asto- 
 nishment, and the precipitate retreat of 
 his nephew also surprised him ; but, 
 when Angelina recited to him the treat- 
 ment which she had received from Lord 
 
 M , he became perfectly composed, 
 
 approved of the conscience which she 
 had placed in him, and requested that 
 she would on all occasions apply to him 
 when she wanted advice: he assured her 
 that she should receive no further in- 
 sult from his nephew; desired she would 
 not mention the subject to any other
 
 92 
 
 person ; to behave as if nothing had pass- 
 ed ; and that in a few clays he would 
 send him off. 
 
 When they met at dinner, for the first 
 time in her life Angelina experienced 
 the dreadful sensation of mauvaise honte. 
 She was ashamed of meeting Lord M — — 
 after the insult she had received from 
 him ; and her colour rose when Augus- 
 tus entered. He sat by her, and, by 
 those delicate attentions which descrip- 
 tion cannot do justice to, made her for- 
 get the unpleasantness of her situation. 
 
 Augustus Davenport to a majestic per- 
 son joined a refined mind ; he belonged to 
 Oxford, as he was studying for the Bar; 
 and his manners, disposition, and pur- 
 suits, were the exact counterpart of his 
 brother's. Rural sports, with him, were 
 not pursued with a greater attention and 
 importance than was conducive to health 
 and a manly relaxation : he considered 
 that, when they load the rich and liberal
 
 93 
 
 into company and occupations which 
 degrade their dignity, they cease to be 
 rational amusements. He admired the 
 brute creation in their respective depart- 
 ments. If fidelity and generosity are 
 lovely qualities, the dog and horse have 
 strong claims to share our affection ; 
 but they who circumscribe their ideas 
 to a stable, who pass more* time with ir- 
 rational animals than in the society of 
 their fellow creatures, are in great dan- 
 ger of assimilating with their nature, and 
 acquiring a brutal ferocity. 
 
 Lord M left .Margate the fol- 
 lowing day, to the great joy of our he- 
 roine. Her usual spirits returned, and, 
 as she possessed a mind which could de- 
 rive ample amusement from studying 
 men and manners, she was in a place 
 which gave full scope for amusement. 
 
 On her entering the bathing-room, a 
 general silence prevailed : every one 
 stared her in the face, as her dress did not
 
 94 
 
 exactly correspond with the English 
 fashion ; and, supposing that she did not 
 understand the language, they made no 
 secret of their opinion. This rather con- 
 fused her ; but her attention was soon 
 taken up by the ludicrous scene which 
 she witnessed ; a lean-looking figure 
 with one eye was congratulating a lady 
 on her improved looks, whose face was 
 the colour of a china orange. This sa- 
 lutation was seconded by an old woman 
 who sat in the next chair shaking like a 
 mandarine. A poor crippled creature 
 addressed a fine healthy girl, with a so- 
 licitation to dance with him at Dan- 
 delion. Every one was describing their 
 own case, and all giving a dissertation 
 on the good qualities which the sea pos- 
 sessed ;but, in general, so contradictory, 
 that Angelina learned, from their opi- 
 nions, that salt water both thinned and 
 thickened the blood — it strengthened 
 and it weakened — it made people fat — it
 
 93 
 
 also made them lean — it braced and it 
 relaxed — in fact, it was a cure for all dis- 
 eases, and still it was good for nothing. 
 As she approached near the balustrade, 
 she saw a curious figure, with a red 
 night-cap on, wrapped in a great coat. 
 When the last machine drove oif, one of 
 the company asked if he bathed. 
 
 " Not I, truly ! It is quite diversion 
 enough to see others make fools of them- 
 selves. — It is amusing to see all the folks 
 here take to the water like spaniels ; and 
 if one believed all the people say of the 
 efficacy of the sea, if it were not for 
 broken bones, all our hospitals might 
 be destroyed." 
 
 The gentleman observed, that the vir- 
 tue of salt water might be overrated, 
 but he considered it as an instrument of 
 health to many. 
 
 " You, Sir, are fortunate to have no 
 occasion to try its efficacy." 
 
 " Indeed, Sir, you are mistaken. I am
 
 96 
 
 ordered to remain here three months by 
 one of the first physicians in London — 
 to walk two hours every morning, and 
 the same length of time in the evening — 
 to smell the sea mud.'' 
 
 At hearing this, Angelina could not 
 refrain from laughing ; and she express- 
 ed her astonishment to Augustus, that 
 so wise a nation as the English were re- 
 presented could be so easily imposed on. 
 "If you are already astonished," he re- 
 plied, " at what appears to you imposi- 
 tion, your astonishment will be indeed 
 augmented, when you see the various ri- 
 diculous sights which are every day ex- 
 hibited in London, and which the wisest 
 persons flock to see." 
 
 As the autumn was now far advanced, 
 preparations were making for their jour- 
 ney to London, as they had remained 
 much longer in Margate than they at 
 
 first intended. Lady V insisted 
 
 upon Angelina frequenting every place
 
 9T 
 
 of amusement; but they could only get 
 her to go once to each, for the music at 
 the libraries was such discord, that it was 
 disagreeable to her correct ear. The 
 grotesque figures which exhibited on the 
 platform at Dandelion did well enough 
 to laugh at, but a repetition of such 
 wretched buffoonery would be insupport- 
 able. 
 
 The Master of the Ceremonies* ball was 
 announced, and Lady V was pre- 
 vailed on to accompany her nieces to 
 the rooms : Angelina declined going, but 
 she was not suffered to follow her incli- 
 nation. A large party were assembled 
 in the drawing-room when the orphan 
 made her appearance. All the men so- 
 licited the honour of dancing with her, 
 but Augustus had secured her for the 
 first two dances in the morning. Her 
 dress was a white crape frock over a 
 white slip, her auburn hair confined 
 by abondeau of pearls, with a diamond 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 9S 
 
 clasp in front ; she wore a pearl neck- 
 lace and ear-rings : her ornaments had 
 been presented to her by Mr. Mound- 
 fort, and were extremely valuable : the 
 simplicity of her dress was very advan- 
 tageous to her figure. The heat of the 
 ball-room gave additional animation to 
 her intelligent countenance, which had 
 that expression, that, when she spoke, 
 every one listened with profound atten- 
 tion, and not any person could be in her 
 company without wishing to remain in 
 it. 
 
 A general inquiry prevailed to know 
 who the beautiful foreigner was ; and 
 
 Lady V laughing, told her, that, in 
 
 future, she should keep her at home, as 
 otherwise she should lose her companion. 
 
 The Lady Davenports always behaved 
 with the greatest kindness to Angelina ; 
 but they were that description of per- 
 sons, that they only estimated people by 
 their rank ; and, if Miss Dalrymple had
 
 99 
 
 not been mistress of accomplishments 
 which placed her in a conspicuous light, 
 they would have treated her as a depend- 
 ant on their aunt's bounty : but Lady 
 
 V , on all occasions, expressed such 
 
 a regard for Angelina, and shewed her 
 such respect, that they were compelled 
 to follow her example. 
 
 Before leaving Margate, Lord V 
 
 presented the lacli-es with some valuable 
 presents : he always shewed the greatest 
 attention to the orphan, and her trinket 
 was of equal value with the rest. In turns 
 with his nieces, he drove her in his cur- 
 ricle : on these occasions Augustus al- 
 ways looked grave, and sometimes, in 
 conversation, had hinted that young 
 women could not be too careful in whom 
 they confided. - 
 
 The road from Margate to London 
 gave Angelina a very favourable im- 
 pression of England. The harvest was 
 not all housed ; the hop-grounds were
 
 100 
 
 in full beauty ; and she thought that 
 the luxuriance of the country equalled 
 any thing she had yet seen. 
 
 Rich is thy soil, and merciful thy clime ; 
 Thy streams unfailing in the Summer's drought ; 
 Unmatch'd thy guardian oaks ; thy vallies float 
 With golden waves ; and on thy mountains flocks 
 Bleat numberless ; while roving round their sides, 
 Bellow the blackening herds in lusty droves. 
 Beneath thy meadows glow, and rise unquell'd 
 Against the mower's scythe. On every hand 
 Thy villas shine. Thy country teems with wealth. 
 
 On their arrival in Cavendish-square, 
 
 they were met by Lord and Lady G > 
 
 with Lord M . The latter address- 
 ed Angelina with a familiarity which 
 she by no means approved. The Lady 
 Davenports returned home, and Angeli- 
 na, of course, now became the insepera- 
 
 ble companion of Lady V . The 
 
 more she was with that lady, her affec- 
 tion for her increased ; and it grieved 
 her to see that her patroness laboured
 
 101 
 
 under some secret grief, which she en- 
 deavoured to conceal by pleading indis- 
 position. Her behaviour to her husband 
 was always kind and respectful j his was 
 complaisant : but there appeared to want 
 that intercourse of soul, which Angelina 
 thought was absolutely necessary to ren- 
 der the marriage state happy. 
 
 As soon as she could with propriety 
 name the subject, she consulted Lady 
 
 V upon the method that she should 
 
 adopt to gain information of her father, 
 and his Lordship took upon him to make 
 the necessary inquiries. But Avho can 
 describe the orphan's consternation, 
 when she looked for the packet given 
 her by Mr. Vanneck, to find that it was 
 gone ? Where she had left it, or how she 
 had lost it, she could not conceive. 
 
 Immediately she flew to Lord V f 
 
 stating her disappointment, and entreat- 
 ing that he would send to Margate to 
 have the lodgings searched. In the midst
 
 102 
 
 of her request Augustus entered, and, 
 seeing them engaged in close consulta- 
 tion, he was in the act of withdrawing ; 
 when Angelina requested that he would 
 enter, and her manner was such as to 
 convince him she wished him to stay. 
 She hinted what had been the subject 
 of their conversation, when Augustus 
 said he would himself go in quest of 
 
 the packet. Lord V made several 
 
 objections to this ; but Davenport over- 
 ruled them all, and he set off for Kent 
 the same evening. 
 
 Lady V went out very little, and, 
 
 as she was desirous of Angelina's seeing 
 the Opera and other public places, she 
 requested Lady G— to be her cha- 
 prone; but, although that lady com- 
 plied with her wishes, it was evident she 
 did not like such an addition to her 
 party, for the beauty of the orphan at- 
 tracted universal admiration ; and, al- 
 though the Lady Davenports had a very
 
 105 
 
 ;h opinion of their own persons and 
 accomplishments, yet they soon felt 
 that, in Angelina's company, they ap- 
 peared to great disadvantage. 
 
 Lord M », finding that he had of- 
 fended the orphan by his insolent offer, 
 now behaved very differently to her * in 
 fact, to his great astonishment, he 
 found that she was become quite as ne- 
 cessary to his happiness as his horses or 
 dogs : but he knew that his lady mother, 
 whose opinion was a law in their family, 
 would never consent to his espousing 
 his aunt's companion ; he therefore de- 
 termined to marry her privately, and 
 accordingly he took an opportunity of 
 making these sentiments known to the 
 object of his wishes. 
 
 Angelina thanked him for thehonouf 
 he intended her ; but, even if his rela- 
 tions condescended to sanction what he 
 thought would constitute his happiness, 
 she should be compelled to decline auy
 
 104 
 
 overtures of marriage till she knew her 
 father's wishes respecting her future 
 plans in life. She felt that she had no 
 right to dispose of herself. 
 
 Lord M shewed great resentment 
 
 at this rejection, as, from the manner, 
 he was certain that it proceeded from 
 dislike to him. From this period he 
 treated her with incivility, and she 
 found being in his company extremely 
 unpleasant. Whenever she went into 
 
 public, Lord V never left her side. 
 
 He watched all her motions, and shewed 
 
 evident dislike to Lord M . He 
 
 taxed Angelina with encouraging his 
 addresses. 
 
 When she candidly informed him of 
 his offer, and her reply, he approved of 
 her conduct, and made her promise that 
 she would always tell him of any over- 
 tures which she might receive of the 
 same nature; for he assured her that he 
 had her interest much at heart, and that
 
 103 . 
 
 he should always advise her for her hap- 
 piness : M For, indeed, my dear girl, I 
 fear you must look upon me as your 
 only protector, as the accounts which I 
 have received from the India House are 
 far from favourable: they have had no 
 intelligence of Major Dairy mple since 
 he went up the country ; but, as there 
 is not any mention made of him in the 
 returns of either killed or wounded, 
 there is a probability that he still exists. 
 As it is nearly three years since any in- 
 telligence has been heard of him, in my 
 opinion it is doubtful." 
 
 The poor orphan attended to this 
 dreadrrtk-LCcount of her parent with 
 desponding composure : she now con- 
 sidered that she had not the least pro- 
 bability of ever being known to any of 
 her relatives, and she depended upon the 
 bounty of others for her maintenance. 
 This was a distressing consideration; 
 but Angelina was not of a desponding 
 v5
 
 106 
 
 disposition : she severely felt her un- 
 fortunate fate ; but she had early im- 
 bibed such principles of religion as 
 would support her under every afflic- 
 tion. She felt unbounded gratitude to 
 the Supreme Disposer of all human 
 events for having hitherto protected her, 
 end to repine at his dispensations would 
 be arraigning his mercy. 
 
 To add to her distress, Davenport 
 had not proved successful, as he could 
 gain no intelligence of the packet ; but 
 he assured the orphan that he would 
 write to Mr. Vanneck, stating what had 
 happened, and, of course, he would for- 
 ward another introduction. It would 
 be some time before it could be obtain- 
 ed ; nevertheless she would have the 
 consolation of knowing that eventually 
 she would have it. 
 
 Augustus felt for her, and endea- 
 voured to mitigate the unpleasantness of 
 her situation, by shewing her, when in
 
 107 
 
 company, such attention as to prevent 
 her feeling the cool behaviour with 
 which, at times, she was treated by his 
 mother, and sometimes by his sisters. 
 
 Lady V 's health declined daily : 
 
 she was always kind to Angelina, but 
 latterly she had been more than usually 
 grave, sometimes even pettish in her re- 
 plies to the orphan. Angelina imputed 
 this to her indisposition, and redoubled 
 her endeavours to amuse her patroness; 
 but her efforts proved ineffectual ; and 
 she had the affliction of perceiving that 
 she no longer possessed the power of 
 dissipating the gloom under which Lady 
 
 V laboured. As she sincerely loved 
 
 her, she was much mortified at it. 
 
 Lady G — — was frequently with 
 them, and Angelina was certain that 
 she was not a favourite of her's. Her 
 spirits forsook her, and she became de- 
 jected. Lord V ■ observed this, and 
 inquired the cause : she pleaded indis-
 
 108 
 
 position, as she thought it would be 
 wrong of her to make any observations 
 to his Lordship on the subject of her un- 
 easiness, as assuredly she had expe- 
 rienced such kindnesses from Lady 
 
 V , and all the family, as demanded 
 
 her unbounded gratitude. 
 
 The time approached when they were 
 to leave town, and a gentleman of in- 
 dependent fortune applied to Lady 
 
 V for her interest with Angelina. 
 
 He was a Catholic, of good connection, 
 and in every respect a gentleman calcu- 
 lated to render the woman he married 
 
 happy ; but, before Lady V could 
 
 finish the sentence, the orphan gave a 
 decided negative. Her Ladyship looked 
 extremely displeased. 
 
 " Surely, Miss Dalrymple, you might 
 have permitted me to conclude what I 
 was about to say, before you made a re- 
 ply. Permit me to tell you, that Mr. 
 Ciodolphin is such a match as you may
 
 109 
 
 not again meet with. Lady G would 
 
 not reject such an alliance for her 
 daughters ; but probably you have other 
 views, or are engaged. Beware how you 
 place your confidence in the other sex. 
 In my opinion, it is more delicate for a 
 vouns: ladv to have a female instead of 
 a male confidant. n 
 
 The orphan was thunderstruck at 
 this address; it was delivered in a tone 
 of authority which petrified her: but 
 Angelina, although she was of a gentle 
 disposition, possessed great pride, and 
 she felt that no person had a right to 
 dispose of her in marriage ; she there- 
 fore told Lady V that she Avas sen- 
 sible of Mr. Godolphin's worth, and 
 that an alliance with him would be very 
 advantageous ; but although she ad- 
 mired his accomplishments, and could 
 not but feel pleased in his society, yet 
 she was decided not to accept of his 
 hand ; indeed, she should reject all of-
 
 no 
 
 fcrs, till she could ascertain to whom 
 she belonged. In respect to her having 
 a male confidant, she was ignorant to 
 whom her Ladyship alluded : as she had 
 no secrets, consequently she had not 
 any thing to communicate. This was 
 said with such an innocent countenance, 
 
 that Lady V felt confused for 
 
 having addressed her so harshly. She 
 took her hand. 
 
 " Well, well, my dear : if you will 
 not have Godolphin, I must break your 
 refusal to him in the best manner I can ; 
 but I fear he will hang himself in his 
 garters, or die of despair. " 
 
 She then left the room. Angelina's 
 heart was full, and she sobbed aloud. 
 Her back was to the door : she remained 
 some minutes almost suffocated with 
 sorrow. Upon turning round, she saw 
 Davenport. She would have fled, but 
 he intercepted her passage. 
 
 " You cannot, you must not go, my
 
 Ill 
 
 sweet friend! Your grief afflicts me 
 more sensibly than you imagine. Do, 
 then, tell me from what it proceeds, and 
 how I can serve you. Accept of me 
 as your confidant ; rest assured that I 
 Mill never betray the sacred trust, for 
 you are dearer to me than life." 
 
 Angelina sunk upon a chair, and hid 
 her face. For the first time, she was ap- 
 prised that Augustus was not indifferent 
 to her ; but his mentioning her making 
 him her confident, brought forcibly to 
 her recollection what had recently fallen 
 from his aunt. She felt frightened, and 
 incapable of making any reply. 
 
 Augustus continued: " You know 
 the secret of my heart, Angelina. The 
 situation in which I found you put me 
 off my guard ; for I meant to conceal 
 my sentiments till I was in a situation 
 to offer you an independence. Alas ! I 
 am dependant on my father; and to ob- 
 tain his consent to our union at present,
 
 112 
 
 even if I was so blessed as to meet with 
 your concurrence, I fear would be im- 
 practicable." 
 
 " Alas! Sir," replied Angelina, " too- 
 well I know my situation ; and that an 
 orphan, who has neither family nor for- 
 tune to recommend her to the alliance 
 of the great, can only expect to be re- 
 jected with scorn. But, however mean 
 my expectations, I possess a mind supe- 
 rior to my situation, and I will never 
 enter into any family who are not even 
 anxious to receiveme. As theonly friends 
 I have on earth are your relations, let 
 me entreat that this conversation may 
 never be repeated, for I have no home 
 nor relative to receive me." 
 
 " Angelina, you distress me beyond 
 measure! My regard for you is unalter- 
 able, and my fate is in your hands ; give 
 me, then, some hope ! In two years I 
 inherit a small estate from my grandmo- 
 ther, sufficient to procure us all the com-
 
 113 
 
 forts of life; and, when my father sees 
 that my happiness depends on marrying 
 you, he probably will cousent to my 
 wishes. Only tell me that you have not 
 accepted of Godolphin !" 
 
 "Dissimulation forms no part of my 
 character," replied Angelina; "I will 
 therefore candidly say that you are not 
 indifferent to me : but my rejection of 
 Mr. Godolphin did not proceed from 
 any predilection in your favour. I am 
 resolved never to change my situation 
 till I know the fate of my father, and to 
 what family I belong." 
 
 Augustus could not prevail on the or- 
 phan to engage herself to him ; and she 
 seemed so exhausted, and her spirits so 
 depressed, that she retired to her room, 
 and was incapable of attending the sum- 
 mons to dinner. 
 
 Lady V visited her, and was ex- 
 tremely alarmed at rinding Angelina in a 
 high fever. She insisted upon sending
 
 114 
 
 for a physician, who assured Lord V 
 
 that his patient had very alarming symp- 
 toms ; that it was absolutely necessary 
 that she should be kept extremely quiet. 
 The following; morning: he declared her 
 complaint to be the scarlet fever, It 
 was several weeks before the orphan was 
 sufficiently recovered to join the family 
 party. 
 
 During this period, the youngest 
 Lady Matilda Davenport frequently sat 
 with Angelina, and appeared to take a 
 warmer interest in her welfare than she 
 had ever before evinced : she sometimes 
 read part of Augustus's letters. As he 
 had returned to Oxford during Angeli- 
 na's confinement, he mentioned the or- 
 phan in such delicate terms, that his 
 sister hinted she feared that he had lost 
 his heart. 
 
 On these occasions Angelina never 
 made any reply, for she dreaded lest any 
 of the family should know the. partiality
 
 115 
 
 which he entertained for her, being con- 
 vinced that they would no longer per- 
 mit her to remain with them; and she 
 flattered herself, from the great kind- 
 ness and attention shewn to her by Lady 
 
 V during her illness, that she was 
 
 quite reinstated in that lady's favour. 
 
 As soon as Angelina felt sufficiently 
 renovated to endure the fatigue of a long 
 journey, they set off for the North of 
 England, where Lord V had a fa- 
 vourite residence : it was near Harro- 
 gate, and they expected, in the course 
 of the summer, to have a house full of 
 company. 
 
 To the great astonishment of every 
 
 one, Lord V put off his intended 
 
 excursion into Wales, that he might 
 
 escort Lady V . When he made 
 
 the offer, the orphan thought it was re- 
 ceived with Gfreat coldness on the ladv's 
 part : this she could not account for, 
 as, on all occurrences, Lady V act-
 
 116 
 
 ed with great propriety, and was na- 
 turally of an amiable disposition ; there- 
 fore it appeared strange that she should 
 shew any dissatisfaction at having the 
 company of her husband.
 
 117 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 Much learning shews how little mortals know ; 
 
 Much wealth, how little worldlings can enjoy. 
 
 At best it babies us with endless toys, 
 
 And keeps us children till we drop to dust. 
 
 As monkeys at a mirror stand amaz'd, 
 
 They fail to find what they so plainly see; 
 
 Thus men in shining riches see the face 
 
 Of happiness, nor know it is a shade ; 
 
 But gaze, and touch, and peep, and peep again 
 
 And wish, and wonder it is absent still. 
 
 It is now requisite to give some ac- 
 count of Lady V 's ancestry, as 
 
 they have all cut a conspicuous figure 
 in the fashionable world. 
 
 Her grandfather, the Duke of B— , 
 was descended from an illustrious house; 
 and, as they possessed great family pride, 
 they did not consider any of the nobi- 
 lity as proper alliances for their children.
 
 118 
 
 He married a German princess, by whom 
 he had several sons and daughters, all 
 of whom received the most liberal edu- 
 cations ; and Nature had been so boun- 
 tiful to them, that in beauty and ac- 
 complishments they surpassed every 
 other family in the kingdom, or pro- 
 bably in the world. The exalted sphere 
 in which they moved, and the great 
 influence which their rank and connec- 
 tions gave them, surrounded the young 
 people with numerous flatterers, but 
 very few friends : all contributed to 
 promote their pleasures, without consi- 
 dering what would eventually secure 
 their felicity, and consequently their 
 respectability. 
 
 The heir apparent immersed into every 
 scene of dissipation which presented 
 itself, and, of course, was soon involved 
 in debts; his constitution injured; 
 and, instead of attaining that happiness 
 in which he had been in constant pur-
 
 119 
 suit, he experienced only remorse, for 
 having appropriated to the worthless the 
 time and property which he could have 
 so mucli better employed. 
 
 Nor were his brothers backward in 
 following his example. After various 
 
 intrigues, the Marquis of K (now 
 
 Duke of B ) became enamoured of a 
 
 widow who was considerably older than 
 himself, and of the Catholic persuasion. 
 Report circulated that he was married 
 to her : this intelligence created consi- 
 derable alarm in the breasts of his 
 
 parents, and the Duchess of B 
 
 thought it advisable that he should 
 marry. She proposed to him a relation, 
 who was a foreigner of rank, possessed 
 of great accomplishments, and whose 
 alliance they considered very desirable ; 
 but he was decidedly against entering 
 into any engagement of the kind, nor 
 could she by any means prevail upon 
 him to listen to any overtures on the
 
 120 
 
 subject. Finding him so averse to the 
 measure proposed, she desisted. 
 
 But his extravagancies in a short time 
 accomplished what she had been inca- 
 pable of achieving ; for his creditors 
 became so pressing, that he was com- 
 pelled to apply to his father for assist- 
 ance ; but the only terms, however, on 
 which he consented to liquidate his 
 debts, were, that he should espouse the 
 lady who had been proposed to him by 
 his mother, the alliance being in every 
 respect such as accorded with their ideas 
 of pedigree. 
 
 The Marquis still pleaded his great 
 aversion to become a benedict; but 
 the Duke and Duchess were inexorable ; 
 and at length, with the greatest re- 
 luctance, he united his faith with 
 Aminda de Conde* : but his affections 
 were so devoted to the widow, that, 
 although the lady he married had great 
 personal attractions, to him it was a
 
 121 
 
 joyless union : nor was it more agreeable 
 to his wife; her heart had been for 
 many years in the possession of an offi- 
 cer, but her relations objected to such 
 an alliance, and absolutely forced her 
 
 to accept of the Marquis of K . It 
 
 was not probable that such a match 
 would be productive of connubial feli- 
 city, but, from the rank and education 
 of the parties, it was natural to suppose 
 that they would behave with complai- 
 sance to each other, as at least to avoid 
 public censure. 
 
 On his marriage, his favourite widow 
 forbade him her house; in consequence 
 of which he fell into the snare of a 
 woman of quality, who made no secret 
 of her illicit connection, as the great 
 have few discreet persons in their suit. 
 The Marquis's infidelity was soon com- 
 municated to Arminda; but, instead of 
 endeavouring by gentleness and every 
 feminine attraction to recalhim to virtue 
 
 vol. i g
 
 122 
 
 and conjugal affection, by a violence 
 unbecoming her situation, she tor ever 
 severed even the bond of friendship. — 
 She had been educated at a foreign 
 court ; her behaviour was accompanied 
 with a levity very repugnant to his ideas 
 of propriety; and siie had an indelicacy 
 in her manner that disgusted him, before 
 he could barely tolerate these failings. 
 They now became insupportable ; and in 
 a few weeks after the birth of a son, to 
 appearance by mutual consent, they se- 
 parated ; upon which the lady of quality 
 (who, to her shame, was the mother of 
 a large family) was discarded, and the 
 widow once more enjoyed the supreme 
 felicity of reigning prime favourite. 
 
 But although the Marquis and his 
 brothers indulged in every fashionable 
 vice, and had by their intrigues cast 
 desolation in numerous respectable fa- 
 milies, yet they were naturally benevo- 
 lent, just, and generous: they were
 
 V 
 
 123 
 
 wicked from fashion, not from inclina- 
 tion ; and their munificence, and the 
 numerous charitable institutions which 
 originated from their representation and 
 influence, endeared them to that part of 
 the world which judges not merely from 
 events, but can make allowances for 
 the causes which produced them ; but, 
 alas ! this is not the most numerous 
 part of the community ; and too fre- 
 quently, when the family were spoken 
 of, only the profligate part of their 
 characters was the subject of conversa- 
 tion, and the many virtues they pos- 
 sessed were entirely forgotten. 
 
 Had the Duke and Duchess of B * 
 
 possessed less pride, their children would 
 have been an ornament to their country, 
 and the excellence of their hearts would 
 have rendered them a blessing to the 
 community: they, inflict, were more to 
 be pitied than blamed, as all their 
 follies {not to say vices) origiuated from
 
 124 
 
 the Duke and Duchess of B not 
 
 having sufficient prudence to reduce the 
 splendor of their own establishment, 
 which would enable them to increase 
 the incomes of their offspring, that they 
 might support their rank without incur- 
 ring debts, and be able to indulge 
 themselves in the greatest of all earthly 
 happiness,--- th&t of administering to the 
 wants of the distressed : instead of 
 which, they had been educated in every 
 luxury ; theyjrever knew what it was 
 to have a wish uti gratified, totally igno- 
 rant of the value of money : consequently 
 the disposal of their property was left at 
 the mercy of their dependants. 
 
 The Duke and Duchess never con- 
 sidered, that, however exalted their 
 rank, still their children were but men, 
 and liable to the same passions as the 
 meanest peasant. They prohibited their 
 marrying, from which privation they at- 
 tached themselves to females whose
 
 125 
 
 course of life precluded them from min- 
 ing in virtuous society, and whose viti- 
 ated morals could neither improve the 
 head nor heart, hut, on the contrary, 
 prove pernicious to those with whom they 
 associated. In some instances it had the 
 most baneful effects, by frequently per- 
 verting the designs of their charitable 
 donations; for, when a female was want- 
 ed to superintend the education of poor 
 children, the meritorious candidates were 
 rejected to make room for the friend of 
 some nobleman's mistress. In one in- 
 stance this had occasioned great discon- 
 tent. Several respectable persons had 
 petitioned for such a situation, when, to 
 their great regret, the person elected was 
 a woman who had lived some years with 
 an officer, after which he married her ; 
 but her conduct, when a wife, was not 
 sufficiently correct to induce the ladies 
 of the corps in which her husband served 
 to visit her. The nobleman who insti-
 
 126 
 
 tnted this charity bore all the blame, as the 
 nomination rested with him, whilehealone 
 was the only person ignorant of the cha- 
 racter of the person whom he had elected. 
 
 But the world did not consider that 
 the sphere in which he moved precluded 
 him from personally ascertaining the 
 respectability of the candidates : he de- 
 pended on those whom he considered as 
 his friends, thinking them competent to 
 decide on such an important occasion. 
 It never entered his imagination that 
 gentlemen of rank, some of whom were 
 fathers, could so far disgrace themselves, 
 and injure the rising generation, as to 
 appoint a female of vicious habits to su- 
 perintend the morals of infants ; but, as 
 has been before observed, the world in 
 general only judges from events, conse- 
 quently these brothers suffered, in the 
 general opinion. 
 
 The females of this family were not 
 more fortunate than their brothers ; the
 
 127 
 
 Duchess of B kept them secluded 
 
 from the world ; they passed the prime of 
 life in absolute solitude ; they were formed 
 by nature to become useful and conspicu- 
 ous ornaments in society, but the avarice 
 andambition of their parents doomed them 
 to experience only sorrow ; they also 
 could not obtain the Duke's consent to 
 their marrying, no offer having present* 
 ed itself where pedigree was sufficiently 
 ancient to mix with their noble blood. 
 
 The Duchess never reflected, that, al- 
 though her daughters were beautiful, ac- 
 complished, and wise, yet they were but 
 women, and possessed all the frailties at- 
 tached to human nature. They seldom 
 quitted their father's house, but numerous 
 officers waited on him, some of whom 
 could not see the beautiful inmates of 
 the Castle without feeling the effect of 
 their charms. The ladies were not in- 
 sensible to merit: the consequence was, 
 that they formed clandestine marriages,
 
 128 
 
 The stolen interviews of these virtuous 
 couples were discovered ; and as the 
 community seldom put the most favour- 
 able constructions on doubtful appear- 
 ances, the ladies' prudence were question- 
 ed ; scandalous reports circulated ; and 
 the lawful offspring of these marriages 
 were sent to different parts of the coun- 
 try to be educated ; and women, who 
 were calculated to have performed all 
 the endearing and affectionate duties of 
 a mother, were debarred that sacred hap- 
 piness. 
 
 One of these ladies sunk under the fa- 
 tal secrecy that was attached to her si- 
 tuation. A rumour prevailed that she 
 was pregnant, and every one watched 
 her with anxious expectation ; but she 
 eluded their vigilance. Report circulated 
 that a slight indisposition confined her 
 for ten days to her apartment, at the ex- 
 piration of which period she appeared in 
 public ; but this exertion, after her ly-
 
 129 
 ing-in, brought on a decline, which 
 gained rapidly on her constitution, from 
 the unhappiness of her delicate mind, 
 which received a severe shock from beiug 
 sensible that, iu the opinion of the world, 
 she was considered to be a very dubious 
 character. She lingered for some time ; 
 but, being the favourite daughter of the 
 
 Duke of B , her death had such an 
 
 effect on him, that he died in a few 
 months ; nor did the Duchess long sur- 
 vive. 
 
 The present Duke of B succeeded 
 
 to the titles and estate of his father. On 
 this great accession he behaved with that 
 justice and generosity which ever reigned 
 in his heart. The first thing he did was 
 to pay all his debts, and to settle hand- 
 some annuities on his brothers and sis- 
 ters. If, when he was immersed in ex- 
 travagance, and even vice, allowances 
 were made for him by the people in gene- 
 ral. This conduct made him perfectly 
 
 g 5
 
 130 
 
 adored, and every one regretted that such 
 an amiable nobleman should not be happy 
 in his matrimonial connection ; but, by 
 leading a life of Crim. Con., he tarnished 
 the lustre of his character, and set an ex- 
 ample which must be injurious to society. 
 
 The Duchess of B still resided at 
 
 a distance from the Duke : her esta- 
 blishment was adequate to her rank ; 
 but she either did not possess good sense, 
 or she did not make use of it. When 
 they separated, their infant son accom- 
 panied her ; but, instead of devoting 
 her time to her child, and by mild and 
 patient forbearance in retirement prov- 
 ing herself worthy of residing with 
 her Lord, she launched out into frivolous 
 amusements; introduced foreign dances 
 at her house, which were considered in- 
 delicate by the gravity of the English 
 nation; and received all descriptions of 
 persons at her table, In a short time 
 she became so involved, that she could
 
 131 
 
 not gain credit for the common necessa- 
 ries of life. The Duke heard of her em- 
 barrassment, and, with that generosity 
 and munificence which marked his cha- 
 racter, paid all her debts, and increased 
 her income. 
 
 Previously to this period, the young 
 
 Marquis of K had been taken from 
 
 his mother, and proper persons appointed 
 to superintend his education. The Du- 
 chess, in one of her summer excur- 
 sions, met with a child of uncommon 
 beauty : she took such a fancy to the 
 infant, that she adopted it, and had it 
 christened after herself. The young 
 Arminda gained every day on the Du- 
 chess's affection : as she increased in 
 years, no expence was spared to render 
 her as amiable and as accomplished as 
 she was beautiful. While the Duchess 
 amused herself with her protegee, the 
 Duke was anxiously employed in form- 
 ing the mind of his son j and, to the astc*
 
 132 
 
 nishment of every one, he instilled into 
 his heir those sentiments of religion and 
 virtue, which, from his former conduct, 
 no one imagined he possessed. 
 
 At fifteen, the Marquis of K h was 
 
 sent abroad, where he resided till he 
 completed his eighteenth year. On his 
 return, he was caressed by every one, 
 and considered the most accomplished 
 young man of the age : but Frederick 
 had a gravity of deportment which sel- 
 dom accompanied his time of life ; and, 
 as he was a most affectionate son, it was 
 presumed by his friends that the differ- 
 ence which still existed between his pa- 
 rents occasioned this melancholy. The 
 Duchess was proud of her son, and his 
 affectionate attention to her was extreme- 
 ly flattering to her feelings. 
 
 Arminda was just entering her six- 
 teenth year when the Marquis of K — — ■ 
 was introduced to her. She was, in his 
 opinion, the most fascinating object lie
 
 133 
 
 had ever beheld. The frequent oppor- 
 tunities they had of meeting made them 
 perfectly acquainted with each other's 
 accomplishments, and a mutual attach- 
 ment rendered them, in their opinion, 
 perfectly happy. 
 
 The Duke of B never took the 
 
 least notice of Arminda, and, when his 
 son mentioned her namein conversation, 
 it evidently was disagreeable to him. 
 How his father could dislike such a di- 
 vine creature, was to him -an enigma. 
 
 The Marquis of K felt convinced 
 
 that he could not be happy without Ar- 
 minda, and she blushingly confessed that 
 he was most dear to her. 
 
 Frederick was religious, he was duti- 
 ful, and possessed every manly virtue ; 
 but at eighteen example has great influ- 
 ence: he saw his father and uncles living 
 in open adultery ; his aunts had married 
 privately— why should not he do the 
 *ame with Arminda for bis companion f
 
 134 
 
 A desert would be preferable to a palace 
 without her, and, to reside in France, his 
 income would afford them not only the 
 comforts but the luxuries of life ; added 
 to which, he was in his heart a Catholic. 
 
 When he was a boy, much of his time 
 was passed with the Duke's favourite 
 widow. The pomp and splendor of her 
 chapel attracted his attention. A French 
 priest saw that his young friend waver- 
 ed, and he, by reasoning and art, gained 
 him to the Catholic faith. His travel- 
 ing abroad had finished what was begun 
 at home; but, being presumptive heir to a 
 dukedom, it was necessary he should 
 conceal his principles with the greatest 
 caution. 
 
 To Arminda he entrusted the secret : 
 she was young, thoughtless, and in love, 
 and was easily prevailed on to make both 
 herself and Frederick happy. His friend 
 the priest united them ; and for nearly 
 one year the young couple enjoyed as *
 
 135 
 
 much happiness as is possible for mortals 
 to do, under such circumstances. But, 
 
 alas ! the wavs of Providence are in- 
 
 *> 
 
 scrutable to humanity. Thus frequent- 
 ly we see the benevolent, the virtuous, 
 and the wise, visited by the greatest mis- 
 fortunes, while the wicked thrive and 
 prosper. 
 
 Arm in da's person promised to discover 
 what thev were so anxious to conceal : 
 
 the Duchess of B questioned her 
 
 respecting her altered shape ; and at last 
 it was resolved that the Marquis of 
 
 K should inform his mother or" their 
 
 union, for the gentleness of the Marchi- 
 oness's character made her very unequal 
 to such a discovery. 
 
 Accordingly the Marquis sought a fa- 
 vourable opportunity for making thedis- 
 closure ; but, during the recital, the 
 Duchess appeared in such agitation, 
 even in such agony, that he stopped. 
 Scarcely breathing, she said,
 
 136 
 
 "Proceed [proceed! forGod'ssake tell 
 me to whom ! Ease my distracted mind. 
 Oh ! convince me that lam in an efror; 
 that I have not by adultery ruined my 
 children l» 
 
 The Marquis was terrified ; he feared 
 that his mother's intellects weie affected, 
 and he remained silent. 
 
 "Oh ! speak, Frederick, " she exclaim- 
 ed, " for I am on the wrack !" 
 
 " Then, my dearest mother, I entreat 
 you to pardon your son, and acknow- 
 ledge Arminda as your daughter T 
 
 The Duchess, with a piercing sigh 
 and groan, replied, 
 
 " I am indeed a wretch ! — Arminda, 
 Frederick, is your sister!" and she left 
 him in a state of mind which no pen can 
 describe. 
 
 Arminda, finding he was alone, en- 
 tered to hear how far he had proceeded 
 in the disclosure of their union ; but he 
 darted past her like lightning, mounted
 
 137 
 
 his horse, and left her in the greatest 
 consternation ; and what considerably 
 augmented her astonishment was, that 
 the Duchess, although confined to her 
 room by severe indisposition, would not 
 see her. 
 
 The Marquis immediately disclosed 
 his situation, and advised with his fa- 
 vourite priest how he should act on this 
 distressing occasion. The Duchess, as 
 soon as she was sufficiently recovered to 
 bear any retrospection of the past, re- 
 quested an interview with her son : he 
 attended her, when she confessed that 
 Arminda was her child by the officer to 
 whom she was engaged when she was 
 compelled to marry his father ; but she 
 shewed such despair and contrition for 
 
 her past life, that the Marquis of K 
 
 did all in his power to console her, and, 
 upon her swearing to abide by his wishes, 
 he promised that her adultery should not 
 be made public : — so beautiful is virtue,
 
 138 
 
 that the most wicked are anxious to 
 assume its semblance ; and she was most 
 thankful to accede to any wishes of her 
 sons, to obtain concealment of her Crim. 
 Con. connection. 
 
 The Marquis then mournfully inform- 
 ed her, that he had decided on his future 
 fate ; that he was of the Roman church j 
 and that he designed to pass the remain- 
 der of his life abroad, where he could 
 freely exercise that religion. As to Ar- 
 minda, he would never see her more: 
 he made her vow that she should never 
 be informed that she was his sister, as he 
 was sure, if the intelligence did not kill 
 her, it would embitter every moment of 
 her life; that he should go into the 
 country immediately, where it would be 
 reported that be had died suddenly. 
 Arminda, he knew, would be very se- 
 verely afflicted at bis loss ; but that af- 
 fliction would be light iu comparison of 
 knowing the truth.
 
 139 
 
 11 On you, Madam," said he, <c I de- 
 pend to treat her with the greatest kind- 
 ness on the approaching occasion. As 
 for her reputation, concealment is ne- 
 cessary. Send the unfortunate fruit of 
 our unhappy union to me : it will be 
 the only consolation I shall have in my 
 solitary peregrination in this world." 
 
 The Duchess of B , in the most 
 
 solemn manner, swore to perform most 
 religiously his orders. The parting was 
 extremely affecting, and for several 
 months the Duchess's life was in immi- 
 nent danger. The news of the Mar- 
 quis's death so afflicted Arminda, that it 
 brought on a premature accouchement; 
 and her infant had scarcely breathed be- 
 fore she was committed to the care of 
 a faithful attendant, who had orders to 
 convey the child abroad. 
 
 Arminda recovered very slowly ; but 
 youth and a good constitution at length 
 overcame the shock which her constitu-
 
 140 
 
 tion had experienced. She was told that 
 her child was still-born. Thus, in one 
 week, the hapless Arminda was bereft of 
 every tie which could make this life de- 
 sirable ; but she was so miserable at see- 
 ing the Duchess of B in such a de- 
 jected state, that she exerted herself to 
 amuse her benefactress : these efforts 
 proved very advantageous to herself, 
 and in a few months Arminda was me- 
 lancholy, but she was resigned, and she 
 ever remained in the same placid state. 
 She mixed in society, because those 
 with whom she associated did. Her 
 greatest pleasure was attending to the 
 poor, relieving their wants, and pro- 
 moting their welfare"; but Arminda 
 
 never forgot the Marquis of K -, and 
 
 her heart could never form such another 
 attachment. 
 
 The Duke of B in his son's death 
 
 felt the severest sorrow he had ever 
 known for some time : not all that could
 
 141 
 
 be invented to amuse him had any effect. 
 Even the company of his favourite wi- 
 dow was become insipid ; and he now 
 found that, as age advances, those who 
 have not an approving conscience, and 
 have not resources in themselves, have 
 a melancholy prospect in the vale of 
 years. 
 
 The Duchess of B , when she sup- 
 posed herself to be dying, many years 
 after, confessed that Arminda was her 
 daughter; and the Duke, although it 
 was told him, never took any public 
 notice of it ; but he consulted some 
 eminent persons in the law ; and the 
 general opinion was, that measures were 
 taken to secure the titles and estates of 
 
 the Duke of B to his brother, and 
 
 that he did this from the near relation- 
 ship the Duchess bore to his family, and 
 that he could not bring himself to dis- 
 card her with infamy. 
 
 When Arminda was informed of her
 
 145 
 
 consanguinity to the Duchess of B , 
 
 her affliction sunk her into a state of 
 desponding lethargy, and, to rouse her 
 from these alarming symptoms, she was 
 taken to different watering places. Se- 
 veral overtures of marriage had been 
 made to her, all of which she rejected, 
 and felt even a degree of horror at form- 
 ing any matrimonial engagement. But 
 Lord V was a man of great gallan- 
 try and little delicacy : he was accus- 
 tomed to have all his wishes gratified ; 
 and although Arminda refused his suit, 
 and avoided his society, still he perse- 
 vered in tormenting her. He gamed 
 with the Duchess, and made himself so 
 agreeable to her, that she became a 
 powerful advocate in his favour, and all 
 the tears, prayers, and entreaties of Ar- 
 minda could not avail. 
 
 The Duchess reasoned with her daugh- 
 ter ; she represented that the object of 
 her affections was dead, and ; even if
 
 143 
 
 living, that lie must be the same as dead 
 to her ; consequently, that it was folly, 
 nay even wicked, to pass her life in un- 
 availing regret : that the match propos- 
 ed was a most splendid alliance ; and 
 that to see Arminda the wife of Lord 
 
 V was the wish nearest her heart. 
 
 After two years' persecution, Arminda 
 became the Countess of V . 
 
 For marriage is a matter of more worth 
 
 Than to be dealt with by attorneyship. 
 
 ****** 
 
 For what is wedlock forc'd, but hell, 
 An age of discord and continual strife? 
 Whereas the contrary bringcth forth bliss, 
 And is a pattern of celestial peace. 
 
 Lord V — — was fond of show, and 
 the marriage was conducted with the 
 greatest magnificence. For several 
 months Arminda was constantly in pub- 
 lic, kept open house, and, from the 
 constant succession of fashionable
 
 144 
 
 amusements, had scarcely time to 
 think. 
 
 But Lord V was fickle, and, after 
 
 he had obtained Arminda, he soon 
 ceased to value her ; therefore, at the 
 end of the twelvemonth, she had full 
 liberty to folio w*what plan of life best 
 suited her inclination, as his Lordship 
 seldom intruded on her retirement, be- 
 ing constantly in pursuit of some beau- 
 ty or other ; and she too frequently, in 
 the public prints, saw his name for 
 Crim. Con. She shuddered at perusing 
 it, and returned unfeigned thanks to 
 the Almighty that she had no children, 
 who, from the wickedness of their pa- 
 rent, might, like her, be doomed to mi- 
 sery. 
 
 Although Arminda had no affection 
 for her Lord, yet she felt the wretched 
 passion of jealousy, or, more properly 
 speaking, her pride felt mortified, and 
 she, by her placid behaviour, endea- 
 voured to regain his affections ; but that
 
 145 
 
 she found impracticable, therefore, for 
 many years, they lived as friends, and 
 behaved to each other with such polite- 
 ness, that, in general, they were sup- 
 posed to be as happy as any fashionable 
 couple in high life. 
 
 From reasons which vulgar minds can- 
 not define, infidelity is rather a subject 
 of mirth than of sorrow : in the man it 
 is considered a feather ia his cap ; and, 
 if the offending fair-one marries the ob- 
 ject for whom she was divorced, she is 
 received into the first societies, and more 
 caressed than the quiet unoffending 
 wife, who performs her moral and reli- 
 gious duties by devoting her time to her 
 husband and to her nursery, and ren- 
 dering all around her happy. 
 
 Lady V , from her disappoint- 
 ment and afflictions in early life, had 
 lost all energy of character ; she was 
 listless, and wanted exertion to follow 
 those amusements in which she excelled, 
 vox. I. H
 
 146 
 
 She was fond of music, and listened 
 With, pleasure to others, but never her- 
 self touched an instrument. Great 
 part of her time she passed with the 
 
 Duchess of B ; but this she did as 
 
 considering it to be her duty, for she 
 could not help attributing* to her mother 
 all the misfortunes of her miserable life. 
 
 Lady V 's health declined, and 
 
 change of climate was recommended. 
 Lord V pleaded that his parliamen- 
 tary attendance prevented his accompa- 
 nying her ; therefore she proceeded with 
 her two nieces and a small suite to Italy, 
 where she remained two years. It was 
 on her return from thence that our he- 
 roine was introduced to her at Paris.
 
 147 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 Art thou dejected ? is thy mind o'ercast ? 
 
 Thy gloom to chase, go, fix some weighty truth ; 
 
 Chain down some passion ; do some geu'rous good ; 
 
 Teach ignorance to see, or grief to smile. 
 
 Correct thy friend ; befriend thy greatest foe ; 
 
 Or, with warm heart, and confidence divine, 
 
 Spring up, and lay strong hold on Him who made thee. 
 
 Angelina was much pleased with 
 the change of residence: she was fond 
 of Nature. The beautiful views which 
 
 surrounded Lord V 's mansion gave 
 
 her an opportunity of exercising her fa- 
 vourite amusement of drawing. 
 
 As she still continued in a languid 
 state, in consequence of her recent in- 
 disposition, horse exercise was recom- 
 mended, and Lord V always ac-
 
 US 
 
 companied her in her ride. For some 
 time they had not any visitors at Clare . 
 Hall, and the orphan passed her time 
 more to her satisfaction than she had 
 dune since she lost her beloved Mr. 
 Moundfort. The mornings were de- 
 voted to taking the air, reading and 
 drawing, and the evenings to music. 
 
 Lady V appeared to enjoy better 
 
 health and spirits than Angelina had 
 ever seen her possess. 
 
 Imt this delightful tranquillity was 
 disturbed by the arrival of Lord and 
 
 Lady G and their daughters. From 
 
 the day after this family made their ap- 
 pearance, the orphan thought she saw a 
 coolness in the manner of her patroness 
 
 towards her. Lady G treated her 
 
 with a formal civility ; the eldest, Lady 
 Sarah Davenport, seldom spoke to her; 
 and she fancied that Lady Matilda was 
 less kind to her than before she left 
 town. To account for this was ini-
 
 149 
 
 practicable, as it was the study of her 
 life to oblige and amuse Lady V . 
 
 Angelina was perfectly miserable; for, 
 as she was ignorant how she had given 
 offence, she was incapable of altering 
 
 her conduct. Lord M also made 
 
 his appearance at the Hall, to the great 
 annoyance of the orphan ; for she ima- 
 gined that Lady G 's dislike to her 
 
 proceeded from her suspecting that 
 her son would degrade himself by mar- 
 rying her ; but a few days convinced 
 her that he had given up all thoughts of 
 such an alliance, as he treated her with 
 marked contempt. 
 
 Angelina frequently withdrew from 
 the party, and indulged her grief in 
 solitary walks : she wished Augustus 
 was near, as probably he would rind out 
 in what she had offended her patroness. 
 She had endeavoured to sound Matilda 
 Davenport on the subject, but she ei- 
 ther did not or would not comprehend
 
 150 
 
 her; and although she heard frequently 
 from her brother, she never mentioned 
 his name. 
 
 Things were in this state when Mr* 
 Godolphin joined the party at Clare 
 Hall: it was the first time Angelina had 
 ssen him since her refusal, and she felt 
 awkward on the occasion ; but he ad- 
 dressed her with the greatest composure, 
 and placed himself by her at table; and 
 in his polite manner she found much 
 relief, as, of late, she had experienced 
 great restraint from the behaviour of 
 the visitants. 
 
 When the ladies retired to the drawing 
 room, Angelina usually rambled in the 
 park : she had at the boundary, where 
 there was a small village, a few pen- 
 sioners, and also a school, where she 
 instructed them in making lace. On 
 her return one evening, she was met 
 
 by Lord M and Godolphin : the 
 
 latter accused her of courting sohtude ;
 
 151 
 
 upon which Lord M replied that 
 
 she had good reasons for so doing ; but, 
 
 no doubt, Lord V knew how she 
 
 devoted her time, consequently that was 
 sufficient. 
 
 Angelina candidly stated huw she 
 had been engaged ; when Lord M — — 
 stared id her face, gave a whistle, and 
 walked away. She was so surprised 
 and abashed at this extraordinary beha- 
 viour, that she stood motionless from 
 astonishment. Godolphin was also dis- 
 tressed; but he addressed the orphan 
 in the kindest language; assured her 
 that his visit to the Hall was on her ac- 
 count, not to renew his addresses, al- 
 though he assured her that she was the 
 only woman who could make him hap- 
 py ; but he was convinced that she was 
 too amiable to sport with the feelings of 
 any one, consequently that she refused 
 him for no trilling reason : but she was 
 unprotected , that her beauty and igno
 
 152 
 
 ranee of the customs of the world ren- 
 dered her liable to insults which she 
 could not form an idea of; that he so- 
 licited the honour of her friendship ; and 
 he assured her she would never have 
 reason to repent accepting of him as her 
 friend, for at this moment, he ventured 
 to say, she stood in great need of his ad- 
 vice. 
 
 " I am, indeed," replied Angelina, 
 " in want of a friend. I never pos* 
 sessed but one, and I lost him at an age 
 •when his advice was most important to 
 
 my future welfare. In Lady V I 
 
 flattered myself I had found not only a 
 friend, but a mother; but her altered 
 behaviour too plainly evinces that I no 
 longer hold the same place in her affec- 
 tions which I flattered myself I form- 
 erly did." 
 
 " Your situation, indeed, my young 
 friend," replied Godolphin, " is very 
 far from what your merit deserves, and
 
 153 
 
 I confess that it is very painful to my 
 feelings to point out where you have in- 
 curred the displeasure of Lady V , 
 
 because I know the purity of your mind, 
 and that your delicacy will feel a severe 
 shock at the recital : but the sincere re- 
 gard I have for you compels me to risk 
 even your displeasure, by telling you 
 that the great attention paid you by 
 
 Lord V r is disagreeable to his wife, 
 
 and noticed by his relatives." 
 
 If the orphan was before astonished, 
 she was now absolutely petrified. 
 
 " Is it, then, possible," she exclaim- 
 ed, " that any person can be so wicked 
 as to suppose that such an old man as 
 
 Lord V can pay any other than a 
 
 benevolent attention to a woman of my 
 age ! — and can the mild and amiable 
 
 Lady V entertain such a despicable 
 
 opinion of me, as to imagine I would 
 listen to the addresses of a married 
 man !" 
 
 H 5
 
 154 
 
 94 Trifles light as air, 
 Are, to the jealous, confirmation strong 
 As proofs of holy writ ;" 
 
 replied Mr. Godolphin, <c and my jour- 
 ney into Yorkshire was to apprise you 
 of your danger. Lord V has al- 
 ways been considered a man of gallan- 
 try, and your beauty alone is sufficient 
 to create you many enemies. Lady 
 
 G dislikes you, because, when you 
 
 are present, her daughters are never 
 looked at, and she fears that both her 
 
 sons are in love with you. Lord M , 
 
 indeed, suspects that you like his un- 
 cle ; and I suspect— dare 1 say what 
 I fear ?" 
 
 Angelina's colour went and came so 
 often, that Godolphin feared she would 
 faint. 
 
 " I find my suspicion," he continued, 
 " is right, and that Augustus is not 
 indifferent to you : he is, indeed, an
 
 153 
 
 elegant and amiable young man ; and, 
 as I have no chance of succeeding, I 
 know no one better deserving of you 
 than Davenport : I know but of one 
 objection. " 
 
 Angelina was going to ask what 
 
 that objection was, when Lord V 
 
 and some gentlemen appeared ; and 
 the orphan was glad to retire to her 
 chamber, for her senses appeared per- 
 fectly bewildered with what she had 
 heard. She required to be alone, 
 that she might reflect on the past, 
 and decide how she should act in fu- 
 ture. 
 
 After investigating with the strictest 
 scrutiny her own conduct, she could 
 not in any one instance accuse herself 
 with any impropriety in her behaviour. 
 She had always looked upon Lord 
 
 V as an elderly gentleman of expe- < 
 
 rience, whose advice and protection were 
 very beneficial to her ; and the kindness
 
 156 
 
 he had always shewn her, she imputed 
 to his humanity, as in her orphan state 
 she would expect from an adviser. 
 
 It was natural that Lady G — 
 
 should be averse to her son's forming an 
 alliance with a girl destitute of family 
 
 or fortune ; but that Lady V , who 
 
 possessed every feminine virtue, should 
 be jealous of her, lessened that lady 
 greatly in her opinion ; and she now, 
 with the most painful sensations, ac- 
 counted for some observations which 
 had occasionally fallen from Lady 
 V , which had at the time been to- 
 tally unintelligible to her. 
 
 As to Augustus, she was shocked 
 to find the strong partiality which 
 she entertained for him, because she 
 was sure that his friends would never 
 consent to his union with her. Of 
 Godolphin she thought with the highest 
 sentiments of gratitude and esteem; 
 and, had she never known Davenport,
 
 157 
 
 he would have been the object of her 
 choice : as it was, it would be doing 
 him injustice to unite her fate with his, 
 when her heart was decidedly another's. 
 
 She had only received one letter from 
 Mrs. Stewart since she had been in Eng- 
 land, and of the good Pere St. Paul she 
 had received no intelligence. She could 
 not help repining at her lot, but she 
 knew that unavailing regret could be of 
 no use -, and she laid down such a plan 
 for her conduct in future as she was 
 convinced must restore her to the good 
 opinion of the inmates of Clare Hall. 
 
 It may be concluded that she passed a 
 sleepless night, and, when she appear- 
 ed at breakfast, Lord V observed 
 
 with regret her anxious countenance. 
 This observation occasioned her blush- 
 ing, which was not lessened by perceiv- 
 ing every one looking at her. bhe com- 
 plained of a headach, and, when the 
 groom entered for orders, she declined
 
 133 
 
 riding: indeed, she observed that her 
 health was now so perfectly re-establish- 
 ed, that in future she should not indulge 
 in an exercise which made her extremely 
 idle, by taking up much of her time 
 which might be more advantageously 
 employed; 
 
 Godolphin said, that, as she had de- 
 clined riding, he would request her com- 
 pany for only half an hour in the green- 
 house; for, as she was an excellent bo- 
 tanist, he wished her opinion respecting 
 the properties of a new plant. She ac- 
 ceded to his request, and. as soon as the 
 family rose from table, accompanied him. 
 
 "Too plainly I see by your counte- 
 nance, my young friend," said Godol- 
 phin, " what effect my conversation has 
 had ; but you must not all at once decline 
 
 Lord V \s attention : by so doing 
 
 you will create suspicion in him ; and 
 it is necessary to avoid so doing, for he 
 is implacable in his resentments,"
 
 159 
 
 " Whichever way I proceed, what- 
 ever I do, 1 only see danger," replied 
 the orphan : t4 but God knows my heart, 
 and on him I rely to direct me for the 
 best. My foreboding heart makes me 
 tremble for the future. To you, Sir, I 
 shall ever feel most grateful for the in- 
 terest which you take in my welfare, 
 and I shall at all times be thankful for 
 your opinion. I trust you will find, that, 
 when I act wrong, my head only, not 
 my heart, is in fault." 
 
 " You can never do otherwise than right, 
 Angelina/' said Godolphin ; " and al- 
 lowing me to be your friend is conferring- 
 on me great happiness, for it permits 
 me to converse with you, and to admire 
 and know the goodness of your heart. 
 I am soon obliged to go to Ireland : 
 may I presume to hope that Miss Dal- 
 rymple will occasionally write to me, as 
 I shall be very anxious to know how 
 you go on ? Lady V— is a charming
 
 160 
 
 woman ; but, from some secret sorrow, 
 her mind is enervated, and she is apt to 
 be biassed by the opinions of others : at 
 the same time, I am convinced that she 
 has a sincere affection for you, and that 
 only some diabolical measure can in- 
 duce her to act with injustice to you." 
 When Angelina entered the Hall, she 
 
 was met by Lord V : he bowed, 
 
 and hoped the agreeable tete-a-tete 
 which she had in her promenade had en- 
 tirely cured her headache: he said this 
 M'ith a sarcastic smile, and the poor or- 
 phan answered with evident confusion. 
 He did not wish to detain her, and she 
 
 immediately went to Lady V , and 
 
 offered to read to her: but her mind was 
 so taken up with the incidents which 
 had recently occurred, that r she ac- 
 quitted herself but badly ; and her La- 
 dyship observed, that she believed Miss 
 Dalrymple was thinking of something 
 else than the subject of their study.
 
 161 
 
 The orphan again experienced great 
 confusion, and she thought it was im- 
 possible that she could give satisfaction 
 to any one. Some days passed without 
 any particular occurrence ; she avoided 
 
 Lord V , and devoted all her time 
 
 to the ladies. Augustus they never 
 mentioned, and Lady Matilda never ac- 
 knowledged hearing from him, although 
 Angelina knew that she had received 
 letters from Oxford. 
 
 Lord V became silent and gloomy, 
 
 and she perceived that he endeavoured 
 to speak with her ; but, as she could 
 not alledge anv reason for her change 
 of conduct, she avoided being alone 
 with him. One day, in the presence of 
 
 Lady V , he requested that she 
 
 would attend him in his library, as he 
 had some news to communicate to her 
 from India : she of course followed 
 him. 
 
 " Pray be seated, Miss Dalrymple, as
 
 162 
 
 I must have some conversation with 
 you. My correspondent states, that 
 some thousands have heen remitted, in 
 the name of Major Dalrymple, to Eng- 
 land ; that it is now so long since they 
 have heard from him, that, provided I 
 will indemnify his agent, he will pay 
 you the interest of the money. But it 
 will be necessary to have the certificate 
 of your birth ; the rest I will settle : for 
 it is my wish to serve you ; and why you 
 should fly from me I cannot tell. You 
 refused Godolphin, and now you make 
 him your constant companion. Un- 
 grateful girl ! I have done every thing, 
 in my power to promote your happiness, 
 and you treat me with neglect." 
 
 Angelina was silent, for she knew not 
 how to reply : he saw her distress, and 
 took her hand. 
 
 " My dearest girl ! restore me to 
 your confidence :— it is necessary to my 
 happiness. Lady V was always of
 
 163 
 
 a> jealous disposition, and you must no i; 
 mind her, for I am convinced it is that 
 which has produced the change in your 
 conduct, and it is in vain longer to con- 
 ceal my sentiments. I love you, and 
 let me hope that you will listen to my 
 passion, for I cannot live without you." 
 
 He still kept her hand, which she was 
 endeavouring to withdraw; when Lady 
 G entered. 
 
 " Oh ! is it so, my Lord ? Then I 
 will not interrupt you !" And she im- 
 mediately retired. 
 
 " Good God!" exclaimed the or- 
 phan, " what will Lady G think? 
 
 I am ruined. Do. pray, my Lord, fol- 
 low your sister, and clear up my con- 
 duct !" 
 
 " Not I, indeed : I do not care for 
 her opinion, nor should you, my dear 
 girl 1 Therefore, pray cease to weep, 
 and tell me you will make me happy I 
 You may command my fortune."
 
 164 
 
 " Indeed, my Lord," replied Ange- 
 lina, " your present behaviour is such as 
 I little expected from the husband of my 
 benefactress. Till this moment I felt 
 most grateful for the many kindnesses 
 which you have conferred on me ; but 
 this conduct cancels all obligations, and 
 I can only, in future, feel contempt for 
 a man who has degraded himself, by in- 
 sulting an helpless unprotected orphan. 
 To remain here after what has passed, 
 is impossible; for 1 should think myself 
 culpable, by exposing myself to a repe- 
 tition of such infamous proposals; there- 
 fore I trust your Lordship will give me 
 the address to the person who lias my 
 father's remittance, that I may apply to 
 him for advice and protection. " 
 
 " You shall be obeyed," exclaimed 
 
 Lord V ; ic but let me entreat you 
 
 not to leave Lady V . Impute what 
 
 has passed to the frenzy of the moment, 
 and I promise, in future, never to renew
 
 163 
 
 a subject which has so displeased you. 
 
 I will immediately find Lady G , 
 
 and make such a representation of our 
 meeting as shall entirely clear you from 
 any suspicion." 
 
 He seemed so sincerely sorrow for 
 having offended her, that she hoped, in 
 future, he would be ashamed of again 
 molesting her ; but she was truly miser- 
 able. Godolphin was to go that even- 
 ing, and she would then have no one 
 whom she could consult. She was so 
 
 thoroughly disgusted with Lord V , 
 
 that she resolved, as soon as she could 
 fix on some plan, to leave a house which 
 now had become disagreeable to her, 
 from the various insults which she had 
 received from the inhabitants. 
 
 Lord V had certainly spoken to 
 
 his sister, for, when they met, she 
 addressed Angelina more kindly than 
 she had done for some time ; and she 
 fancied all the females looked on her
 
 166 
 
 with more complacency than usual. She 
 now seldom left her own apartment but 
 
 to attend Lady V ; she was fearful 
 
 of having another private interview with 
 his Lordship. She was most anxious to 
 know the address of her father's agent, 
 that she might write to him, candidly 
 state her situation, and request that he 
 would find some eligible family with 
 whom she might reside, as she was per- 
 fectly decided to leave her present place 
 of abode ; but how to obtain the direc- 
 tion she did not know. At last she de- 
 termined to ask Lady Matilda to apply 
 for it, and she promised that she would : 
 she then told Angelina that Augustus 
 would come into the North the follow- 
 ing week. This intelligence was very 
 agreeable to the orphan, ^as she resolved 
 upon telling him that she should leave 
 Clare Hall, and she was glad of an op- 
 portunity of consulting him respecting 
 her future destination.
 
 167 
 
 lie met her with that animated satis- 
 faction with which he alwavs accosted 
 her, but expressed his astonishment at 
 seeing her look so dejected. He was 
 sincerely concerned at her determina- 
 tion of quitting the protection of his 
 aunt; but he allowed, that remaining 
 under the same roof with Lord V— — 
 was improper, and, as she must leave 
 them, it was desirable that she should 
 apply to •Major Dairy mple's agcnt ; and 
 abide entirely by his opinion. The 
 great difficulty was to make some plau- 
 sible excuse for leaving Lady V , and 
 
 this was a very difficult point to do ; for, 
 although that ladv did not treat her 
 with the affection which she formerly 
 did, yet she could not reasonably find 
 fault with her behaviour; and, as Lady 
 V knew that she had no connec- 
 tions, she would naturally wonder at her 
 wishing to remove from her protec- 
 tion. 
 
 She was pondering on her future pro-
 
 16S 
 
 spects, and reflecting on her unhappy 
 situation, when she heard the clock 
 strike one A noise arrested her atten- 
 tion, and the door of her dressing-room 
 opened. She arose with precipitation, 
 and had scarcely reached the center of 
 the room when she saw Lord V — •— • 
 enter. 
 
 " Do not be alarmed, Angelina : I 
 come as a friend, and you have nothing 
 to fear from this unseasonable visit. 
 I came at this hour, because I wish 
 to advise you respecting your future 
 plans ; and in the daytime our inno- 
 cent conference might meet with in- 
 terruption, which might render you 
 liable to the jealous suspicions of Lady 
 V > 
 
 " Indeed, my Lord, you terrify me; 
 for, should it be known thatyou are here, 
 of course, and with apparent reason, I 
 should be blamed." 
 
 11 How is it possible, my dear Miss 
 Dalrymple, that this visit shoukf ever
 
 169 
 
 be known ? All the family are in bed, 
 and I frequently sit up to write till a 
 much later hour than this, My motive 
 for coming was to know for what rea- 
 son you desired Matilda to get the 
 agent's direction. If you have any 
 communication to make, I will do it 
 with pleasure; but I hope that the con- 
 versation which so displeased you the 
 other day is buried in oblivion, for, rest 
 assured, it will never be repeated. "' 
 
 ,x I hope not, my Lord: consequent- 
 ly we will drop the wretched subject ; 
 and I shall be obliged to you for the 
 agent's address, as I wish to gain from 
 him every intelligence I can respecting 
 my father." 
 
 As she finished the word, Lady V » 
 
 opened the door : 
 
 " Angelina! is it possible that you 
 can be such an ungrateful impostor ? 
 Till this moment, not all that has been 
 told me could induce me to believe 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 170 
 
 you culpable. Unfortunate, unhappy 
 girl ! So young, to be so deceitful and 
 so wicked !" 
 
 " Indeed, my Lady, I am innocent !;" 
 But her Ladyship had disappeared. 
 
 Lord V did all he could to comfort 
 
 the orphan ; but she was insensible to 
 all he said, and she continued for seve- 
 ral hours in fits. None of the ladies 
 attended ; only the physician and fe- 
 male servants. 
 
 The next day the orphan was so ill as 
 to be incapable of rising; at length, na- 
 ture being quite exhausted, she slept 
 for six hours successively, but with such 
 agitation as rather to impair than re- 
 cruit her strength. Although totally 
 unfit for a journey, she determined to 
 leave the North immediately, and men- 
 tioned her wishes to the servant, and 
 
 requested her to ask Lord V for 
 
 the agent's address. The answer re- 
 turned was, that his Lordship had writ-
 
 171 
 
 ten to the gentleman, and in a few hours, 
 as he had sent an express, expected an 
 answer. The servant put into her hand 
 the following letter, enclosing a bank 
 note for a hundred pounds : — 
 
 M To convey to you any idea 
 of my sorrow at finding you undeserv- 
 ing of my regard, is totally impossible. 
 Unhappy girl ! most sincerely do I pity 
 you. Reflect, before it is too late, and 
 return to the path of innocence and 
 truth. My affection for you, Angelina, 
 was that of a fond parent, and 1 cannot 
 divest myself totally of feeling an inte- 
 rest in your welfare. The same sum as 
 is here enclosed you will receive annu- 
 ally ; and 1 have written to my house- 
 keeper in Cavendish Square to procure? 
 you a safe and respectable retreat; there- 
 fore it now depends on yourself, whether 
 you will accept of competence and a 
 life of virtue, or fly to affluence ac-
 
 172 
 
 companied with vice. Here all inter- 
 course between us must end. 
 
 " Arminda V ." 
 
 The generosity and sensibility which 
 these lines evinced penetrated the poor 
 orphan's heart : she most affectionately 
 
 loved Lady V . But Angelina had 
 
 too much pride to accept of any pecu- 
 niary obligation from a person who 
 could for a single moment accuse her of 
 the most horrible of crimes, and she 
 was too proud to stoop to make any ex- 
 planation of the event which had caused 
 such cruel and unjust suspicions; she 
 therefore resolved to return the note in a 
 blank cover, and to leave every ornament 
 which had been presented to her by 
 
 Lord V . She was packing up her 
 
 clothes the following evening when Lord 
 
 V knocked at and opened her door : 
 
 she started at seeing him. 
 
 " Be not alarmed, I entreat you, my
 
 173 
 
 dear Miss Dairy mple ! I come to put 
 into your hands the letter which I have 
 this moment received, and I trust the 
 contents will answer your wishes. Rest 
 assured that I will do every tiling in my 
 power to clear up the unfortunate business 
 which deprives us of your society ; and, 
 as Lady V — — is open to conviction, 
 I have no doubt but in a few months 
 she will solicit vour return, and make 
 every atonement for her unjust beha- 
 viour." 
 
 Angelina read the letter, in which the 
 agent regretted, that, as his wife was on 
 a visit in Devonshire, he could not with 
 propriety offer the young lady a resid- 
 ence in his house ; but that he had 
 spoken to a widow lady who had two 
 daughters and some nieces residing with 
 her, and that she would accommodate the 
 orphan ; that lie would meet Miss D — — 
 at the coach-office, and conduct her -to 
 Mrs. Snap's. This intelligence was very
 
 174 
 
 agreeable to her, and she decided upon 
 setting out in two days, as the medical, 
 gentleman assured her that, if she under- 
 took a journey before that period, she 
 would be laid up on the road. 
 
 She felt much hurt at not having 
 heard any thing from Augustus : sure- 
 ly he knew her principles too well to 
 suppose that she merited the scandalous 
 reports circulated to her disadvantage ; 
 and he must be aware, that, in her pre- 
 sent unprotected state, the smallest at- 
 tention from a beloved object would be 
 a great consolation. 
 
 As she got into the chaise which was 
 to convey her to the neighbouring town 
 from whence the stage set off, the groom 
 put into her hand these lines : — 
 
 " The melancholy intelligence 
 which compels me to leave this place in 
 such a hurry, prevents my taking leave 
 of you s but, from the whispering and
 
 173 
 
 consternation which every where pre- 
 sents itself to my view, I have reason to 
 dread that something extraordinary has 
 occasioned your departing so abruptly : 
 let me, therefore, entreat that you will 
 address a few lines to me at Oxford, in- 
 forming me of the place of your resi- 
 dence, as rest assured that you have 
 an unalterable friend in your devoted 
 
 "Augustus Davenport." 
 
 Angelina did not peruse the contents 
 of this billet till she was in the chaise : 
 it afforded her great satisfaction to be 
 convinced that Davenport had not for- 
 saken her, nor was prejudiced against her. 
 She could not conceive what the melan- 
 choly event was which had occasioned 
 his leaving Clare Hall ; but she deter- 
 mined not to have any correspondence 
 with him till her character was cleared 
 of the dreadful sin of adultery, and she 
 resolved not to go to the housekeeper.
 
 176 
 
 as Lady V had requested, but to re- 
 main with Mrs. Snap till she coifld as- 
 certain what her future prospects pro- 
 mised from the agent. 
 
 ' It was the first time that she had teen 
 in a public conveyance ; but, as she had 
 only eighty pounds, she thought it advi- 
 sable not to run into any unnecessary 
 
 expence ; and Lord V pointed out 
 
 that conveyance as more eligible than 
 for a young lady to travel alone in a 
 post-chaise: but Angelina, who had ne- 
 ver been accustomed to associate with 
 the vulgar, felt very uncomfortable, as 
 her companions consisted of an ensign 
 in the militia, a rider belonging to a 
 merchant's house in the city, a grazier, 
 and a methodist parson and his wife. 
 
 From the orphan's accent, they soon 
 perceived that she was a foreigner, and 
 they all asked if •Miss was a French wo- 
 man : she answered in the affirmative; 
 when they pestered her with such ridicu-
 
 177 
 
 lous questions, as, for a short time, clissi- 
 pated her melancholy ideas ; such as, if 
 the cattle in foreign parts were like those 
 before them ; they supposed she had 
 lived chiefly upon frogs and outlandish 
 dishes ; and that she had never seen a 
 good piece of roast beef and a plum- 
 pudding till she came amongst the John 
 Bulls. The militia officer assured Mr. 
 Gripe the grazier that he was mistaken, 
 and, if he dined at the tables of the 
 great, he would see as many kick-shaws 
 as in France ; and that he had no doubt 
 but Miss had seen a joint of meat before 
 she left her own country. 
 
 Mr. Gripe said, he wished all the 
 French would remain on the other side " 
 the water, for he liked none of the tribe. 
 The rider assured the company that he 
 often had dealings with them, and that 
 they treated him with the greatest po- 
 liteness, and, if they remained in France, 
 it would be a great detriment to trade: 
 i ^
 
 178 
 
 i( But none to the church/' replied the 
 methodist preacher, " for they are all 
 papists ; and are so uncharitable, that 
 they think that all hereticks must go to 
 the devil :— don't you, Miss?" 
 
 This was a subject on which the or- 
 phan did not chuse to enter, but gave an 
 evasive answer. The officer was very gal- 
 lant, and endeavoured to speak French ; 
 but his was only an attempt, for it was 
 impossible to understand him. He of- 
 fered to pay for Angelina, but she would 
 not condescend to be treated. He was 
 anxious to know in what part of Lon- 
 don she was going to reside ; but, even 
 had she wished to inform him, she could 
 not, being herself ignorant. The rider 
 insisted upon having the best of every 
 thinsr; and he was so well known at the 
 inn, that great attention was paid to 
 his orders. 
 
 They were to sleep two nights on the 
 road ; and, as the preacher's wife seem-
 
 179 
 
 ed to be a respectable woman, tbe orphan 
 requested that she would let her have a 
 room through her's, for she never more 
 sensibly experienced the alteration in 
 her situation, than being exposed to the 
 gallantry of such vulgar people. The 
 rider saw her distress, and offered his 
 services in speaking to the mistress of 
 the house to procure her a comfortable 
 bed. 
 
 " I am an old married man, Miss, and 
 have daughters grown up ; therefore 
 accept of my services. " 
 
 She thanked him, but stuck close to 
 her female companion. 
 
 The three days she passed in such 
 company was very distressing : at first, 
 the novelty of scene occupied her at- 
 tention ; but the continuance of their 
 illiberal remarks and Questions disgusted 
 her, and she was heartily rejoiced when 
 they arrived at the end of their journey, 
 
 Mr, Moffat was ready to receive her :
 
 ISO 
 
 lie was a genteel-looking man, and his 
 white head gave him a respectable ap- 
 pearance, lie ordered some refreshment, 
 after which he conducted her to Mrs. 
 Snap's. But the bloated face of that 
 lady disgusted Angelina, and the flip- 
 pant appearance of her nieces and daugh- 
 ters did not alter the orphan's prepos- 
 session. Being extremely fatigued, she 
 retired early to bed; but she could get 
 no rest, from the noise and confusion 
 which reigned in the house. 
 , To her great surprise, when she arose 
 in the morning, not any person was vi- 
 sible, excepting a dirty girl who was 
 clearing a parlour which abounded with 
 bottles and glasses. The orphan in- 
 quired at what time they breakfasted. 
 
 " Quite uncertain, Miss : it depends 
 upon what hour the ladies go to bed." 
 
 Angelina thought this very strange, 
 but she returned to her room ; ant! about 
 eleven o'clock Cecilia Snap came to an-
 
 1S1 
 
 nounce that breakfast was ready. Only 
 the old lady and Cecilia attended, and 
 Mrs. Snap made apologies for the late- 
 ness of the hour, and the noise which 
 must have disturbed her guest ; but a 
 nephew of her's, who was a lieutenant 
 in the navy, had just come to London, 
 after an absence of three years : he had 
 brought some of his friends with him, 
 and the young people had begun dan- 
 cing, and did not give over till very 
 late. 
 
 Angelina requested to know what she 
 was to pay for her accommodation ; but 
 Mrs. Snap would not come to any ex- 
 planation on that subject, saying that 
 Mr. Moffat was an old friend of her's, 
 and that he would settle that business. 
 She then told the orphan, that, when she 
 liked to walk out, Cecilia would go with 
 her, and that the drawing-room she 
 might appropriate to her own use. 
 
 Mr. Moffat came, and Angelina asked
 
 152 
 
 him several questions respecting her fa- 
 ther ; but he gave such evasive answers, 
 that she could not gain any satisfaction. 
 He said that lie had three thousand 
 pounds in his hands, the interest of 
 which she wight have. 
 
 Angelina then fully explained the 
 reason which had induced her to leave 
 Clare-Hall, and her determination to ac- 
 cept no pecuniary obligation from Lord 
 
 V . Mr. Moffat looked dejected ; 
 
 said that he would consider what could 
 be done ; that he was going out of town ; 
 and that, at any rate, he would leave her 
 some monev, in case she might want it 
 before his^eturn. She declined this of- 
 fer, but requested that he would make 
 some agreement with Mrs. Snap : this 
 he promised, and took his leave, saying 
 that he should return within a fortnight. 
 
 At dinner, Angelina's dislike to the 
 family she was with increased : the bold- 
 ness of their manners was what she had
 
 1S3 
 
 not been used to, and the fulsome compli- 
 ments they paid her were very distressing 
 to her nice feelings. 
 
 In the evening some gentlemen arriv- 
 ed who were all relations of Mrs. Snap's, 
 f r her nieces the Miss Catch's. Thefree- 
 dom of their behaviour astonished An-* 
 gelina : they eyed her with evident symp- 
 toms of surprise, and paid a respect to 
 her, while they treated the rest with 
 great familiarity. They wanted to ac- 
 company her to the play ; but her spirits 
 v»ere too dejected to enjoy any public 
 amusement. She had it in contemplation 
 to write to Godolphin ; but her delica- 
 cy prevented her doing so, a^ihe could 
 not bear to tell him that she had been 
 dismissed by Lady V , and her cha- 
 racter traduced. She possessed so many 
 resources in herself, that she could bear 
 retirement without repining ; and, as 
 the family she resided with were con- 
 stantly engaged in pursuit of pleasure,
 
 184 
 
 she had full opportunity of devoting her 
 time to music, reading, and drawing. 
 She wrote to the few friends she pos* 
 sessed abroad, and constantly attended 
 the Ambassador's chapel. 
 
 Three weeks had elapsed since she had 
 seen Mr. Moffat, and she began to be 
 anxious for his return, for her compa- 
 nions became every day more obnoxious 
 to her. She had only been twice out 
 since her arrival in town, and was each 
 time accompanied by Cecilia ; but so 
 many people accosted them whom An- 
 gelina did not know, and with such an 
 air of familiarity, that she was extreme- 
 ly averse to going out ; consequently 
 she refused attending any of the ladies 
 when they took their morning walks ; 
 indeed, she seldom mixed with the fami- 
 ly but at meals : but they so strongly 
 pressed her to join them in an excursion 
 to Hampton Court, that she could not 
 refuse, without being guilty of great
 
 1S5 
 
 rudeness. All their male relations were 
 to be of the party, and they were to go 
 in open carriages. Angelina was to be 
 driven by Capt. Herbert of the navy : 
 he had been several times in her compa- 
 ny, and behaved with more gravity than 
 the rest of the gentlemen. 
 
 It was of a Sunday, and, as they drove 
 through the Park, she observed that their 
 party attracted universal notice : she saw 
 
 Lady V 's mother, the Duchess of 
 
 B , who looked at our heroine with 
 
 evident astonishment. Soon after she 
 saw some more of the company whom she 
 had known the winter before : they all 
 stared at her, but did not return ber bow. 
 
 Captain Herbert asked her how she 
 became acquainted with those persons : 
 she said at a friend's house, where she 
 . had been staying ; but she did not men- 
 tion the name, lest it should lead to some 
 inquiries which it might be painful for 
 her to answer.
 
 186 
 
 Capt. Herbert appeared lost in thought 
 for some time. 
 
 " Can she be really ignorant !" he ex- 
 claimed. 
 
 " Was you speaking to me. Sir?" said 
 the orphan. 
 
 u Not exactly; but, if it is not tres- 
 passing too much on your goodness, 
 may I request to know how you became 
 an inmate of Mrs. Snap's ?" 
 
 u Most undoubtedly, " she replied. 
 u ]\Iy father, if he still exists, is in India, 
 and his agent placed me under the care 
 of Mrs. Snap till his wife returns from 
 Devonshire, m hen I have reason to hope 
 I shall reside with them." 
 
 "And, pray, who is the gentleman 
 who takes such an interest in your con- 
 cerns ?" 
 
 1 ' Mr. Moffat ; and I expect every day 
 either 'to hear from or see him. To con- 
 fess the truth, I am uneasy at his silence ; 
 for the pursuits of the ladies I am with
 
 157 
 
 are so different from mine, that we are 
 not sufficiently assimilated to be agree- 
 able companions to each other, and I 
 wish to have a more retired home." 
 
 " Assuredly, Miss Dairy mple, the one 
 you now inhabit is not a fit residence for 
 a virtuous voung woman." 
 
 Angelina, at this moment, saw Go- 
 .dolphin in his curricle with a beautiful 
 young lady. 
 
 M Surely that is Mr. Godolphin ! — I 
 would give the world to speak with him!" 
 
 " You are, then, acquainted with that 
 gentleman ?" 
 
 l< He is, Sir, an invaluable friend." 
 
 " He is a happy man, to excite such 
 emotion in your countenance ; and I 
 will tell him of his good fortune." 
 
 " If you would inform him where I 
 reside, you would indeed do me a great 
 service, for I want to consult him, and to 
 have his advice." 
 
 " You may rely, Madam, on seeing
 
 I8S 
 
 him to-morrow. But he is a very young 
 man, and the place I met you in altoge* 
 ther makes me doubt your character. 
 Yet there is an ingenuous openness in 
 your manner that almost induces me to 
 believe that you are innocent.'' 
 
 u Innocent !" repeated Angelina : 
 " what do you, what can you mean P 1 ' 
 
 " An involuntary exclamation !" re- 
 plied Captain Herbert : " think no more 
 of it." 
 
 They alighted at the Toy-Inn, and 
 were soon surrounded by their friends, 
 all of whom were in violent spirits. 
 Dinner was ordered, and the ladies and 
 gentlemen made so free with the bottle, 
 that the orphan feared they would soon 
 feel the effects of their folly. When 
 they were sufficiently regaled, they alt 
 went to the palace ; and, to her great 
 delight, the first person she met was Go- 
 dolphin with the lady she had before 
 seen. lie looked at her, just bowed, and
 
 189 
 
 passed with precipitation. What could 
 be the reason of such conduct from 
 him ? Surely he did not credit the re- 
 ports respecting her and Lord V . 
 
 Her spirits were so depressed and agi- 
 tated, that she burst into tears. Capt. 
 Herbert looked extremely distressed at 
 seeing her in such affliction. The young 
 ladies did all in their power to comfort 
 her ; while Mrs. Snap called to Capt. 
 Herbert, with whom she had a long con- 
 versation. 
 
 The rest of the party passed the day 
 apparently much to their satisfaction ; 
 but Angelina could not even assume 
 any degree of cheerfulness. The gen- 
 tlemen rallied her, but Capt. Herbert 
 kept them in order. She returned with 
 him, and he took care not to mention, 
 during their ride, any thing which could 
 lead to any interesting subject. 
 
 As they drove to St. James's Place, 
 he thanked her for the pleasure of her
 
 190 
 
 company, and told her that he would 
 find out Godolphin, and he had no 
 doubt but she would soon see him : 
 " He is," he continued, " my most 
 intimate friend." 
 
 The orphan expressed herself obliged 
 to him for his kind intentions, and im- 
 mediately retired to laer apartment. The 
 next day she requested Mrs. Snap to tell 
 her where Mr. Moffat resided, as she 
 wished to inquire at his house when he 
 was expected. The lady said that she 
 knew he would be in town that day, as 
 she had promised to meet him and his 
 lady at the play. 
 
 " You, of course, Miss Dairy mple, 
 will attend me." 
 
 She was much averse to it, as she anx- 
 iously expected to see Godolphin, and 
 was fearful he might call in her absence ; 
 but she also was impatient to be intro- 
 duced to Mrs. Moffat, and to leave a 
 residence which she could not help
 
 191 
 
 thinking was not a reputable one; she 
 therefore consented. They sat in the 
 upper boxes, and she was scarcely seat- 
 ed before she saw in the stage-box 
 Lady G , her daughters, and Au- 
 gustus in deep mourning ; and Godol- 
 phin, with the young lady she had seen 
 with him, were also of the party. They 
 all fixed their eyes on our heroine ; and 
 
 Lady G , with a sarcastic smile, 
 
 spoke to Davenport, but none of them 
 took the smallest notice of the orphan. 
 She asked Mrs. Snap when they might 
 expect to see Mr. and Mrs. Moffat. 
 
 11 Immediately," she replied : " why, 
 here he is." But when Angelina looked 
 round, the first person she saw was Lord 
 
 V : he addressed Mrs. Snap as an 
 
 old friend, and she appeared delighted 
 at seeing him. As to the orphan, she 
 was so confused and distressed, that for 
 some time she had not the power of ar- 
 ticulation.
 
 192 
 
 As soon as she could collect herself, 
 she entreated Mrs. Snap to let her go 
 home ; and her agitation was so great, 
 that that lady thought it advisable to 
 grant her request. 
 
 Lord V behaved to her with the 
 
 most profound respect , but all her en- 
 treaties could not prevent Mrs. Snap 
 from making use of his Lordship's car- 
 riage. She refused entering it ; but a 
 mob was collecting ; and at last, more 
 dead than alive, Angelina flung herself 
 into it. 
 
 Lord V and Mrs. Snap were so 
 
 rejoiced at having met after an absence, 
 as they said, of several years, that she 
 insisted upon his staying supper. This 
 was extremely disagreeable to the or- 
 phan, and she resolved to remove from 
 King's Place the next day, and that she 
 would not stay even that evening in his 
 company. But, on entering, a scene 
 she little expected awaited her : they
 
 193 
 
 were scarcely entered before his Lord- 
 ship informed Angelina that Mr. Mof- 
 fat was a convenient dependant of his ; 
 that the persons she was with were such 
 as were subservient to his will ; and that 
 she was entirely in his power, for her 
 character was so injured in the opinion 
 of the world, that she could never 
 again be received in virtuous society ; 
 that he adored her, and was willing to 
 place her in such a situation as her 
 beauty and accomplishments merited ; 
 that he would swear to marry her when- 
 ever Lady V died: in short, lie 
 gave a her to understand, that, if she 
 would not consent willingly to his pro- 
 posal, he was determined to compel her 
 to accede to his wishes ; that he planned 
 her going to the play, and that Lady 
 
 G and family should see her. He 
 
 told her he knew the partiality which 
 she had for Davenport, but that he 
 would not marry a woman whose clu- 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 19-1 
 racter was lost ; that his eldest brother 
 had broken his neck in hunting ; that, 
 
 now he was heir to an earldom, his fa- 
 ther would not, even if her reputation 
 was cleared of the imputations ascribed 
 to her, consent to his marrying a Ca- 
 tholic ; therefore he concluded with, 
 
 " My dearest love ! you see you have 
 no alternative than to make me and 
 yourself happy, by putting yourself 
 under my protection." 
 
 This discourse roused Angelina, and, 
 with a dignity which astonished Lord 
 V , she assured him that she reject- 
 ed his offer with the greatest contempt; 
 or, was she afraid of his threats, that 
 she knew she was in a country whose 
 laws protected the meanest subject; 
 consequently that even he, as a Peer of 
 the realm, was accountable for his ac- 
 tions ; that she had a firm reliance on 
 the mercy and goodness of her Creator, 
 and that he would extend his bounty to 
 an unprotected orphan.
 
 193 
 
 lie suffered her to depart without 
 making any reply, and she resolved upon 
 instantly leaving the infamous house 
 which harboured such a nest of miscre- 
 ants. She stepped out of the door, and 
 took a hackney coach : she was at a loss 
 to tell him where to drive, but she recol- 
 lected where her shoe-maker resided, 
 and she ordered the coachman to take 
 her to his house. She saw his wife, and 
 partly explained her situation. Their 
 lodgings were vacant, and she took pos- 
 session of them. 
 
 When she sat down and reflected upon 
 her situation, she was almost distracted : 
 she had not brought any thing away 
 vith her, excepting the ornaments she 
 had on, and about three pounds in her 
 pocket. These funds she knew would 
 be of short duration, and where she 
 was to get more she could not divine. 
 
 The shoe-maker's wife ; seeing her 
 distress, came to her, and insisted upon
 
 196 
 
 her having some whey : she assured her 
 that Mr. Last would get her clothes, &c. 
 from Mrs. Snap's, as that woman would 
 he afraid of having the affair made pub- 
 lic. 
 
 Angelina endeavoured to compose her 
 spirits, as her good sense pointed out 
 that, in future, she must depend upon 
 her own exertions for her support, and 
 she bore her distress with astonishing 
 fortitude ; but, when she reflected that 
 Davenport and Godolphin had seen her 
 in such profligate society, she was in- 
 deed miserable. 
 
 Sleep, at last, buried her sorrows in 
 oblivion, and she awoke at a late hour, 
 more refreshed than she expected. Mr. 
 Last had applied for her property, but 
 without success : he assured her that, by 
 applying to Bow-street, she would meet 
 with redress ; but, as Mr. Last informed 
 her that a female desired to speak with 
 her, she flattered herself that Mrs. Snap's
 
 197 
 servant had brought her clothes; she 
 therefore desired that she might be in- 
 troduced. 
 
 An immense creature entered, and 
 presented Angelina a paper, at the same 
 time telling her she was his prisoner, 
 for it was a man. In a few minutes 
 two more men entered ; and to describe 
 the poor orphan's terror is totally impos- 
 sible. She clung to Mrs. Last for pro- 
 tection. The benevolent shoemaker 
 offered to bail her ; but the legal ruffians 
 said it was too late to search the courts, 
 and consequently she must go with 
 them. She was arrested, at the suit of 
 Mrs. Snap, for the amount of 400/. 
 
 Her distress was so great, that even 
 the bailiffs shewed the greatest com- 
 passion, and assured her, if their di- 
 rections had not been expressly to take 
 her into custody, that they would have 
 taken Mr. Last's word for her appear- 
 ance ; but they should lose their places
 
 19S 
 
 if they did not follow implicitly their in- 
 structions. After remaining some hours, 
 Mrs. Last accompanied Angelina to a 
 spunging- house. 
 
 What stronger breast-plate than a heart untainted ? 
 Thrice is he arui'd that hath his quarrel just ; 
 And he but naked, though lock'd up in steel, 
 Whose conscience with injustice ia corrupted.
 
 199 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 Canst thou not minister to a mind diseas'd ; 
 Pluck from the memory a rooted sorrow ; 
 Raze out the written troubles of the brain; 
 And, with some sweet oblivious antidote, 
 Cleanse the foul bosom of that perilous stuff 
 Which weighs upon the heart 1 
 
 After Angelina had left Clare Hall, 
 
 Lady V 9 s servant delivered to her 
 
 the blank cover which the orphan had 
 left, enclosing the 100/. note; also a 
 small box, containing all the presents 
 which had been given her by Lord 
 V . Her Ladyship was much af- 
 fected and pleased at this, and commu- 
 nicated to Lady G the circum- 
 stance -, but that lady, for many rea- 
 sons, was glad the orphan was removed 
 from a family in which she was so be-
 
 200 
 
 loved, as she feared her influence would 
 every way be prejudicial to her children. 
 
 Although Lady V had a tincture 
 
 of jealousy in her composition, and that 
 
 she certainly had seen Lord V in 
 
 Miss Dairy mple's dressing-room at a 
 very improper time, yet she still doubt- 
 ed her being culpable; and her Lady- 
 ship's own woman, who had resided 
 many years with her, so powerfully 
 
 pleaded for Angelina, that Lady V , 
 
 if she had not been prevented by her 
 sister-in-law, would have sent an ex- 
 press to fetch the orphan back. Lord 
 
 V never mentioned her, and, of 
 
 course, none of the family addressed 
 him on the subject. 
 
 As soon as it was generally known 
 that Miss Dalrymple had left the Hall, 
 all the villagers, the old, the young, 
 and the lame, came for her address, all 
 praying for blessings on her head, as she 
 had left with the gardener money to be
 
 201 
 
 distributed amongst her pensioners. As 
 Lady V was stepping into her car- 
 riage, this group approached the house. 
 She was extremely affected at their be- 
 haviour, and involuntarily exclaimed, 
 " Is it possible that Angelina can be 
 culpable !" 
 
 On her return from her morning's 
 airing, she deputed her woman to go to 
 Cavendish Square, see Miss Dalrymple, 
 and endeavour to prevail on her to re- 
 turn to Clare Hall. The lady's maid went 
 but a few posts, and brought the dis- 
 tressing intelligence that Miss Dalrvm- 
 pie had never appeared in Cavendish 
 Square, nor did any one there know- 
 where she was. Lady V now was 
 
 at a loss what to think ; but she felt so 
 uneasy on the occasion, and the country 
 became so dull, that she proposed re- 
 turning to London much sooner than 
 she was accustomed to do ; and, a* 
 
 Lord M had met his end in a fox- 
 
 k 5
 
 202 
 
 chase, it was necessary that Lord and 
 Lady G should immediately re- 
 pair to town. 
 
 The first intelligence that LadyV 
 
 heard of the orphan was from the 
 Duchess of B : she mentioned hav- 
 ing seen her with a strange party, and 
 
 inquired why she had left Lady V ; 
 
 but that lady still felt such an interest in 
 the fate of Angelina, that she as much 
 as possible evaded the subject. 
 
 Augustus was perfectly wretched, and 
 had done every thing in his power to 
 discover her residence : he assured his 
 aunt that she was imposed on, for that 
 Miss Dalrymple was incapable of doing 
 a bad action ; and he so strenuously 
 espoused her cause, that his mother was 
 extremely displeased with him. 
 
 The family had been three weeks in 
 town, when Godolphin one evening call- 
 ed in Cavendish Square: lie inquired for 
 Aiiss Dalrymple, and, when he learnt
 
 203 
 
 that she had left the protection of Lady 
 
 V , he became perfectly pale from 
 
 agitation, and abruptly left the room, 
 followed by Davenport, to whom he 
 mentioned having seen her that morn- 
 ing in such company as surely, if she 
 knew their characters, she would not 
 associate with. The gentlemen deter- 
 mined to search every where for our he- 
 roine, and they laid such plans as they 
 thought would prove successful. 
 
 Godolphin promised to bring his sis- 
 ter to dine with Lady V the next 
 
 day: as sbe had never before been in 
 London, they proposed going to the 
 play ; but the first object on entering 
 the theatre which attracted their notice 
 
 was Angelina. Lady G turned 
 
 to her son with a malicious smile, and 
 pointed out the orphan, saying, " I 
 
 hope now, my Lord M , you are 
 
 convinced of the morals of that virtu- 
 ous young lady."
 
 204 
 
 Godolphin caught the last words. 
 " Virtuous young lady 1" he repeated, 
 " that I. will swear she is ; and those 
 who have exposed her to the machina- 
 tion of the wicked have much to an- 
 swer for. Lord M , if you will 
 
 take care of the ladies, I will find Miss 
 Dalrymple, and tell her who are her 
 present friends." 
 
 He instantly left the box, but, when 
 he went to the one in which he had seen 
 the orphan, all the party were gone : 
 he then ran to the Piazza, and arrived 
 just as she entered Lord V 's car- 
 riage, and to see his Lordship follow. 
 
 Godolphin was perfectly amazed ; lie 
 could hardly believe his senses. That 
 Miss Dalrymple should voluntarily place 
 
 herself under Lord V 's protection, 
 
 he could not believe. He got into a 
 hackney coach, and desired the man to 
 follow the carriage ; and, when he saw 
 our heroine enter King's Place, his ^cU
 
 205 
 
 lugs almost deprived him of recollec- 
 tion. He went to Mrs. Snap's, who 
 received him very politely, and lie was 
 in conversation with her when Angelina 
 fled from the house. To express his 
 rage when he found that she was gone, 
 is heyond the power of language. Lord 
 
 V was informed of his being there, 
 
 and thought proper to conceal himself 
 till he was departed Godolphin imme- 
 diately left a note for Davenport to 
 meet him the next morning, and at an 
 early hour the next day they commenced 
 their search for the orphan, but without 
 any success. 
 
 Lord V was at home, and, to all 
 
 appearances, perfectly composed. Lady 
 
 V had been informed bv her sister 
 
 respecting Angelina's appearance at the 
 play. The intelligence had the most 
 fatal effects on her Ladyship : she 
 had violent hystericks, and for many 
 hours remained in this alarming situa-
 
 906 
 
 tion. Lord !\f still persevered in 
 
 taking the orphan's part, and declared, 
 if they did not gain some intelligence 
 of her the next day, that they would 
 apply to the police, to make Mrs. Snap 
 produce the ohject of their search. 
 
 Accordingly, the second morning, 
 they again visited King's Place, when they 
 were joined by Captain Herbert, who 
 was expostulating with the frail sister, 
 and joined his friends in protesting that 
 she should be made an example of, if 
 she did not inform them where Angeli- 
 na was. They spoke to her in such a 
 peremptory manner, that she became 
 frightened, and assured them, on her 
 life, that she was ignorant of the place 
 of her abode, as she had left her house, 
 and had not even taken her clothes. 
 She confessed that it was a plan of Lord 
 
 V to get her into his clutches, but 
 
 that she believed that she had now evad- 
 ed his pursuit.
 
 207 
 
 Goclolphin and Herbert went instantly 
 
 in search of Lord V . Godolphin 
 
 insisted upon his Lordship informing 
 him where Miss Dalrymple was. Lord 
 
 V treated the subject with the 
 
 greatest derision, representing that she 
 had long been his mistress, and that 
 now she would soon appear publicly in 
 that light. 
 
 Godolphhvs rage got the better of 
 his reason, and he struck his Lordship, 
 at the same time telling him that he 
 did not speak the truth. This insult, ac- 
 cording to the laws of honour, must be 
 resented, and it was decided that in 
 one hour they should have a meeting. 
 Not considering whether it is permitted 
 us to make a deliberate attempt on the 
 life of any man, to satisfy a preposte- 
 rous and mistaken notion, which has 
 neither foundation in reason nor nature, 
 the duellists do not give themselves 
 time to consider whether the melancholy
 
 203 
 
 reflection of the blood spilt on such an 
 occasion can cease to cry out for retri- 
 bution from him who spilt it: and, in 
 general, what do they resent ? — that 
 the lie has been given, and most fre- 
 quently from a falsehood having been 
 asserted ; therefore they call heaven to 
 witness the truth of a lie, and impious- 
 ly implore the assistance of their Maker 
 to support the cause of injustice, and 
 give the triumph to falsehood. 
 
 At the appointed hour the gentlemen 
 met, accompanied by their seconds and 
 a surgeon. A few minutes decided the 
 
 business. Lord V received a wound 
 
 which was considered mortal, and was 
 conveyed to the Thatched House, while 
 Godolphin and Captain Herbert ab- 
 sconded till the fate of his Lordship 
 was decided. 
 
 It was some days before Lady V 
 
 knew the extent of her misery, as ex- 
 cuses were made of her Lord's ab-
 
 209 
 
 ^ence ; but, when the medical gentle- 
 men gave hopes of his recovery, by de- 
 grees the melancholy intelligence was 
 communicated to her. She repaired to 
 Lord V : he was still in a deplo- 
 rable state, and thought his end fast 
 approaching ; he therefore requested to 
 be left with his wife and sister, when 
 he lamented his past conduct, and ex- 
 pressed his great anxiety respecting An- 
 gelina, who, he assured them, was every 
 way deserving of their admiration and 
 friendship ; that he did not know where 
 she was, but he had reason to believe she 
 had been arrested at the suit of Mrs. Snap. 
 
 Lady G was thunderstruck at 
 
 this news, which " was by no means 
 
 agreeable to her ; while Lady V 
 
 silently offered up her grateful thanks 
 to that Being who had protected the 
 fair orphan, and was impatient to find 
 out where she was, that, by her kind- 
 ness and attention, she might in some
 
 210 
 
 degree compensate for the misery which 
 she had endured. 
 
 Davenport had always continued in- 
 defatigable in his search, and he at last 
 concluded that she must have left town. 
 What added to his consternation was, 
 that Mrs. Snap and her myrmidons had 
 all absconded from their late residence, 
 and no traces of them could be ob- 
 tained. 
 
 Lord V recovered very slowly, 
 
 and was likely to be a cripple for life; 
 but he was so ashamed of his con- 
 duct, which had gained publicity, that 
 he sent for Godolphin, and not only 
 forgave him, but made apologies for his 
 conduct. Charles could not follow his 
 example : he loved Angelina, arid he 
 loved virtue ; therefore he could never 
 feel reconciled to a man who had re- 
 duced the woman he loved to the most 
 poignant distress. 
 
 Advertisements were put into the pa-
 
 311 
 
 pers, offering a reward if any one could 
 tell where Miss Dairy mple was ; but no 
 ^ood arose from this measure. The 
 coachman who drove her to the shoe- 
 maker's informed them where he had 
 driven a young lady answering the de- 
 scription in the public prints ; upon 
 
 which, Lord Augustus M went to 
 
 the shop, when he was informed that she 
 had been arrested ; from which period 
 they did not know what had become of 
 her. He made himself known, and en- 
 deavoured by bribery and threats to in- 
 duce Mrs. Last to discover Angelina, as 
 he strongly suspected that she knew ; 
 but all the information she gave was an 
 address to the spunging-house where 
 she had accompanied her. 
 
 He repaired to the place ; but so many 
 hapless victims of poverty had been in 
 the same miserable predicament with the 
 orphan, that it was a considerable time 
 before they could understand or would
 
 2V2 
 
 comprehend whom lie meant : all they 
 could say was, that the lady had been 
 taken away, but by whom, or where, 
 they did not know. He then searched 
 for the attorney, and waited upon Air. 
 Trick, who assured him that he could 
 give no further light upon the subject 
 than what Davenport already knew ; 
 that he was desired to arrest one Ange- 
 lina Dairy mple, at the suit of Airs. Snap ; 
 that the said Angelina Dairy mple was 
 accordingly served with a warranty 
 and placed in security; that the follow- 
 ing day his expences were paid by Mrs. 
 Snap, and the action withdrawn; con- 
 sequently he had no occasion to seek 
 farther into the business, nor could he 
 tell where Mrs. Snap and her ladies 
 were gone, but he believed somewhere 
 about Wapping. 
 
 Davenport returned home, tired and 
 dispirited: it was repugnant to his feel- 
 ings to meet his uncle, as he could only
 
 213 
 
 look upon him with sentiments of aver- 
 sion and disgust; but his Lordship's re- 
 covery, the medical gentlemen said, was 
 retarded by the anxiety of his mind, and 
 
 Lady G entreated that her son 
 
 would communicate to his Lordship 
 eveiy information he gained of the or- 
 phan. Alas ! he had none to divulge ; 
 but his mother was so desirous that he 
 should attend his uncle, that he com- 
 plied with her request. 
 
 He was shocked at seeing the emaci- 
 ated appearance of the patient ; all his 
 former vivacity was gone, and at that 
 moment his repentance for his bad con- 
 duct was so sincere, that most willingly 
 would he have parted with all he pos- 
 sessed to be assured that Miss Dalrym- 
 ple was in safety. Feeble as he was, he 
 sent for his solicitor, and consulted with 
 him what method had best be adopted 
 to ascertain the residence of the orphan. 
 Mr. Quibble was himself a father, and
 
 214 
 
 he felt forcibly for the situation of the 
 unprotected Angelina; he therefore of- 
 fered to accompany Lord Augustus 
 M to Wapping, to take some Bow- 
 street officers with them, and to make a 
 strict search. Captain Herbert was 
 also of the party, and he employed a 
 press-gang to haunt every place for the 
 orphan. 
 
 Three days successively they were em- 
 ployed in this occupation, without gain- 
 ing the smallest success, when they met 
 Cecilia Snap : she appeared extremely 
 terrified ; assured them that she had not 
 seen Miss Dalrymple since that young 
 lady left King's Place ; that a gentle- 
 man had called on Mrs. Snap, and 
 threatened her with imprisonment if she 
 did not take Angelina out of arrest, but 
 who the person was she did not know, 
 as she had never seen him before nor 
 since. The unhappy Cecilia added, that 
 the miserable object of depravity and
 
 215 
 
 vice, Mrs. Snap, had taken French leave, 
 and left the girls absolutely starving, 
 as she had robbed them of every thing. 
 Cecilia implored their commiseration, 
 and her prayers were attended to : she 
 faithfully promised that she would do 
 every thing in her power to find out 
 Angelina; but she firmly believed that 
 the shoe-maker knew where she was, as 
 the sheriff's officer told Mrs. Snap that 
 Mr. and Mrs. Last did every thing in 
 their power to comfort the miserable or- 
 phan ; offered to get bail for her ; and that 
 they would keep her in their house till 
 she could hear from some of her friends. 
 
 "Blessings on them!'' said Daven- 
 port ; ,l they shall not go unrewarded 
 ih this world for their humanity.*' 
 
 Finding that their exertions in tap- 
 ping were not likely to prove successful, 
 they once more went to Mr. Last's; but 
 both he and his wife continued to de- 
 clare that they did not know any thing
 
 216 
 
 of Angelina. They both exclaimed 1 
 loudly against those who could act so 
 basely by such a lovely young lady; 
 but, whether they were great gentle- 
 folks or not, they hoped it would come 
 home to them. 
 
 Lady V continued mentally and 
 
 bodily indisposed. This last act of her 
 husband's had entirely destroyed the 
 little regard she ever felt for him ; and 
 it was a heart-piercing reflection to her 
 that she must pass the remainder of her 
 clays with such a depraved character. 
 
 The Duchess of B laughed at her 
 
 daughter's concern ; represented that 
 all fashionable men had such follies ; 
 and that a wise woman would look on 
 affairs of gallantry as matters of course. 
 
 Lady V heard with deep concern 
 
 these opinions of her mother : she saw 
 her aged parent fast sinking into the 
 grave, after passing a life of disgrace 
 and anxiety, without repentance s and
 
 217 
 
 even with a hardened effrontery speak of 
 her former gallantries to the child who 
 had innocently been involved in guilt 
 from her mother's depravity. Expos- 
 tulation on the subject was of no avail, 
 as the Duchess confessed that she 
 never had, never did, and never would, 
 trouble herself about religion. " In- 
 deed, I think it," she would say, "only 
 a political institution, to keep the vul- 
 gar in subjection:" and, when Lady 
 
 V would endeavour to argue the 
 
 point, 
 
 " In pity, my dear good woman," she 
 would say, " desist. I have reason ; 
 and can you suppose that I can place any 
 serious reflections on the marriage cere- 
 mony, or look to the breaking the so- 
 lemn vow then taken as a crime, when 
 I see the first persons in the kingdom, 
 those whom the community are to look 
 up to for their laws, religion, and prin- 
 ciples, every day infringing on what 
 
 VOL. I, L
 
 21S 
 
 you call the sacred rights of matri- 
 mony, and the legislature making or 
 annulling marriages as suits the politics 
 of the times? Indeed, my pious Lady 
 
 V , if I am spared a few years 
 
 longer, I have no doubt but I shall see 
 bigamy tolerated ; and, as to Crim. Con., 
 no man is now considered of conse- 
 quence till his name is blazoned in Doc- 
 tors' Commons." 
 
 Lady V sighed : her mother's 
 
 ideas of religious and moral duties did 
 not accord with her's. She looked to 
 a blessed hereafter to reward her for 
 all her troubles in this life ; and her hap- 
 piness was much embittered in thinking 
 that the only parent she had ever known 
 should be unworthy in every respect of 
 her regard. 
 
 Three months elapsed without any 
 news of the orphan, and they concluded 
 that she had left England. Augustus 
 had got a duplicate of the papers which
 
 219 
 
 were committed to her care by Mr. Van- 
 neck, and he wrote to that gentleman 
 to have diligent search made for Ange- 
 lina, also to Paris. He would have gone 
 to Bourdeaux himself, but his father and 
 mother would not allow him. Indeed, 
 they were averse to his marrying the 
 orphan ; and, as he was now heir to his 
 uncle, they concluded, if she was found, 
 that they must either accede to his 
 wishes, or break with Lord and Lady 
 
 V , as they intimated frequently that 
 
 a union between Davenport and Ange- 
 lina was the wish nearest their hearts. 
 
 His Lordship's sisters had no objec- 
 tion to this, for they really liked Miss 
 Dalrympleas well as they could like any 
 one. But they were quite young ladies 
 of fashion : they had their feelings per- 
 fectly at command, as well as their af- 
 fections, which they never placed on im- 
 proper objects, always looking to the 
 main chance.
 
 :20 
 
 Godolphin, in their opinion, would be 
 an eligible match ; and, if Angelina was 
 married, they might stand some chance 
 with that gentleman. As it was, lie was, 
 quite in a desponding state, nor was his' 
 sister much better : she had been reared 
 far from the purlieus of a court, and 
 possessed that ingenuous simplicity of 
 character which is the greatest beauty in 
 a female. She sympathised with her 
 brother: she had never known Miss Dal- 
 rymple, but she was convinced that she 
 was an amiable unprotected girl, who 
 had been wantonly traduced and ex- 
 posed to every misery and danger. 
 She felt for her, and was anxious to 
 pour into her lacerated heart the balm 
 of disinterested friendship. 
 
 END OF VOL. L 
 
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