difclaim the impertinent epithet; it is education alone that gives them the fuperiority fome few of them poffefs; had we the fame advantages, my life for it, there would be an end to their vanity, or at leaft ought to be. The proficiency you, my good girl, have made under my very imperfect tuition, is a proof of what. I affert. You have no conception how vain I am of the progrefs my lovely fcholar fo rapidly made in thofe accomplishments it was my pleasure to inftruct her in; or how I boaft of it here amongst my friends. I give you my word, I have highly excited their curiofity to fee my joli bergere, as they affect to call you, that they may know whether I do not either exaggerate your talents or my own. I mifs: your company, my gentle Lucinda, more than fican exprefs; but we muft fubmit, and it is best to do it with a good grace. -I with you could have gone with us; but I am not quite my own mistress you know-fpinfters feldom are yet I queftion whether I could have prevailed upon you to quit the good creature who has the honour to call you daughter. You fee, Lucinda, by my manner of expreffing myfelf, my doubts are not yet removed; for my life! I cannot help thinking a time will yet come, when we shall discover the has no other title to claim you as fuch, than what fome unaccountable chance has given her. This you know has long been my opinion; and I know "you have often chid me for indulging it, but I cannot give it up; there is so aftonishing a difference between her and you in every poffible circumftance, that has ftrongly impreffed it on my,

perhaps, too romantic imagination.-I again repeat, what I have faid a thousand times, Nature would never have been so lavish of her gifts, as fhe has confeffedly been to you, my dear girl, with no other view than that you should grace a country village, and by your charms play the very deuce amongst the ruftics there. Ah! my dear Madam, cries my gentle Lucinda, why will you thus hazard spoiling the work of your own fair hands, by awakening her vanity?No fuch thing, child; I know you better than to fear it. My father now talks of going immediately to the fouth of France. The doctors have strongly advised it, as they fear another winter in England might endanger my dear nother's life. Alas! I always look upon this advice as a laft refource. Should lofe her, Lucinda!-ah! let me not think of it all my viAvacity takes flight at the dreadful idea. Adieu, my dear girl. Write to me inftantly, and tell me all you do, as well as how you do; and believe me ever affectionately your's,

S. SELWYN.

B

LETTER II.

LUCINDA OSBURN to Mifs SELWYN.

AH! my dear Madam, how fweetly condef

cending is the letter I am just honoured with! how very flattering to the grateful heart of your now difconfolate Lucinda, is this kind proof of friendship by which I have been not only fo highly honoured, but from which I have reaped fuch unspeakable advantage! Yes, my moft amiable; my most generous inftructor, our feparation has indeed coft your poor Luciada many teart. Yet, while streaming from my eyes, I am happy in the reflection, that though I have loft your loved fociety, I am still honoured with a place in your heart, and promifed a corref pondence, which cannot fail to render me ftill more worthy of that flattering partiality you fo kindly entertain for me. Believe me it fhall ever be my firft ftudy to profit by fo pleafing an indulgence; and be affured, as the only return in my power to make, the heart of your Lucinda fhall ever be open to her generous friend. Not a thought, not a fentiment fhall ever be concealed; fuch as it is, 'tis wholly of your own formation; 'tis but just then you should be acquainted with all its emotions. I truft it will never be filled with any I need blush to acknow

ledge. Ah! moft unworthy indeed it must be, could it ever forget the invaluable lessons it has been taught by the most amiable of her sex.

I am deeply concerned to find the physicians have prefcribed a remedy for Lady Selwyn, which I fear with you, my dear Madam, is a proof they think her cafe desperate; but let us hope the beft. Many are the inftances in which it has been found efficacious-this may be of that happy number. Your lofs, my amiable Mifs Selwyn, would be fo unfpeakably fevere, were the fatal event you so justly dread to take place, that I cannot for a moment, without agony, give way to an idea fo truly affecting. Sir James tooHeavens! how, irreparable would be his lofs!-But let us not anticipate evils which may be far diftatit.

You kindly bid me tell you ali I do, and how I do-To the latter I answer, as well as a creature can be who has loft the fiiend of her heart, and amiable instructor of her youth; to the former, that I continue, as it was your request, to perfect myself as far as poffible in those pleasing studies you taught me to delight in. To the piano-forté Í fing all those plaintive foothing airs you have often kindly told me were fo perfectly adapted to my voice and difpofition; thofe more lively, in which you excel, I have not yet had fpirits for. The library you have furnished me with is indeed a treasure. Alas! my dear Madam, I fear there are thofe in the world who would think the knowledge you have given me of these things but ill adapted to my very humble sphere; for that it is fuch, my dear Mifs Selwyn, and in all

human probability will continue fuch, in fpite of your kind predictions, I have every poffible reafon to believe: yet, fhall I confefs that I have at fome moments been almoft tempted to imagine, not merely from your perfifting in that opinion, but from fome circumftances I have from time to time obferved in my mother's conduct, that there is a mystery in my fituation not fully explained. This is a weaknefs; indeed, I fear, an unpardonable weakness; and as fuch I never failed to reprefs the filly idea whenever it would obtrude itself on my imagination; nay, I will believe had you not, by your kind partiality, firft given birth to it, it never would have entered your Lucinda's head. I own I have frequently been furprized my mother; for Tuch fire is, my dear Mifs Selwyn you may depend upon it, and a moft indulgent one fhe has ever been-to-mé; I fay, I have often been rather furprized the should fo readily have per mitted me to give fo:great a portion of my time, which certainly might have been employed more to her advantage, in order to acquire accomplishments which the could not but imagine would be of no real value to me-real value I mean, according to the narrow minded part of the world: indeed, had fhe ever expreffed the flightest disapprobation, my ideas of duty and obedience would have induced me to facrifice what has been my higheft delight, and what, I truft, will be no bar to my acting with propriety in whatever ftation it fhall pleafe Providence to place me fo far from it, that I am fully perfuaded it will have a contrary effect, and enable me to pafs through life in any fituation