hand in hand! This has been my blessed lot, and is likewise yours, my dear Augusta. There is, however, one difference between our parents, though it proceeds from the same cause,

acting diversely, namely, excessive affection. Mine never permitted me to have a secret from them, or to receive a letter from any of my companions that was not submitted to their inspection. This plan was adopted when I was so young, that I could not understand its motive; and, when I grew older, the habit was so formed, that I knew not whether it was continued by their desire or my own. They reasoned with me on the fallacies often contained in the letters of my young friends, and on the inferences which my inexperience led me to draw from them. They taught me to reflect, and to distinguish between what was erroneous and what was praiseworthy in sentiment; and to judge of actions by principle

alone, and not by prejudices. From how many false impressions did my beloved parents rescue me, by exerting for me their reason, ere my own had acquired sufficient force to protect me! Yours, with equal affection, impose no restraint on your intercourse with your female friends. They never see your correspondence; consequently, cannot refute the false opinions it may contain, and, for the detection of which, your youth and inexperience unfit you. You are, therefore, exposed to the danger of imbibing the sentiments of those who are less amiable and pure-minded than yourself; ere yet your principles are immutably fixed, or your reasoning powers sufficiently matured to enable you to reject the poison that may be thus proffered. You know, dear Augusta, that I am not malignant or censorious; and, therefore, will not suspect me of being influenced by unworthy feelings,

when I tell you I am apprehensive that the purity of your mind may be sullied, and the goodness of your heart impaired, by your correspondence with Miss Montressor. When you mentioned, in the presence of Lord Delaward, that you frequently heard from her, did you not observe that he looked unusually grave? Knowing the sincerity of my affection for you, he has thought it his duty to inform me, that, from all he saw and heard of that young lady, in Italy, and in France, he considers an intimacy with her fraught with danger for one so young as yourself.

Miss Montressor prides herself on having conquered what she calls English prejudices, and adopted French opinions in their place. The most sacred objects and established usages,

nay, the domestic affections, -are made the subjects of her persiflage; and she is too anxious to pass for a bel esprit in society, to

guard against being more than suspected of levity, irreligion, and heartlessness.

Break off your correspondence with her by degrees, or, if you have mental courage sufficient to brusquer it, do so; and call to mind the opinion of Lord Delaward expressed within a few minutes before I commenced this

letter, an opinion which I have often heard

my dear father repeat, that there is more danger to a young and innocent female in an unrestrained correspondence with one of her own sex who is unprincipled and heartless, than in an acquaintance even with men of light character, who possess not equal opportunities of instilling the poison of their false opinions.

I tell you nothing of my happiness, my dear Augusta, but I hope you will soon witness it. It is the general custom for brides to write inflated descriptions of their felicity to their friends: look for none of these from me;

and be assured that happiness, like beauty, can never be faithfully expressed by a picture, and perhaps the less easy it is to describe the more perfect it is.

Your affectionate

MARY DELAWARD.

THE LADY A. VERNON TO MISS MONTRESSOR.

I CANNOT believe, dear Caroline, that you are really serious in half that you write to me; may I add, that I do not wish to think that you are? Indeed, you do not understand Lady Delaward's character; if you did, you would not imagine her to be a person affecting sentimentality herself, or encouraging its display in others. If you value my friendship, do not attempt to ridicule those I love and respect;