a idle valetudinarian all the symptoms of broken heart; no hireling domestics of a season to profane one's name at the adjacent alehouses; no newspapers to detail daily the little better,' and something worse,' of poor Lady A.; and no strange pastor to speak comfort to dying ears, or patience to agonised ones. No, blessed be God! I return to the peaceful home of my infancy, where no eye will glance suspicion, no tongue utter, no heart form it. Good Dr. Henderson will not make my malady the topic of his visits to his other patients. The gray-headed domestics, who have known me since my birth, will not talk lightly of me. Our provincial paper will not give the on dits of my health; and dear, good Doctor Wilmington, will smooth my passage to the grave, and best comfort those who are left to mourn for me." She loves to dwell on her approaching end, to which she continually refers, as persons do to a long and pleasurable journey which they are about to undertake. Nor does she neglect to prepare for it, by prayer, meditation, and the cultivation of a contrite spirit. I never saw a creature throw off the faults of human nature so wholly, or clothe her spirit in meekness and holiness, as she does hers. Once, and only once, since the first day of her return to reason, I have ventured to name Lord Nottingham. She became crimsoned with shame; and, after a moment's pause, begged me to mention him no more. Then, resuming, after an internal struggle, "yet, why should I conceal from you, Mary, now, that by a consciousness of my sin, and a deep penitence, which I trust in the Almighty has atoned for it, that I felt for him a guilty passion, which rendered me blind and heedless to the danger to which I was exposing my fame, by permit VOL. III. H ting his daily visits. I was mad, infatuated but dearly have I expiated that one sin. I trust that he never suspected my weakness; but, if he did, he never presumed. Nor did he insult me with a declaration of love; yet, a secret sympathy seemed to exist between us, that convinced me I was dear to him. "If I did not feel that my days are numbered, I would not wound your chaste ear, Mary, with this avowal of an unhallowed passion; but, it is right I should humiliate myself by confessing it, now that it is only remembered with contrition. Think of the degradation to which this sinful love exposed me, when I tell you that a person ay, and a woman, too attempted to console me for the shame, the ignominy to which I was reduced, by holding out to me the prospect of being divorced! Yes, Mary, divorced! and then I blush while repeating it-I might marry, as she said, the object of my affection. Was not this degradation? Yet, to this did I bring myself by my own infatuation." Such are the reflections of this dear and suffering creature; which prove that she was formed, not only to live in purity, but to live unsuspected. I write to you while she is slumbering; but, even her dreams are haunted by the thoughts that occupy her when awake; for, I have heard her low, sweet voice, continually repeat,—“ Indeed, I am not guilty! O, do not believe it!" Much as I languish to have you with me, my beloved, yet I am not so selfish as to repine, knowing how your time is occupied ; nor could I wish one hour of that life abridged, the continuance of whose frail tenure keeps you from Your own MARY.. THE MARQUESS OF NOTTINGHAM TO MY DEAR MORDAUNT All that the most gloomy imagination could have feared, has occurred Annandale has commenced legal proceedings against me; and my infatuated passion and imprudent attentions have plunged the pure and lovely object of them into a position the most humiliating to a noble nature like hers. Annandale must be the dupe to some plot, of which his innocent wife is the victim; for, I cannot think him so vile as to take the step he has done, without a belief in her culpability; and how could this belief have ever been formed, except by some wilful misrepresentations made to him, and some dark scheme put in practice to give a colour to the charge. My suspicions all |