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my weakness, and I own it. Perhaps what I call independence is ungenerous pride disguised." "My dear John, how came you ever to accept the exhibition from the Grammar School, for

Cecil?"

"Because that was a public reward which he obtained by his own merits; because it was a public institution for a publicly avowed charitable purpose; involving, on the part of those receiving the benefit, no personal or private, no real or fancied compromise of feeling; besides, if in the person of my boy another christian minister and scholar is added to the church, he will eventually more than repay the obligation."

"But good Mrs Carhampton, with her grapes and her guinea-fowls, never dreams of obligation; and do you not repay her fifty fold by your notice of Julia? By the way love, I wish we could contrive to have her here oftener. She is a fine creature! She always reminds me of that sentence in Bates, The affections,' and I should think it must be true of the mental powers also, are not like poisonous plants to be eradicated, but like wild, to be cultivated.' Let us try to give the dear girl some of the advantages which even wealth will not purchase. When Cecil is at home you could,

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perhaps, without inconvenience, give up some time to read with them."

66 Very well, love, so be it; but now send back the messenger; and say in your note, that I unite in your acknowledgments."

CHAPTER IV.

Intimate delights,

Fire-side enjoyments, home-born happiness.

COWPER.

THE Percies, like all those who are unsophisticated in their habits, exclusive in their attachments, and who live in retirement, had a store of delight in expecting a beloved friend to arrive off a journey, after a considerable absence. This must be done, and the other must be seen to; the matron and mother fidgeted about from the attic downwards, smoothing the wrinkles off the smooth expanse of counterpanes, setting chairs at the precise angle of precision, opening and shutting drawers, either to see that they contained nothing or that their contents were in order; wiped, for the twentieth time, the china faces of little china dogs on the chimney-piece, dusted books perfectly free from dust, bade the canary rejoice over a fresh lump of sugar, and frequently stepped aside to give directions to the maid and boy. The boys

were unusually troublesome in asking questions, and at last worked down their activity out of doors, raking away the dead leaves, sweeping the garden walks with the vigilance of reformers; and, finally, cooled the fever into which their zeal had thrown them, by swinging on a gate, to watch for the appearance of a coach. And when the vehicle really approached, and by blast of horn, summoned all the household gifted with the sense of hearing, who careless of fashion and strangers, rushed forth to offer service and welcome-what a meeting!-what greetings! every hand carrying some portion of the stranger's luggage, and one or two right willing to carry the stranger himself. Then, the entrée being accomplished, what peals of salutation, "How you are grown!" "How well you do look!" The kisses descended in showers, and not inaudibly; they were pelting showers. Then the unrobing, occupying almost as many hands as the arming of an ancient knight. One dragged off the incarcerating top-coat another untied the silk handkerchief round the neck-two more stripped off the overalls, (an operative to each leg)—and finally the arrived steps forth a tall, dark, gentlemanly youth; his address emphatically marked by grave, manly

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simplicity; a little reserve, or perhaps it is only quiet thought, in the general cast of the features; a deep-toned, but distinguishingly kind voice. Reader, allow me to present to you Mr Cecil Percy, just returned from his first term at College, Oxford; the very reverse of a dashing youth; but one whom dashing youths find it better to avoid than to insult. He has no genius, but a thoroughly cultivated taste and understanding; he is warmly affectionate in his feelings, though wholly clear of impassioned or imaginative sensibility; has an inborn sentiment of reverence for the female character, but, as he has never been in love, he is less tender than respectful in his attentions to In short, reader, Cecil Percy is just the kind of young man you might (if a young lady) covet as a brother, be very happy with as a husband, though I do not feel quite certain that he will do for you as a lover.

women.

intended for Miss Osborne."

"Of course not; he is

There it is-I knew

that would be said! Of all the traits of character attributed to the world, the most distinctive is (in my opinion) that which would call it a world of inferences. If two persons, one a lady, the other a gentleman, but not therefore of necessity hero and heroine, are introduced to each other in

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