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A Leon to the Ladies, &c.

thoroughly repents of her paft criminal attachment to him, as a proof of which he had lately married an accomplished youth, whofe virtues had won her heart, and that the hoped he had too much honour to think of deftroying the repofe of a happy couple. Little did the enraged youth imagine that this letter had come from his father's pen, that there was a poffibility of impofture, that Maria might ftill be true. He vowed the fhould no longer triumph over his heart, that he already hated her, that he would henceforth bestow his heart where heaven had to deferved beftowedly his hand.-Vain refolves! Next day his paffion returned with redoubled fury; and to compleat his traction, about a week after he received another letter from her by an unknown hand. She now defcribes her fituation when fae wrote her laft, affures him that it had been forced from her with a dagger at her breaft, that the contents were falfe, that her heart was folely his.

Matters were now come to a dreadful crifis. Pity was now the only comfort Mrs. Clifford could beftow on her distracted husband; and her own diftrefs was the more deplorable, as the now abfolutely loved him with the most tender affection.

Love produces different effects in different minds. With fuch a husband as Clifford, many ladies would have vented their wrongs in tears and fits, in fullen reproaches or frantick exclamations. How different was the conduct of Mrs. Clifford. Convinced that her husband's error had been involuntary, that his prefent diftreis was exquifite, the exerted every infinuating effort to footh him into peace, nor were her efforts vain. About this time, having obtained leave of abfence from his regiment, his rival, captain Dudley arrived from Germany. Shall I be believed that Clifford could be jealous of his wife? fhall by thofe who know the fecret fprings and caprices of the heart. How often had our hero wifhed for the return of Dudley, as the only means of elranging from him the growing affection of his wife! His with was now accomplifhed, and he was uneafy uneafy

and yet could hardly tell the caufe till Mrs. Clifford relieved him by abfolutely refusing all vifits from the captain.

Maria, however, was fill the mistress of his heart. In vain had he exhaufted his invention in contriving the means of recalling her to his arms. Freth obftacles daily occurred, and might have ftill continued to occur, had not his father been fuddenly feized with an apoplectic fit, a difeafe he had twice been feized with, of which he expired in lefs than five minutes. This was a fevere trial of his virtue. Maiter of a plentiful fortune, and no longer enflaved to the flern dictates of an unfeeling father; let us obferve his conduct now. What is the fift object of his attention ?-Maria !-Even so, Maria ftill triumphs in his heart, ftiil triumphs over the repeated calls of virtue over the unwearied affiduities of a deferving hapless wife.

Regardless of all, he flies to the embraces of his long-loft mittrefs. He finds her in folitude, and having previously perfuaded Mrs. Clifford to accompany him a few months to his feat at Morden-park a few miles off, conducts Maria to Clifford-hall. Mrs. Clifford knew his motive fot this requeft; and the knew that her refufal would only ferve to aggravate her dif trefs. Happy in the pofllion of his Maria, Mr. Clifford now refumed his wonted fpirits, and behaved to Mrs. Clifford, with all the tenderness that friendship could infpire. Intrigues are not eafily kept fecret in the country; and Mr. Clifford's affair became in a few days the whifper of every company for twenty miles round. The ladies could not tell how to account for Mrs. Clifford's ftupidity, whom they imagined the only woman in Westmoreland who did not know every particular of Mr. Clifford's infidelity. Some went fo far as to tell her of her situation, but their reception was widely different from what they expected. So general a topic could not but reach the ears of lady Harcourt, who warmly rebuked her fon for the injury done to her family. But Mrs. Clifford attend ye fair, and copy the example----convinced her mother that thefe were merely the fuggeftions of scandal, pro

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93

pagated by people, who, unhappy them- arms of her rival-her fympathifing
felves, would blaft the happiness they rival, who, far from aggravating her
were ftrangers to themfelves. Clifford calamities, feems only ftudious to al-
Maria continues at
was confounded at fuch unexampled leviate them.
magnanimity. He appeared contemp- Morden-park at the earnest folicita-
tible to himieif, he feemed to leath the tions of Mrs. Clifford. She feels the
idea of Maria, and at length firmly. noble fectiments, the virtuous counfels,
relolved, for the first time, to break fo amiably inculcated by Mrs Clifford.
her former
his chain. He continued three days at She feels all the guilt
Morton park-three days from Ma- life, and virtue triumphs in her heart.
Maria's difpofition was naturally
ria!This was too much, too fud-
den a change, and the confequence was good. Betrayed y love in her early
a violent fever, accompanied with a years, when the voice of nature, as yet
delirium, which had nearly put a pe- fuperior to reafon, ftrongly prompted
riod to his life. Mrs. Clifford never to enjoyment, her conduct, in every
left his bedfide. Sometimes he would other refpect, was without reproach.
call for Maria, and blame himself for Mrs. Clifford continued to fortify her
his refolution to forfake her-at other refolutions, and spent the whole time
times conjure his wife to unite her with her that he could f are from her
efforts with his to enable him to fubdue attendance on Mr. Clifford, who was
now greatly better, and in a few days
a paffion fo injurious to her, fo de-
compleatly recovered. Mrs. Clifford
ftructive to him.
feemed now to engrofs his whole ten-
dernefs: indeed his heart must have
been callous to every generous fenti-
ment, had he longer refifted the calls
of virtuous love. If he ever thought
of Maria, it was only to provide for
her future fettlement, to provide for her
againt the chilling hand of poverty
and defpair. Mrs. Clifford undertook
to fettle this point, told him what
had happened during his illness, and
even ventured to introduce him to
Maria before fhe went. This was a
trying fcene, and their behaviour fully
evinced the fincerity of their refor
mation. Mr. Hatfield, to whom I am
indebted for the particulars of this
narrative, ufed often to bewail the
fate of the lovely Maria. At length I
perceived his love for her. He would
not acknowledge it, but I have fince
heard of their marriage, and uninter-
rupted happinefsa happiness which
may be equalled, but cannot be ex-
ceeded by that of our amiable couple
at Clifford-hall.

What were the feelings of Maria in
this interval! Ignorant of her lover's
illness, her jealous fears told her the was
abandoned, and the knew not what
ftep to take. Recollecting Mr. Hat-
field, a neighbouring tenant of Mr.
Clifford, and the only acquaintance the
had, the prevailed on him to conduct
her to Morden park, and deliver a
letter for her. The youth pitying her
diftrefs, readily yielded to her perfua-
fions; and Maria waited the event at
a little diftance from the houfe. On
hearing of Mr, Clifford's danger, he
hartened back to Maria, who with a
fcream at the news, fell lifelefs upon
the earth. All Hatfield's efforts to re-
ftore her were vain, and there was no
affiftance near, none but at Morden
park. He knew not what to do, till,
emboldened by neceffity, and regard-
lefs of the confequences that might
follow, he refolved to carry the fair
infenfible to Mr. Clifford's. He did
fo, and was received beyond his hopes.
Maria foon reviving finds herself in the

T

The Temple of Fortune. A Tale.

10 few deities have more altars been erected than to fortune. Its worship has been almoft coæval with the creation, and in all probability will This deity laft till time is no more.

had formerly a famous temple at
Preneft, an ancient city of Italy, which
the frequently honoured with her pre-
fence, and in which magnificence was
united with propriety and order,

Every

The Temple of Fortune. A Tale.

their armies."

The Temple of Fortune. A Tale.

95

thee. I am the very man for thee to I forgot Lycoris, and followed Horfignalize thy power on; my conduct tenfia. After two years attendance, I thall prove that I rely wholly on thee." was appointed, through her intereft, a The voice returned, "Wait, I in- receiver general. Gold has flowed tend to ruin a province that owes into my coffers as it were of itself, every thing to its induftry; you shall from Europe, Afia, Africa, and Amebe appointed its governor. I have a rica. My wealth foon almost exmind to humble the pride of the Ro- ceeded calculation. But how have I mans: You fhall command one of been a gainer! my treafures are immente, in return I have loft my repose. I have the moft excellent cook in Rome, but no appetite; twenty miftreffs, but not one who loves me; paffions, but no abilities to gratify them; flatterers but not a fingle friend; fatiety renders every thing infipid to me. Deign then goddess to refume thy favours, and rettore me my former labour, health, appetite, love abilities and Lycoris."

The beauteous Julia next advances fparkling with jewels, grace in her fteps, in every gefture dignity and eafe. "Goddefs, faid he, a crowd of admirers tell me that I am handfome every day. Perhaps thefe men who adore me, do not love me ardently. What care I? I love change myfelf, and can fappert easily their inconftance. Credit and honours alone are what I afpire to obtain. I would fain occupy the higheft poft under the emprefs; attract the notice of Trajan; rule his minifters; difpofe of places; in fhort, have all the men depend on me, and have it in my power to plague all my

own fex.

"Expect nothing more from me, interrupted the oracle; I have given you beauty, high birth, a turn for intrigue, and ambition; with such helps you may very well do without

mine!

Julia retired, fully determined to make a trial of her power, and was fucceeded by an awkward clownish bloated figure, one of thofe people who receive the public revenues for the emperor and themselves jointly. Fortune exclaimed he, how dear have I payed for your favours! born in an humble cott, the field I cultivated by my own labour, afforded me fubfiftance, I poffelfed the full ufe of all my faculties. Appetite feaioned my homely repatts; Lycoris whom I loved, and from whom my paffion met with an equal return, foothed all my cares. In fhort, I was perfectly happy; but intenfible of the real value of the happiness I poffeffed. A fplended car was overturned near my abode; my profeled afiflance was accepted by the wife of the emperor Norva's favourite, who deigned to repofe herself in my humble cot. This lady accuftomed to confer favours, took a liking to me, and invited me to court. The offer dazzled my eyes.

"Be content, answered, the oracle, this very night Trajan will erafe thy name out of the fortunate lift; thỷ riches will pafs into his treasury; thy flatterers will never trouble thee more; thy miftrefs will deceive thy fucceffor, as they have already done thee; thou shalt return to the cottage with fome abilities lefs, and fhall find Lycoris feveral years older."

To the unwicidy awkward Clorifonius, fucceeded the young brifk co. quettish Aglae. "Fortune, faid fhe, be propitious to my wishes, without you I can do nothing. Behold this hair, ftill without ornaments; my diefs is almoft as plain as that of a veftal; I yet fcarcely know whether the Ganges produces pearls and diamonds; the very car that brought me to your temple is an hired one! how long goddefs, fhall I be without all thefe bleflings? Deign to point out the paths I ought to tread; I fwear never to deviate from them. I am told love and you are frequently at variance. I will ever be careful to treat him as a child, whom it is difficult not to cares at firft; but which we afterwards difmifs without ceremony. I will fuffer indeed, his altars to be decorated; but never will I burn incenfe on any but yours.

:

Aglae received this anfwer "Nature has done fo much for you, that little remains for fortune to do. Play your part well; you fhall help me to

ftrip

The Temple of Fortune. A Tale.