begged to know of what nature it was-fhe wifhed to spare my feelings at that time, hoping the next might bring more favourable accounts. Ah, my dear Mifs Selwyn ! fhe was fatally deceived. A fecond came-I faw her violently agitated as fhe broke the feal. She would have retired, but I implored her not to conceal from me the cause of her emotion.-Oh, my amiable Lucinda! cried fhe, looking mournfully on me, you know not what you afk! yet, if it is as my prophetic fears perfuade me, it will not, my dear child, be in my power to let you remain in ignorance. I fat motionless with apprehenfions, while fhe glanced her eye over it; which she had no fooner done, than the paper dropp'd from her hand, and fhe fell back in her chair, to all appearance lifeless. -Terrified to fee her in this condition, yet dying with impatience to know the fatal caufe, I was nearly reduced to the fame fituation. By proper help the at length began to recover from her fwoon. I then took up the letter Ah, Mifs Selwyn! judge what were my feelings, when learning by it, that the perfon in whofe hands our little all was placed, had become a bankrupt !-I now in my turn fainted-unable to fuftain the fhock of finding myself at once reduced to absolute poverty! yet I was no fooner reftored to a fenfe of our miferable condition, than my poor mother's distress ftruck me more forcibly than my own. I inftantly endeavoured to conceal, as far as poffible, my emotions, and used every means to foothe and comfort her under this very fevere afflic tion.

As foon as I was reftored to fome little degree of tranquillity, I fent for Mr. Peters; well knowing, if any one could give her confolation, he was the perfon moft likely to fucceed: but before he arrived, fhe found herself fo ill, that fhe was obliged to lie down, and, before next morning, was in a raging fever. For fome days her life was defpaired of.-Oh, Mifs Selwyn! no words can paint the fituation of my mind during that agonizing period! How often did I call on the name of my generous friend!- how often lament, and fhed unavailing tears for her abfence, at a time when the poor afflicted Lucinda ftood so much in need of her foothing confolation. I need not attempt to defcribe what your feeling heart will eafily conceive- indeed, words would give but a very imperfect idea of it.

'Tis now three weeks fince we received this fatal news; and though my poor mother is no longer confined to her bed, yet I have every rea fon to fear fhe will never get over the fhock;it preys upon her fpirits ;-her altered looksfpirits;-her her conftant dejection, make me tremble for her life. Heaven only knows what would then become of the wretched, the poor friendlefs Lucinda!-Pardon me, my dear Madam, for this apparent ingratitude.-I ought not to deem myfelf friendlefs, while bleffed with your affection. -Alas! but for that fweet confolation, I must ere now have funk under this unlooked for dif trefs. But you are abfent-and who can fay what new calamity may befal me ere you return?

Mr. Peters, who I now find is acquainted with all our affairs, would kindly perfuade us fome little matters may yet be recovered-alas little it muft indeed be, when our all was not great! Could I but flatter myself with the hopes that fomething might be found remaining from the wreck, however trifling, just to preferve my poor mother from abfolute want during the fhort time (for a very short time my foreboding heart tells me it will be !) the has to live-I could fit down content: I am young; and I trust Heaven would enable me, by fome means or other, to gain an honest livelihood. Many, perhaps, as little qualified, have done it before me; but, to fee her deftitute of those few comforts fhe has been accustomed to-ah, my dear Madam, it will pierce my heart !

Our worthy friend Mr. Peters, has kindly wrote to a perfon of his particular acquaintance in London, begging he will make every neceffary enquiry concerning the affair: we impatiently wait the refult.

Your brother called upon us fince we met with this affliction; he had heard of it from Mr. Peters. His behaviour on the occafion does honour to his humanity -'twas kind---'twas generous. My mother talked of giving up our little cottage; fearing, small as the rent is, we. fhould not now be able to pay it.---Oh, Mifs Selwyn!---but let me not pain your affectionate. heart by my melancholy reflections---he would not fuffer her to proceed; charged her, as the valued his friendship, and that of his family, never to mention a defign of that nature again; in

fifted on permiffion to be her banker for the future; made her an offer of his purfe at that time, in cafe fhe wanted an immediate fupply; in fhort, behaved like the brother of the nobleminded Mifs Selwyn !· Yet, can we, my dear Madam, with propriety accept thefe generous offers ?---What can I fay !---he is young, gay--ah, I dare not-cannot fpeak my apprehenfions. --How fhall I to a fifter prefume to infinuate?

I may be deceived---nay, my fears at this moment appear to me as the effects of vanity--1 blush at the very thought.---Yes, he is, he must be incapable of forming-Oh, forgive thefe incoherent expreffions---they are injurious; I condemn myself for having uttered them; yet I think, nay, I am certain, my dear Madam, you will not condemn me, fince they are occafioned by fentiments, which I truft, I need not blush to avow.

Mr. Peters has fent to defire we will call upon him immediately; perhaps the important answer is arrived. Adieu, till we return.

L. O.

IT was as I gueffed, my dear Madam; thank

Heaven, we have ftill hopes, he tells us, of a

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trifle. Our lofs has not been occafioned by villainy, but by an unavoidable failure in the worthy man who was entrusted with our little fortune. He is now fettling his affairs with his creditors; and it is found there will be about five fhillings in the pound to divide amongst them. Alas! alas our fhare will indeed be fmall, as our whole was fo trifling a fum; yet I am grateful to Heaven for this, trifling as it is.-Two hundred pounds will be the utmoft.-All I ask is, for juft enough, as I faid before, to fupply my poor mother's wants, while fhe is fpared to me. About myself I am, comparatively, indifferent.

Mr. Peters behaves to us in the kindeft manner; affures me, should the event, to which I cannot look forward without a thousand too just apprehenfions, happen-1 mean my worthy mother's death, before my generous friend's return, he will, as far as, in his power, fupply to me her place; on his tender friendship he bids me rely. Ah, who can fupply your place to the difconfolate Lucinda! Yet I am extremely fenfible of his kindnefs; but for him, indeed, fhould my prophetic fears be well grounded.What on earth would have become of me !— not a relation in the world to whom I can fly for protection. It is astonishing, my dear Madam; yet fo it is. He, with the utmoft delicacy, gave it as his opinion, that we had better, as far as was confiftent with the respect due to your brother," decline any offers he might make. The world, he observed, was cenforious; I was young; and, he was pleafed to fay, an object but too likely to become a proper fub