finished her labours, when he heard the horfes enter the court. She was in an inftant

at the hall door, with the infant in her arms. I ftood at the window, apprehenfive, not of her care, but of the cold. 'See,' cried

fhe, before they had well difmounted, ‘look at her! look at little Emily!' The brothers eagerly advanced, and a friendly conteft enfued who fhould have the firft kifs.... Ah! my dear Palmerstone! at that moment I experienced a pleasure which recompenfed me for every evil in my life! There,' faid the lively nurse, take her between you,' refigning her to Frank; ' only do not devour the marmofet.' George now turned to a fine youth, who had till this inftant been the unnoticed fpectator of this fcene. He introduced Mr. Berry to Harriet, who blushingly, but not ungracefully, led the way to the drawing-room, where I met them, and recovered my treafure. The ftranger enlivened our fociety; our balls were brilliant; and mifs Barnet had many occafions of feeing the mother-in-law the

promoter

promoter and sharer of the happiness of her family.

"Six happy years flew on downy wings over our heads, Harriet became the wife of Mr. Berry, and our hearts exulted in the profpect of the happinefs of our condition. I fear we were too fecure; we forgot that misfortune could break down our fences. I loft my fweet child the year after Harriet married. My health was unequal to the fhock; a nervous fever fucceeded, which for many months obftinately rejected every means of relief. To you, my excellent friend, who fo nobly exhibit the goodness of that nature which all have derived from the pure fource of their existence, it will be no matter of furprise to hear that I was indebted to the grateful cares of my old housekeeper Dawfon, for attentions which in no fmall degree contributed to my recovery. This worthy woman left her own comfortable ease, and the care of her own concerns, on the firft intelligence of my illnefs, to watch with unremitting patience

by

by my bed-fide, and to confole my weakened mind by her foothings. Had I stood in need of inducements for the obfervance of one of the moft binding of the relative duties, (for fuch I will venture to call kindnefs and confideration to domestics,) I must in this inftance have met with them: but to fuch as do forget thefe claims I will fay, Render your fervants happy, refpect their eafe and their health, confult their interest and fecurity: if they be ungrateful, you are unfortunate, and may be allowed to complain.' But I forget myself: and my story fhould finish. My fons are now in Scotland, at George's paternal house, for which he is probably as much indebted to Mr. Davenport as to his own father. These young men are connected by ties which they take not the trouble to define, their hearts have long fince established them as common bleffings to each other. One intereft unites. them. Their focial pleasures are incomplete when divided. Their characters are different but this difference forms another

bond

of these my obfervations is to be found in the education I adopted for my daughter, and in which she happily met my views. To fhine, fhe must be seen in the bofom of her family in order to excite admiration and attract praise, she must be followed in her plans of prudence and good sense; and to be justly appreciated, she must be viewed as the mother of a family.'"

I will venture to predict what will be the refult of Mrs. Davenport's narrative on my Eliza's mind. I believe your own obfervations of this amiable woman would have effectually counteracted the prejudices you had unwittingly entertained for a condition in life fhe has fo nobly fupported. I cannot fupprefs one circumftance which her modesty paffed over, namely, that to her wife œconomy it is principally owing that Mr. Davenport is not at this day an embarraffed man. His eafy good nature, and habitual neglect of his affairs, had infenfibly produced difficulties in his pecuniary concerns at the time he married; and from

thofe

those not being preffing, there is every reafon to believe they would have become serious, fimply because they were neither formidable nor provided for by economy.

I think I cannot have a better occafion than the prefent, of warning you against the weakness of yielding up your own judgment to the direction of those in whose wisdom you can have no experience. Young people are peculiarly expofed to the evils of this fort of credulity; and their common tenaciousness in respect to their hastily adopted opinions, renders these evils of the most ferious concern, and gives to their future characters in life a colouring which nature never intended, and which reason will condemn.

I remain affectionately your

ANGELICA PALMERSTONE,