THE INHERITANCE. CHAPTER I. Strange is it, that our bloods Of colour, weight, and heat, pour'd all together, IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that there is no passion so deeply rooted in human nature as that of pride. Whether of self or of family, of deeds done in our own bodies, or deeds done in the bodies of those who lived hundreds of years before usall find some foundation on which to build their Tower of Babel. Even the dark uncertain future becomes a bright field of promise to the eye of pride, which, like Banquo's bloody ghost, can smile even upon the dim perspective of posthumous greatness. As the noblest attribute of man, family pride had been cherished time immemorial by the noble race of Rossville. Deep and incurable, therefore, was the wound inflicted on all its members by the marriage of the Honourable Thomas St. Clair, youngest son of the Earl of Rossville, with the humble Miss Sarah Black, a beautiful girl of obscure origin and no fortune. In such an union there was every thing to exasperate, nothing to mollify the outraged feelings of the Rossville family; for youth and beauty were all that Mrs. St. Clair had to oppose to pride and ambition. The usual consequences, therefore, were such as always have, and probably always will accompany unequal alliances, viz. the displeasure of friends, the want of fortune, the world's dread laugh, and, in short, all the thousand natural ills that flesh is heir to when it fails in its allegiance to blood. Yet there are minds fitted to encounter and to overcome even these minds possessed of that inherent nobility which regard honour as something more than a mere hereditary name, and which seek the nobler distinction, open to all, in the career of some honourable profession. But Mr. St. Clair's mind was endowed with no such powers; for he was a man of weak intellects and indolent habits, with just enough of feeling to wish to screen himself from the poverty and contempt his marriage had brought upon him. After hanging on for some time in hopes of a reconciliation with his family, and finding all attempts vain, he at B length consented to banish himself and the object of their contumely to some remote quarter of the world, upon condition of receiving a suitable allowance so long as they should remain abroad. The unfortunate pair, thus doomed to unwilling exile, retired to France, where Mr. St. Clair's mind soon settled into that state which acquires its name from the character of its possessor, and, according to that, is called fortitude, resignation, contentment, or stupidity. There, too, they soon sunk into that oblivion which is sometimes the portion of the living as well as the dead. His father's death, which happened some years after, made no alteration in his circumstances. The patrimony to which he expected to succeed was settled on his children, should he have any, and a slender life annuity was his only portion. The natural wish of almost every human being, the weakest as well as the wisest, seems to be to leave some memorial of themselves to posterity-something, if not to tell how their fathers thought or fought, at least to show how they talked or walked. This wish Mr. and Mrs. St. Clair possessed in common with others; but year after year passed away, and it still remained ungratified, while every year it became a still stronger sentiment, as death seemed gradually clearing the way to the succession. At the time of his marriage Mr. St. Clair had been the youngest of five sons; but three of his brothers had fallen victims to war or pestilence, and there now only remained the present Earl and himself, both alike childless. At length, when hope was almost extinct, Mrs. St. Clair announced herself to be in the way of becoming a mother; and the emigrants resolved upon returning to their native land, that their child might there first see the light. Previous to taking this step, however, the important intelligence was communicated to Lord Rossville, and also their intention of immediately proceeding to Scotland, if agreeable to him; at the same time expressing a wish that he would favour them with his advice and opinion, as they would be entirely guided by him in their plans. Lord Rossville was a man who liked to be consulted, and to overturn every plan which he himself had not arranged; and as Mr. St. Clair had spoken of taking shipping from Bourdeaux, where they then were, and going by sea to Scotland, Lord Rossville in his answer expressed his decided disapprobation of such a scheme, in Mrs. St. Clair's situation, and in stormy winter weather. But he enclosed a route by way of Paris, which he had made out for them with his own hand; and directed them, upon their arrival there, to signify the same to him, and there to remain until he had resolved upon what was next to be done, as he had by no means made up his mind as to the propriety, or at least the necessity, of their returning to Scotland. The packet also contained an order for a sum of money, and letters to some friends of his own at Paris, who would be of service to Mrs. St. Clair. So far all was kind and conciliating; and the exiles, after much delay, set forth upon their journey, according to the rules prescribed by the Earl-but, within a day's journey of Paris, Mrs. St. Clair was taken prematurely ill, and there, at an obscure village, gave birth to a daughter, which, as Mr. St. Clair sensibly remarked, though not so good as a boy, was yet better than nothing at all. As the salique law was not in force in the Rossville family, the sex of the child was indeed a matter of little consequence, save in the eyes of such as are sturdy sticklers for man's supremacy. Its health and strength were therefore the chief objects of consideration; and, although prematurely introduced into life, it was a remarkably fine thriving baby, which Mrs. St. Clair, contrary to the common practice of mothers, ascribed entirely to the excellence of its nurse. They had been fortunate enough to meet with a woman of a superior class, who, having recently lost her husband and her own infant, had readily adopted this one, and as readily transferred to it that abundant stock of love and tenderness which those dealers in the milk of human kindness always have so freely to bestow on their nursling for the time. Mrs. St. Clair's recovery was tedious, and her general health she declared to be so much impaired that she could not think of encountering the severity of a northern climate. Instead of prosecuting their journey, therefore, they retired to the south of France, and, after moving about for some time, finally settled there. This was not what the Earl had intended; for, although pride still opposed his brother's return to Scotland, he had, at the same time, wished to have the family somewhere within the sphere of his observation and control, the more especially as, having lately separated from his lady, his brother's child might now be regarded as presumptive heiress to the family honours. He had purposed, and indeed pressed, to have the little Gertrude transmitted to him, that she might have the advantage of being trained up under his own eye; but to this Mrs. St. Clair would not consent. She declared, in the most polite but decided manner, her determination never to part with her child; but promised that, as soon as her health was sufficiently re-established, they would return to Britain, and that Lord Rossville should have the direction and superintendence, if he pleased, of the young heiress's education. But some obstacle, real or pretended, always arose to prevent the accomplishment of this plan, till at length Mr. St. Clair was struck with a palsy, which rendered it impossible for him to be removed. Dead to all the purposes of life, he lingered on for several years, -one of those melancholy mementos, who, with a human voice and human shape, have survived every thing human besides. At length death claimed him as his own, and the widow lost no time in announcing the event to the Earl, and in craving his advice and protection for herself and daughter. A very polite, though long-winded reply, was received from Lord Rossville, in which he directed that Mrs. and Miss St. Clair should immediately repair to Rossville Castle, there to remain until he should have time and opportunity fully to digest the plans he had formed for the pupillage of his niece. This invitation was too advantageous to be refused, even although the terms in which it was couched were not very alluring either to the mother or daughter. With a mixture, therefore, of pleasure and regret, they hastened to exchange the gay vineyards and bright suns of France for the bleak hills and frowning skies of Scotland. CHAPTER II. Hope well to have, hate not past thought; RICHARD ALISON. MANY years had elapsed since Mrs. St. Clair had left her native land, and those who had known her then could scarcely have recognised her now, so completely had the tout ensemble changed its character. The blooming hoyden, with her awkward habits, and provincial dialect, had been gradually transformed into the beautiful woman, graceful in her movements, and polished, though elaborate in her manners. Though now long past her meridian, she was still handsome, and to superficial observers could be captivating; but the change was merely outward, proceeding from no innate delicacy of thought or ennobling principle of action. It was solely the result of nice tact, knowledge of the world, and long intercourse with foreigners. The mind remained the same, although the matter had been modified. In her early days her pride and ambition had been excited by making what was considered a splendid alliance; and it was not till her understanding was thoroughly ripened, that she made the mortifying discovery that high birth, when coupled with personal insignificance, adds no more to real distinction than a showy sign does to an ill-kept inn. It was this disappointment which, operating on a naturally proud and violent temper, had brought into play all the worst qualities of her nature, and made her look upon the world as indeed a stage, where all the men and women were merely players. To act a grand and conspicuous part, and regain the station her husband's pusillanimity had lost, was therefore now her sole aim. It rarely happens that one artificial mind can succeed in forming another - we seldom imitate what we do not love. There is something in human nature which recoils from an artificial character even more than from a faulty one; and where the attempt fails, the revulsion generally produces a character of a totally different stamp. Mrs. St. Clair had spared no pains to render her daughter as great an adept in dissimulation as she was herself; but all her endeavours had proved unsuccessful, and Miss St. Clair's mind remained pretty much as nature had formed it a mixture of wheat and tares, flowers and weeds. There existed no sort of sympathy or congeniality of mind between the mother and daughter-there seemed little even of that natural affection which often supplies the want of kindred feeling, or similar tastes, and which serves to bind together hearts no human process ever could have brought to amalgamate. Without any point of resemblance in their characters or ideas, there was consequently little interchange of thought; and when Gertrude did address her mother, it was more from the overflowings of an open heart and buoyant spirits than from any reciprocity of feeling. "How I wish I had Prince Houssain's glass," exclaimed she, as they drew near the borders of Scotland, "that I might take a peep at the people I am going amongst - — a single glance would suffice to give me some idea of them, or at least to show whether they are the sort of persons it will be possible for me to love." "You have formed very high and somewhat presumptuous ideas of your own powers of discrimination, it seems," said Mrs. St. Clair with a disdainful smile; "but I should humbly conceive that my knowledge and experience might prove almost as useful as your own observations or theories are likely to do." 66 I beg your pardon, mamma, but I did not know you had been acquainted with the Rossville family." "I am not personally acquainted with any of them - I never was -- I never would have been, but for you. It is upon your account I now stoop to a reconciliation, which otherwise I would have spurned as I have been spurned." She spoke with vehemence; then in a calmer tone proceeded, "It is natural that you should wish to know something of the relations with whom you are henceforth to associate, since there is nothing more desirable than a previous knowledge of those whom it is necessary we should please. It is only from report I can speak of the Rossville family, but even from report we may form a tolerably accurate idea of people's general character. Report then says, that Lord Rossville is an obstinate, troublesome, tiresome, wellbehaved man; that his sister, Lady Betty, who resides with him, is a harmless, dull, inquisitive old woman: then there are nephews, sisters' sons, to one of whom you are probably destined there is Mr. Delmour, a weak, formal, parliamentary drudge, son of Lord Somebody Delmour, and nephew to the Duke of Burlington; and his brother, Colonel Delmour, a |