When the heart flies out before the understanding, it saves the judgment a world of pains-L was certain she was of a better order of beings - however, I thought no more of her, but went on and wrote my preface.

The impression returned, upon my encounter with her in the street; a guarded frankness with which she gave me her hand, shewed, I thought, her good education and her good sense; and as I led her on, I felt a pleasurable ductility about her, which spread a calmness over all my spirits―

-Good God! how a man might lead such a creature as this round the world with him!

I had not yet seen her face-'twas not material; for the drawing was instantly set about, and long before we had got to the door of the remise, Fancy had finished the whole head, and pleased herself as much with its fitting her goddess, as if she had dived into the Tiber for it- But thou art a seduced and a seducing slut; and albeit thou cheatest us seven times a day with thy pictures and images, yet with so many charms dost thou do it, and thou deckest out thy pictures in the shapes of so many angels of light, 'tis a shame to break with thee.

When we had got to the door of the remise, she withdrew her hand from across her forehead, and let me see the original it was a face of about six-and twenty- of a clear transparent brown, simply set off without rouge or powder-it was

not critically handsome, but there was that in it, which, in the frame of mind I was in, attached me much more to it—it was interesting; I fancied it wore the characters of a widowed look, and `in that state of its declension, which had passed the two first paroxysms of sorrow, and was quietly beginning to reconcile itself to its loss but a thousand other distresses might have traced the same lines; I wished to know what they had been

and was ready to inquire (had the same bon ton of conversation permitted, as in the days of Esdras) - What aileth thee? and why art thou disquieted? and why is thy understanding troubled? In a word, I felt benevolence for her; and resolved some way or other to throw in my mite of courtesy-if not of service.

Such were my temptations—and in this disposition to give way to them, was I left alone with the lady, with her hand in mine, and with our faces both turned closer to the door of the remise than what was absolutely necessary.

XI. THE REMISE DOOR.

CALAIS.

THIS certainly, fair lady! șaid I, raising her hand up a little lightly as I began, must be one of Fortune's whimsical doings; to take two utter strangers by their hands of different sexes, and, perhaps, from different corners of the globe,

and, in one moment, place them together in such a cordial situation as Friendship herself could scarce have atchieved for them, had she projected it for a month

--

- And your

reflection upon it, shews how much, Monsieur, she has embarrassed you by the adventure.

When the situation is what we would wish, nothing is so ill-timed as to hint at the circumstances which make it so. You thank Fortune, continued she-you had reason the heart knew。

it, and was satisfied; and who, but an English philosopher, would have sent notice of it to the brain, to reverse the judgment?

In saying this, she disengaged her hand, with a look which I thought a sufficient commentary upon the text.

It is a miserable picture which I am going to give of the weakness of my heart, by owning that it suffered a pain, which worthier occasions could not have inflicted 1 was mortified with the loss of her hand, and the manner in which I had lost it carried neither oil nor wine to the wound; I never felt the pain of a sheepish inferiority so miserably in my life.

The triumphs of a true feminine heart are short upon these discomfitures. In a very few seconds she laid her hand upon the cuff of my coat, in order to finish her reply; so some way or other, God knows how, I regained my situation.

I forthwith began to model a different conver sation for the lady, thinking from the spirit as well as moral of this, that I had been mistaken in her character; but upon turning her face tow. ards me, the spirit which had animated the reply was fled the muscles relaxed, and I beheld the same unprotected look of distress which first won me to her interest melancholy! to see such

from my soul; and though it may seem ridiculous

enough to a torpid heart her into my arms, it was in the open street, without blushing. The pulsations of the arteries along my fingers pressing across hers, told her what was passing within me she looked down silence of some moments followed.

I could have taken

and cherished her, though

a

I fear, in this interval, I must have made some slight efforts towards a closer compression of her hand, from a subtle sensation I felt in the palm of my own- not as if she was going to withdraw hers - but as if she thought about it - and I had infallibly lost it a second time, had not instinct more than reason directed me to the last resource in these dangers to hold it loosely, and in a manner as if I was every moment going to release it of myself; so she let it continue, till Mons. Dessein returned with the key; and in the mean time I set myself to consider how I

should undo the ill impressions which the poor monk's story, in case he had told it her, must have planted in her breast against me,

XII. THE SNUFF-BOX

CALAIS,

THE good old monk was within six paces of us,

us or no

and

as the idea of him crossed my mind; and was advancing towards us a little out of the line, as if uncertain whether he should break in upon He stopped, however, as soon as he came up to us with a world of frankness; having a horn snuff-box in his hand, he presented it open to me You shall taste mine, said I, pulling out my box (which was a small tortoise one) and putting it into his hand-'Tis most excellent, said the monk. Then do me the favour, I replied, to accept of the box and all; and when you take a pinch out of il, sometimes recollect it was the peace-offering of a man who once used you unkindly, but not from his heart.

said

The poor monk blushed as red as scarlet. Mon Dieu! said he, pressing his hands together-you never used me unkindly. - I should think, the lady, he is not likely. I blushed in my turn; but from what movements, I leave to the few who feel to analyse Excuse me, Madam, replied I - I treated him most unkindly; and from no provocations - 'Tis impossible, said the