not pointed out by her Ladyship's jealous envy of the least praise bestowed upon her neighbours."?

“Oh! I'm out of all patience with her," interrupted Frivola, "for one has no chance whatever in her company; though she has not had a very brilliant education, nor deeply versed in literature, still, by an apt quotation now and then, and a tolerable share of confidence, with a fluency of tongue that 'gathers strength by going,' she leaves us completely in the back ground, while she stands conspicuous, and gains credit for a thousand qualities she does not possess, merely by placing herself in a favorable point of view. I never knew her to dwell upon any solid subject for five minutes, because why?-why simply because she finds herself unequal to the task. But upon such occasions she dexterously starts some new topic to engage attention, which prevents the discovery of her actual deficiency. And by these artifices she also gains the reputation of being a very clever and well-informed woman. I'll convince her, however, that others may sometimes come in for a little share of admiration ;-there's the charming Chevalier de Gascoigne, who she vainly supposes gives no attention to any one but herself, is constantly tormenting me to become the mistress of all his fine estates on the beautiful Island of St. Domingo; and I very believe I shall be prevailed on to give up my happy state of independence to accompany him thither; if it be only to pique the proud Flirtilla."

And sure enough, without consulting any of her friends, or making any inquiry respecting this titled Foreigner, she shortly after bestowed upon him her hand and her fortune, without making any reserve; and soon found out to her sorrow and mortification that she was imposed upon by a mere adventurer, who had neither money, title, nor estate. Such was the result of Frivola's ridiculous eccentricities.

NUMBER XXIV.

THOUGHTS ON ROMANCE.

Eye nature's walks, shoot folly as it flies,
And catch the manners living as they rise.

"WHAT a loss of time!" exclaimed Amelia, after turning over a few pages of a book she carelessly threw upon her work-table. "Poets and historians may talk of the golden age and the silver age; but the commentators of the present day will be more correct, perhaps, in styling ours the brazen age; for never was literature so abused, or the fine arts so unblushingly trespassed We shall soon, methinks, become a nation of writers, daubers, players, singers and dancers; all performers and no spectators, I wot. You need only, now, as a Princess of Germany has observed, be able to claw the harp, thump the piano, and reach E in alt. provided you have a good share of more than modest assurance, to set yourself up for an amateur; and as soon as

on.

you can form a letter or draw a tangent, commence artist, or become an author. I wish I had seen a little more of the world-I'd turn scribbler myself next, and conjure you up a novel in a twinkling!"

"You put me in mind of the Lady Lionella, my dear Amelia," said her Aunt, "who being pressed one day, by a poor relation, for a little pecuniary assistance,-'My dear Cousin,' exclaimed her Ladyship, how can you submit to the agony of borrowing, when you can make use of pen, ink, and paper, to supply your wants? Why don't you write a novel? For you, who have seen so many ups and downs in the world, it would be the easiest thing imaginable. In short, any body may write a novel! And that kind of reading is so much in vogue at present, that I'm sure you'd be well paid for your trouble.'

"Not quite so well as your Ladyship may suppose,' replied her Cousin; and really you speak as if it could be done with as much ease as you fill up the blanks of your printed cards of invitation. You rattle on at a fine rate, and would have some people drive their pens as you do your horses-without thought, or giving them any thing to eat till they get to their journey's end. But you should recollect, my Lady, their appetites may be as keen as your own.'

"I thank you for that, my witty Cousin,' said her Ladyship, but a truce with your thinking; I hate thought and as to eating, 'tis very well

known that starvation is the greatest provocative to genius.' Yes-and too frequently its only reward!' interrupted her Cousin. 'Well, Louisa, you know that study is my horror-any thing written off hand in a hurry, is, in my opinion, far preferable to that which is pondered over again and again; and were I in your situation, and obliged to live by my wits as it were, I'd set about the thing immediately. You've a good memory and a tolerable knowledge of the world. You have only to make yourself the heroine-your husband the hero-introduce a few odd characters, with a rich and liberal relation or two to help you out of every difficulty, and the thing is done; without the least obligation to any body but your very humble servant, who has supplied you with materials. You concluded, I fancy, by your application to me for assistance, that I possess more money than wit?"

"Then your Ladyship is even with me, at all events,' interrupted her Cousin, for your reply clearly proves that you give me credit for more wit than money. Be that as it may, I have neither genius to invent the marvellous occurrences needful for the pages of romance, nor am I gifted with the pen of a ready writer, to execute the very easy task your Ladyship would impose upon me.'

“The truth is, my dear Amelia," continued her Aunt, "this lady's genius had been cultivated by a judicious, well-informed, and affectionate