Clara. To fleep he found was impoffible, and after a night of racking uncertainty, he, at five o'clock the next morning, fet out for York. On his arrival he immediately went to the house of Mifs Byron; that lady was from home, and the footman from whom he inquired informed him that he had feen Mrs. Lenox, accompanied by Mr. Fitz-horton, in a chaife and four, which drove furiously up the London road. Here all hope was banished, and uncertainty gave place to the most horrid truth: fatigue, want of reft, and agony of mind had fo enfeebled him, that on receiving this account, a faintish sickness for a few minutes deprived him of all fenfation; his firft intention, on aroufing himself from this fhock, was immediately to to pursue the fugitives, but his horfe was disabled by the violence with which he rode, and in his confufion he forgot his purfe as he had no acquaintance in town from whom he might borrow a fufficient fum, he was forced to return home. He had scarcely entered his house when a feverish heat forced him to retire to bed; in a few hours his indifpofition increased to fo alarming a height, that a phyfician was fent for, who pronounced him in a high fever. For seven weeks life feemed to flutter in the lat departing throb, but a conftitution naturally ftrong overcame the complaint, and Lenox was restored to anguish and to life. His first care, on recovering, was to difpofe of Oatlands, and to retire with his little Henry to a fmall living which he poffeffed in Cumberland, where in the duties of his profeffion, and the education of his child, he endeavoured to alleviate that grief which time could fcarcely eradicate. CHAP. II. Fear no more the heat o' th' sun, Nor th' all-dreaded thunder stone; Fear no slander, censure rash, Thou hast finish'd joy and moan: SHAKESPEARE. SEVENTEEN years had now elapfed fince Lenox's retirement, unmarked by any particular circumstance, except an authentic account given in the newspapers of Fitz-horton's affaffination at Florence. During this period the improvement of Henry Henry was confiderable, his person was light and graceful, his face interefling and expreffive. In the cultivation of his mind, his father was particularly careful that he fhould be divefted of the formal ftiffness which too often attends claffical educa. tion, by giving him a tafte for the lighter branches of Belles Lettres. The eldest fon of a baronet, who was on a fhooting party in, the neighbourhood of Seldon (the parfonage of Lenox), chanced to form an acquaintance with Henry, and was fo pleafed with his fociety that he gave him a preffing invitation to spend the enfuing Christmas at Barham Caftle, the feat of which Henry, with his indulg permiffion, accepted; a on the following week, he, in company with his young |
