To imitate whose charms all art is faint:

The rose's glowing blush what hand can paint?
Or equal the pale lily's snowy hue,

Or emulate the corn flow'r's glossy blue?

Henry.

Sure, Lucy, we, like the first Pair, are bless'd,
While here, secure with innocence and rest,
Our happy hours on dowy pinions fly;
When thus assisted by Faith's stedfast eye,
Upon our Maker's works we humbly gaze,
And, for their goodness, render him the praise.
Thus, in the Patriarch's days, the Jewish swains,
Who fed their flocks on Mamre's fruitful plains,
Worship'd Jehovah in the woods and field,
And prais'd his name for all the fruit they yield;
Implor'd his mercy to direct their ways,
To guard their nights, and sanctify their days.
But, see the ev'ning o'er the dewy lawn
Already has her sable curtain drawn ;
Homeward we'll go, and, as we slowly walk,
Beguile the tedious way with farther talk.

LETTER III.

From the same: to Lady SOPHIA.

Madam,

THE day after I writ to you last, I carried Sally home; where I left her, not thinking, when we parted, that we were to meet no more in this world; but so it proved; she languished about three weeks, and then, without any struggle or convulsive pangs, gently resigned her breath.

With what impatience she attended the happy period the inclosed will inform you; she writ it a few days before she died, and gave it in charge to one of her friends, to deliver it to me.

To ROSALINDA.

Dear Lady Frances,

"My sands are now running low; the springs of "life will soon cease; the dust is returning to its "native dust, and the immortal part to its great "Original; the happy day is dawning, which shall "never be shaded with succeeding night; some 66 glimmerings of celestial glory break through the gloom, and scatter the horrors of death; I hear "from far the harps of heaven in soft prelidiums ❝to call me to the skies.

"

"I shall shortly mingle with the morning stars, " and converse with the first-born sons of Light; "I shall enter the blissful assembly, and be num"bered among the glittering attendants of the

"

empyrean courts; the Supreme Excellence shall "unveil itself, and suffer me to gaze on uncreated "beauty; I shall feel the force, and breathe the "6 raptures of immortal love; the smiling moments, "crown'd with joy and ever-blooming life, must 66 now begin their everlasting round.

"The stormy ocean is past; the short fatigue "fulfilled; the peaceful haven is in view; I am 'just setting my foot on the blissful coast; the

46

"ready meet me from the fragrant shore, and cheer "me in the last faintings of Nature.

"Dear Lady Frances, adieu! 'Till now I never "bid you a glad farewell, nor parted without re"luctance; but we shall meet in more serene cli"mates; we shall meet in the fullness of joy, in "the elevation of glory. Mine, indeed, by the just "degrees of recompence, will be a station far below

your's; my probation has been only the passive "exercise of content and patience; but such virtue

as your's, which has triumphed on all the gay "allurements of the world, shall meet a glorious "distinction; the noble army of martyrs will re"ceive you to their number, grace you with the "radiant circlet and victorious palm, and record 66 your conquest in the annals of heaven.

"I speak this to animate your virtue, to encou << rage you in the race of glory. I am now past "flattery, or dependence on the greatest of mor"tals; but I feel the most tender concern for your "happiness, and shall carry the gentle impression "to the regions of exalted friendship, the native "dominions of Love, to which I am now going. "Once more, my dear Rosalinda, adieu !"

This letter came to me with the sad tidings of her death; no language can describe my grief in its just emphasis. You will give me leave to weep; and sympathize with

Your's,

ROSALINDA.

LETTER IV.

To CARLOS.

As you was the confidant of my unjust design in visiting Philander at his country seat, you have rea son to expect I should inform you of the success of that adventure.

I had a secret passion for Aspasia before her marriage with this noble youth, and flattered myself with some hopes of finding her prepossessed in my favour.

You know how exceeding cautious and discrect I have been in my pleasures, and with what dissimulation I have secured to myself the character of a man of honour and sobriety: by this advantage I found it easy to impose on my friend, whose goodness was real and unaffected, while his unblemished integrity left him unguarded to all my artifice.

But I found it impossible to elude my father by my specious virtues; his penetration saw through that disguise by which I had escaped the public censure; nor could any thing have been more detestable to his open temper than the affectation and hypocrisy of mine. After he had traced one of my most criminal intrigues, and found me unreclaimed by his tenderest admonitions, he resolved to disinherit me, and settle his estate on my younger brother, who is really possessed of all those good qua

lities to which, with a vain ostentation, I have on

ly pretended.

My brother, perceiving my father's disgust, and the intention he had to make him his heir, with an unequalled generosity, gave me intelligence of the threatened misfortune, desiring me to employ some friend to persuade my father from his severe proceeding.

This news came to me while I was detained a willing guest by Philander at his country-seat. I discovered the affair to him, who immediately offered to attempt a reconciliation. I gladly accepted the kind intention, nor knew any person so like. ly to succeed.

Philander proposed staying two or three days with my father, in order to insinuate himself the more successfully. In the mean time, I found but too easy access to the fair Aspasia; and, by an ar tifice that deserves the blackest infamy, prevailed with her to make a criminal appointment in a private garden belonging to the house.

This was the second day of her husband's absence; the happy hour (as I then thought it) arrived, when I was to attend my mistress in a sequestered arbour; but just as I was entering the walk that led to it, a footman came hastily after me with a letter from Philander, which brought me the welcome news of his success with my father. The vast satisfaction he expressed for having procured