HANDBOUND
AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF
TORONTO PRFcc
VOL.
'y*-
f*Jf_ --**
C. J2Lv\
A
TALE OF THE TIMES:
BY
THE AUTHOR OF A GOSSIP'S STORr.
DEDICATED BY PERMISSION TO MRS. CARTER.
IN THREE VOLUMES*
VOL. III.
- Long {he flourished,
Grew fweet to fenfe, and lovely to the eye^
Till at the laft a cruel fpoiler came,
CroppM this fair rofe, and rifled all its fweetnefs.
THE SECOND EDITION.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR T. N. LONGMAN AND 0. REES,
PATERNOSTER-ROW,
1799.
, I ;..
, , , ,. v y
PR : '
TALE OF THE TIMES.
CHAP. XXXII.
r>angv ous conceits are in their natures p ;r ons ,
^ at- he fe^arefcarce found , '
><"th a little aft upon the blood,
Burn like the .nines of fulphur.
*
wrfv ' L A'AUiHCHiU
the carriage flopped at Powerf-
>urt, was Yufficicntly deplorable to ex-
^ornrn.ferationeveninthofebofom.r
* fdt the ftro "geft abhorrence of
^^rrappretetfiorf 316 ' "^ trCm "
* B anfwcr
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
anfwer in the ^fRrmative, he flew to
her apartment, not feflecling upon the
effect which his fudden return might
have, Fitzeiborn^poftefl^d ofo greater
command of his own feelings, flopped
him at the .do,or, , 24jd*^d.ragging him
into an adjoining room, whilpered to
him, that prudence and compofure were
highly necefrary/- c<fl fr'ycu fee lady
4C Monteith in your preient perturba-
" tion of fpirits," faid he, "you will
" certainly become your own accufer,
" and perhaps 'lay the foundation for
< f much future mifery. Remember,
*f ;pofiibly fhe knows nothing of Mrs.
" Harley's affair. For fhamc ! my
J how you unman yourfeJf. by
ioristf^vo nohai
id--' Moiitiethv lifting
trp his eyes, \ditch, to the extreme mor-
tification of ;^iciolk>rtie, ^1^ Tuffufed
^rth tears, ft 4f fte :; hai* ; ate^ v mur-
cis s XUc< "l]ered
A TALE OF THE .TIMES. 3
"'dered by my infidelity, I would not
cc have furvived her."
<c Can you tell how her illnefs and
<c your infidelity can poffrbly be con-
Cf nested ? If it proceeds from her
cc knowledge of your weaknefs, you
f have certainly caufe to dread feeing
" her. I mud entreat you, if you re-
" gard your reputation as a man of the
<c world, or your authority as the matter
<c of a family, do not let even your valet
" witnefs your diforder."
He was prevented from proceeding
by the appearance of fir William Pow-
erfcourt, whofe benevolent heart had
been deeply penetrated by a defcription
of his fon-in-law T s diftrefs, though his
paternal pride had been previoufly fli-
mulated to refent the abfence which
1 1
even his unfufpicious temper had con-
fidered to be a neglect of his beloved
daughter.
* * Be
4 A TALE :OF THE TIMES.
" Be compofed, my lord," faid the
good baronet, fhaking him affedionately
by the hand; " my dear child will do
" well, don't make yourfelf fo unhappy
" fhe will be very glad to fee you, I
r c afiure you. She always names you
" with the gi;eateft tendernefs."
Dear injured excellence !" fobbed
<f
"She never made on .complaint of \
<f your flaying fo long in London,"
continued fir William. c< Sometimes,
"indeed, fhe faid, The hquft : fits late
" thefe turbulent times. Then, after
tc parliament broke up, you had fome
" bufinefs to get through to ferve a
<c friend. The phyflcians give us great
<c hope of her to-day j and -when you
are a little more compofed, I will let
c her know that you are come. De-
"pend.upon it, there will be no re-
preaches/:
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 5
" Reproaches/' reiterated Monteith,
his eyes fparkling with indignation ;
" I cannot bear reproaches. Thole of
" my own heart are ftifEcitrntly excru-
cc ciating. I won't fee her. Order my
" horfes."
Fitzoiborne, who had watched every
cxprefilon with ferpent wilinefs, here
obferved to fir William, that travelling
poft with no reft, and fcarcely any re-
frelhment, had greatly deranged his
friend's mind. " And F am fearful,"
faid he, " of fome bad effects from the
t indifcretion of a fervant, who hurried
<c into lady Monteith's apartment to
cc announce the earl's arrival."
No other hint was . neceflary to re-
move fir William ; while Monteith, with
clenched fid, traverfed the room in an
agony which increafed every moment.
" Am I expedted to beg pardon ?"
exclaimed he to Fitzoiborne.
33 "If
$ A 'TALE OF THE TIMES.
" If you go on accufing yourfelf, and
" yielding to thefe extravagancies, you
.'* invite impertinence, and muft expec~l
" mortification. Lady Monteith muft
" be deftitute of the ruling paffion of
w her fex, if fhe does not make you
* c feel that me knows her power over
* c you. Remorfe, my lord, like religion,
*' is certainly a bufinefs between a man
<c and his own heart ; yet, pofiibly, as fir
4< William Ie6lures you upon one head,
* c Mr. Evans may think it right to treat
" you with a little clerical freedom upon
<c the other."
" It is all known then," faid Mon-
teith, throwing himfelf upon a fofa;
* f and I am to be dared at by country
f* boors as a reprobate and a liber-
tine."
" Nothing is known, or can be
known, if you act with common pro-
priety. Sir William only talks of
" your
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 7
cc your Haying in town, and attending
" parliamentary bufmefs, when you
cc ought to have been nurfing your
" wife in the country. Come, come,
<f Monteith, go and alk her how fhe
" does, without entirely abandoning all
" fenfe of dignity. Buc that I fcorn to
cc probe a penetrated heart, I could re-
" mind you, that attention to my former
cc counfels would have prevented your
* c prefent pangs,"
Lord Monteith fighed, and made
another effort to vifit his countefs. The
high tone of ecftacy to which his feel-
ings had been elevated on firft hearing
of her fafety, was now confiderably
lowered s and he almoft wifhed that
the feparating diftance which he had fo
rapidly pafled were ftill between them,
to protect him from the foul-harrowing
fight of an injured, yet ftill beloved
objeft. " If," faid he to himfelf, " flic
B 4 " uttera
5 A TALE OF THE TIMES,
" utters one fevere expreflion ; if me
* c looks at me with lefs tendernefs, nay,
ts if fhe do but even betray a knowledge
" of my /oily, I am loft."
His apprehenfions, however, Were
groundlefs. Geraldine received him with
that fmile of ineffable fweetnefs which
generally irradiated her countenance,
It was, indeed, no longer playfully ani-
mated -, but its penfive languor convey-
ed even to his alarmed attention the,
idea of bodily fbffering, rather than of
HKiUal anguifn. After thanking him,
for the iblicitude he. had exprefied, and
which, ihe faid, her dear father had
pathetically defcribed, me congratulated
him upon the birth of a fon, who,'
though prematurely hurried into the
\vorld by her indifpofition, (here fhe
ilifled a fighO was yet, (he was happy to
c , ... , *" ,. - iiuii. iiMwrq oa
find, likely to live.
J [ft! na >o 3d?
When
.J" - L I''
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 9
When Providence gratifies the cla-
morous wifhes of us fhorl-fighted mor-
tals, it muft not only give us the good
that we afk, but it muft alfo adapt the
time of its bounty to the moment of
our defines. Eight months ago lord
Monteith thought nothing but a fon
wanting to gratify all his wifhes. He
now ftarted with deep remorfe and dif-
may at the birth of a being, who feem-
ed to rum .into existence to reproach
him for having wafted the fair poflef-
fions to which his anceftors had left
him heir, in the frenzy of the gaming-
table and the haunts of difllpation. The
too fufceptible countefs read in his em-
barrafled manner a refutation of all the
hopes which a defcription of his lively
emotions on his return had infpired.
She could no longer flatter herfelf with
the idea that envy and falfehood had fa-
bricated the paragraph fo fatal to her
:*w * 5 peace,
10 A TALli OF- THE TIMES*
peace, and nearly fo to her life. She
covered her beautiful face, pale as the
pillow on which it reded, and, fobbing
out an apology for an hyfterical weak-
Jiefs which would not permit her to
fupport the fight fhc had fo earneftly
defired, fhe entreated to be left alone.
To recruit her enfeebled fpirits was the
plea that fhe urged $ but her real defign
was to lament unobierved the peculiar
hardships of her prefent fate. .
The obfervations (he had made upon
her lord's character had hitherto dif-
clofed much inconfiftency, weaknefs,
and imperfeftionj but flic had ever
been confoled by the conviction, that
his heart retained many traits of native
goodnefs, and that his florrny paffions,
even in their wildeft uproar, confefied
the power of her gentle influence. Her
delicacy (hrunk at the thought of
dividing his affections with a venal
wanton $
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 'It
wanton ; and the reftitude of her prin-
ciples infpired the livelieft concern,
when (he recollected the guilt which
her ftill-beloved lord incurred by
purfuing an illicit attachment. Weak
in body ; enfeebled in mind ; reduced
by fuffe rings, and difappointed in her
deareft hopes; her pride wounded in
its moft fufceptible part, flighted by him
whom fhe moft wifhed to pleafe 3 and
traduced by that world whofe applauie
flic had fo feduloufly courted, what was
there Co bind lady Monteith to life ?
Surely I might now call in Arria's dag-
ger, Portia's firebrand, or fome more
fafhionable quietus, with very good ef-
fect. But my Heroine was a mother,
and though man, poflefled of firmer
nerves and a colder heart, is often un-
juft to female merit, and falfely fuppofes
that name to be fyn6nimt)US with weak
fufceptibility, maternal feelings have
B 6 frequently
Ijfc A, TALE- -OS TfiE TIMES.
frequently infpired fuch long- fufFe ring
quiet fortitude as would add luftre to the
* . 8S;q;j
;
.
annals of a martyr.
,
Four innocent helplefs creatures, who
derived their exiflence from her, taught
Geraldine that fhe had more to do than
to lie down and die. In proportion to
the hazard of their being deprived of
paternal jtendernefs and protection, they
pofTefTed . ; ftronger claims' . upon their
mother's heart, and urged her to exert
every faculty to preferve their ; morals,
their fortune, and their happinefs, Hope
revived with, the..determjnatipn of dif-
charging. thefe folemn duties, and whif-
pered, th^t , patience, gentlenefs, and
imdeviatirig redlitude of conducl, fome-
times produces a further reward, over
and abqve, the certain eulogy of ap-
proying conference. ? A reclaimed f huf-
band ^,been reftored to virtue by the
aiild aiiurements of a blamelefs wife ;
ZQiimST- .-':,'
an
A TALE OF THE TIMES. IJ
and a joyful mother has had the glory of
leading back a repentant father to his
abandoned children. " Be fuch my lot !"
faid the countefs. "How poor is all
" other praife ! How contemptible every
" other purfuit !"
Thefe refolutions, though formed in
the fecure privacy of a fick chamber,
might have refitted common tempta-
tions *, and lord Monteith, if left to his
own natural . character, would .have
evinced his penitence for his pad faults
by a more attentive tendernefs -, but
Fitzolborne knew too well the advan-
tages of difunion to permit the wounds
which he had inflicted on the conjugal
felicity of the Monteiths to be tho-
roughly healed. His influence over his
lordfhip's mind was as unbounded as
vigour, duplicity, and craft can acquire
over a weak, open, unreflecting cha-
racter. It had been interrupted by the
>3 >ong
U A TALE Of tftB : TIMES.
% -* t _r v ' I f*\ * r
ftrong alarm which lady Monteith's
danger excited ; but as the returning
health of the charming countefs relieved
all anxiety for her fafety, her hulband
grew weary of the trouble of thinking
for himfelf, and, voluntarily furrendering
the intellectual libetty of which he was
fo tenacious, permitted his falfe friend
again " with devilifh art," to " reach the
f\ f *>> ^
organs of his fancy.
The moft accurate judges of human
nature have obferved, that we feldom
forgive thofe whom we have injured;
and though the word forgivenefs may
be here mifplaced, it is certain, that
the pritje of human nature, fond of
juftifying itfelfi always endeavours to
find an excufe for its own mifconduft
in the behaviour of thofe who are fuf-
fertrs from, its faultfc. Ahnoft per-
fuaded that his infidelity and extrava-
gance had cfcaped difcovery, lord Mon-
teith
A TALE OF THE TlMESi 15
teith wiflied to fiience the pain of felf-
accufation by excufes better calculated
to ftifle remorfe than the poor apology
which the more enormous guilt of others
fupplies. While his imagination conti-
nued to unite the ideas of Geraldine
and perfection, the behaviour of his
grace the duke or the moft noble
marquis to their refpe&ive ladies afford-
ed no extenuation of his own folly.
But when his jaundiced eye began to
think her mirth levity, and her gravity
fullennefs, the load of his own guilt
was at once removed. Though the
opinion of the world ftill prefcribes
forbearance and decorum to the wife,
it allows the hufband to recriminate,
and a defeft in temper on the part of
the lady is a received excufe for the
vices of the gentleman : a cruel and
unjuft conclufion, yet recommended by
its univerfal prevalence to the moft
ferious
1 6 A TAL-E OF THE TIMES.
ferious confideration of the inftrudtors of
female youth.
Fitzofborne increafed all Monteith's
extravagance by faint praife, affected
file nee, or ftifled obfervations. But his
chief attention was now directed to the
countefs. Her forced gaiety and fre-
quent abfence of mind plainly told
him, that the newfpaper . paragraph had
done its office, and he not unfuccefsfully
endeavoured to communicate" to her his
knowledge of her fituation, and his
commiferation for her fufferjngs. Every
inftance of her .lord's neglect or inat-
tention was rendered morfe excruciating
to Geraldine by Fitzoit>orne*s watching
her countenance, or. marking Monteith's
behaviour, by : fome flight fign of difplea-
fure. In his oon verfations, with her, he
frequently introduced fubjedts which he
krie^muft harrow up her foul ^.Revert-
ing again to his favourite maxim, that
the
A TALE OF THE TIMES. iy
" the confcious mind is its own awful
world/' he commented on the pre-
fent perverted flate of fociety, in which
merit generally mourns in filence, from
the injuftice or mifconception of others.
The omnipotence of beauty, when
united with its rare aflbciates, fenfibility
and intelligence, was another favourite
theme. He ridiculed the illiberality of
annexing an idea of guilt to the allow-
able admiration of what is cc perfect,
fair, and good." And he continually
affirmed, that minds of a fuperior (lamp
ought to ihape their conduct by their
own innate fenfe of decorum, and noc
by the rules intended for mtfre grovel-
ling capacities. He condemned the in-
delicacy and want of tafte of many men
of faihion with warmth bordering on
fe verity, for deferting the fociety of wo-
men of refinement and information,
and forming grofs attachments, in which
intellect
1 8 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
intellect could have no fhare. But the
only remedy which he could devife for
this evil was, he faid, to relax, inftead
of bracing, the fe verity of our fyftem
of divorce : and he frequently con-
cluded with expatiating upon the folly
of legiflators, in not accommodating
their inftitutions to the varying hu-
mours of the people whom they meant
to control. To fome of thefe fuggef-
tions lady Monteith's mind gave an un-
qualified afient. She doubted the ten-
dency of others 5 but they were fo dif-
guifed in the veil of fuperior zeal for
the improvement and happinefs of the
world, and fo fweetened by the adroit
mixture of oblique flattery, that me
feemed rather willing to blame the li-
ttrited powers of her own underftanding
than to queftion the infallibility of Fitz-
ofborne's all-fapient mind Sir Wil-
liam, who was fometimes prefent at
thefe
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 19
thefe orations, was at firft extremely
puzzled to know what the gentleman
meant ; but when he found that fome-
thing was wrong in that palladium of
juftice which he had ever been accuf-
tomed to venerate, the Britifh Conftitu-
tion, and heard the propofed improve-
ment, his full convi&ion of his own
incapacity for fupporting an argument
could fcarcely prevent him from telling
the declaimer, that the remedy was
worfe than the difeafe.
Fitzofborne's contempt for the difpoli-
tion and abilities of fir William be-
trayed him into an indifcretion which
his mafterly addrefs could fcarcely re-
pair. From his firft arrival at Powerf-
court he had ftudied the characters of
the Evans's with jealous difcrimina-
tion i and, as their talents and manners
were alike undifguifed, he foon found;
that they would prove rnoft formidable
opponents
20 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
opponents to his iniquitous defigns. He
was, the re fore, peculiarly careful to con-
ceal from them thofe nefarious princi-
ples which he fancied he had fufficiemly
enveloped to efcape the confufed ap-
prehenfion of the good baronet. He
was, however, completely miftaken.
Sir William's ruminations on Edward's
aflertions difcovered confequences which
were at firft unperceived j and, his un-
-eafinefs increafing, he determined to dif-
clofe it to his good friend the rector,
with a hope of being re-aflured by his
fuperior learning.
At the conclufion of an unfuccefsful
rubber at backgammon, by way of apo-
logy for bad play, he frankly owned,
that he had been thinking ;of fornething
clfe all the time. " It is certainly very
ic wrong in me," faid he, " but I
" almoft doubt of the truth of what
Solomon tells us, that there is no-
thing
A TALE OF THE TfMS^ 21
" thing new under the fun." He then re-
peated Fitzofborne's theory, and added,
cc Is it not a new way of punifhing a
c< man for ufmg one wife ill, by giving
" him leave to marry another ?"
Many years had elapfed fmce Mr.
Evans's knowledge of the great world
had been folely derived from the limited
information of books and newfpapers.
The darning fpirits with whom he had
been formerly acquainted fought cele-
brity by high phaetons, Pomona green
coats, and Artois buckles j and feldom
ventured upon more profound difquifi-
tions than what were neceflary to de-
termine the height which the younger
Veftris could jump, or the diftance that
Eclipfe could gain on a dray-horfe in
a courfe of five minutes. The elegant
tutor was now changed into the rural
divine, and, in common with all lovers
of literature, he rejoiced to hear, that
tb*
21 A TALE OP THE TIMES.
the, frivolity of fafliionable manners was
yielding to a fpirit of deep refearch
and difcrirninating curiofity. Syppofjng
that Philofophy Jlitt retained her cha*-
rafter of being the handrnaid of Trutlv
he felt inclined to pardon a few extra-
vagancies in her admirers; and, be-
lieving the fountain pure, he repeated'
the popular coupler
i)B>i M n-'vlv/ ^ r 'iw -'ifra'i ^rji^kl* oriT
A little draught intoxicates the brain,
But clriftking largely fobers us again.
Neither the ;gejtecaj philanthropy of
Mr. Evans's charadter, nor the .prepof-.
feeing impreflipns which lady Mon-
teith's warm encomiums on Fitzofbornc
had made upon his mind, could induce
him to give a favourable interpretation
toia prepofnion that thneatened to iever
the grand dink which; unites correfl
morals and focial happinefs. t His can-
dour could only point to one condlu-
"& fion,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. aj
fion,*which was, that the natural im-
becility of his revered patron's under-
(landing increased with his years, and
that the conclufion he had drawn from
the arguments which Edward had ufed/
was directly contrary to what the orator
intended.
The anfwer which he returned to fir
William was of a temporizing kind*
But, after revolving the converfation in
his own mind, he determined to apply
to that confidant to whom, fince de-
prived of a ftill dearer friend, he had
been aecuftomed to intruft all his per-
plexities. He was concerned to find
that Lucy's opinion of Mr. Fitzofborne
was not in unifon with the fentimcnts
of the countcfs. She expreffed her
diflike of the myfterious air which he
generally affe&ed; and obferved, that
Geraldine, who knew his difpofition
thoroughly, apologized % the eccen-
tricity
$4 A TALE OF THE TIMES*
tricky of fome t>f Jhis fentimeritfs by
urging his foreign education, and
affirming that (he knew he'pofTdTed the
beft heart in the 1 worldv* " Perhaps he
5 does," continued Mifs Evans ; <c but
"people who wifh well to any caufe
" feldom attempt to break down the
" bulwarks that defend; it. V;: Her
alarmed father ? eagerly inquired, -tf ffce
fufpecled afty'thing^deiAieal fn his
ciples. r b*tiifr?it>3 irn awo
Thank ^ God," returned
none of my accjuaintarifce are'
**'- therefor^- 1 do not knW in 'wh
^ frer they would ad. ' But furely, -my
dear lir/ when* religious truths ; are-
c *. imprefled deeply upon a cultivated
*f ;<mind^-they mud give > a tincture to
" our s ordinary conversation^ ?Subjecls
. which : we efteern' facred or not
dragged into table-talk controverfyj
and the narratives of holy writ are
nbnj " not
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 25
not degraded by being drawn into
cc a ludicrous parallel with the light
" events of the paffing moment. But
" I am willing to allow that I may be
" more fevere from being lefs accuf-
" tomed to the freedom of fafhionable
<c manners ; for I obferve my Geral-
<c dine, who poflefTes the piety and the
" purity of an angel, is not mocked at
cc this fpecies of levity."
cc Does not Mr. Fitzofborne appear
<c to fhow a very marked admiration of
" the ,countefs ?" inquired Mr. Evans.
" Every body muft admire her," re-
turned Lucy, evading a dired reply: " I
" do not mean merely on account of
" her perfonal charms, though (he is
" now lovelier than ever, but for her
" patient fweetnefs and her dignified
cc refignation."
<c When you ufe the term refigna-
tion, my dear/' interrupted Mr.
VOL. in. c Evans,
26 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Evans, " you fhould confine it to fe-
" vcrer trials than thofe which your
" enchanting friend has yet been called
" upon to endure. Though we have
" often lamented the capricious inat-
<c tendon of her lord's behaviour, it is
" only one of thofe lefler conflicts, by
" which Providence mercifully prepares
Cf us for the more excruciating flrug-
" gles that we muft all fuftain before
*< we are liberated from this world.
" You know whofe fentiments I now
<c repeat. The harmonious voice which
* c once gave them utterance is filent;
ce yet the, will of Heaven calls for cheer-
" ful acquiefcence, and I obey."
Unwilling to deprefs her father at
that moment, by repeating obfervations
which might probably be merely the^
creatures of her own fancy, Mifs Evans
dropped a tear to her mother's memory,
and was filent.
A. TALE OF THE TIMES.
CHAP. XXXIII.
Mark you this, Haflanio ;
The Devil can cite fcripture for his purpofe:
An evil foul, producing holy witnefs,
Is like a villain with a fmiling cheek 5
O, what a goodly outfide falfehood hudi !
SHAKESPEARE.
MR. EVANS was not one of thofe
fupine paftors who, contented with
their own immediate fecurity, forbear
to warn their flock of the infidious ap-
proaches of the wolf. His daughter's
obfervations determined him to watch
Fitzofborne with fcrupulous attention ;
and, if any thing Ihould happen to con-
firm his doubts, the hazard of being
cenfured for impertinent interference
would not deter him from dating to
lady Monteith the danger of an inti-
c 2 macy
>8 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
macy with a man whofe pafilons were
not fubjedled by the reftraints which re-
ligion impofes.
Edward Teemed rather to folicit than
to Ihun this fcrutiny. Some cafual
exprefiions from fir William, and the
turn which Mr. Evans generally gave
to the converfation, convinced him, that
his zeal to make profelytes had thrown
him off his guard, and that in order to
fecure one convert he muft allay the
fufpicions- which a.defire to gain many
admirers had excited. He faw in Mr.
Evans a man poflefled of a fincere, zea-
lous, well-informed mind, occafionally
the dupe of its own excellence, fome-
what hafty in its conclufions, and dif-
pofed to receive a few ftrong expreflions
as a fair definition of character: to
which was added, a confidence in its
own attainments, not unfrequent in an
educated perfon long eftranged from
the
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 1$
the invigorating collifion of congenial
fociety. Edward adapted his behaviour
to the rules which this difcovery pointed
out, and he feized the opportunity
which Mr. Evans had given, by lead-
ing the converfation to the finitenefs of
human comprehenfion, to make what
appeared like a candid difclofure of his
fentiments.
" I perceive, fir," faid he, " that
" you are anxious to difcover my opi-
<c nions ; and inftead of blaming, I
cc highly admire the integrity of mind
" which fuch curiofity evinces. I will
" own, that during my refidence upon
<c the Continent I was fomewhat tinc-
" tured with the fcepticifm fo prevalent
" there : and I will confefs too, thai
" the converfation of the higher circles
" in my own country, and above all
c * the manners of many of the clergy,
" have not tended to remove my*
03 <c doubts.
^O A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Cf doubts. While the church appears
" to be more affiduous to defend its
"emoluments, than to promote the
" falvation of its members, gio wonder
* f if we reject its meagre doctrines.
" The character of the gentleman and
* c the divine are not often feen in
" unifon. If J had early pofTefled the
<f opportunity of contemplating the
" Happy mixture, religion would have
<f appeared to me more attractive from
" the reflected beauty of its minifters ;
< but, -infteaji of lamenting what is paft>
" let me, by propitiating your candour,
" improve my prefent happy acquaint-
" ance."
" Religion," faid Mr. Evans, re-
turning Fitzofborne's bow, - " cannot
" really fufFer by the mifconduct of its
c * oJfHcials in the opinion of any well
" difpofed, confiderate mind. Our at-
K tendance at the altar does not remove
" us
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 3!
" us from human temptations ; and
" with refpect to the fault ta which
<f you allude, a too great pertinacity
" refpecling our temporal rights, can-
" dour will remember that our pof-
" fefllons are not hereditary. Mod of
Cf us have united ourfelves to fociety
" by the flrong ties of hufband and
" father j and the ftudy of thofe divine
<f precepts which were meant to enlarge
<f the focial affections may, by the in-
" firmity of human nature, which mixes
"error with our c faired aims/ fome-
ce times extend to a culpable folicitude
<c for the fortunes of thofe dear connec-
" tions, and abate the reliance which a
" Chriftian ought to place in the direc-
" tion and fupport of the friend of the
friendlefs. JJ
" I admit that your apology has
" weight,'* refumed Fitzofborne ; " but
" what will you fay of that avidity for
c 4 field
32 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" field fports and love of diffipation
" which fo ftrohgly charafterize the
" divines of this age, and which you,
" fir, condemn by your own ex-
" ample ?"
" I blame every particular inftance,"
replied Mr. Evans, " without admit-
" ting the cenfure to be determinate
" againft the whole order. We are
" marked by our habits -from the reft
" of fociety ; and the c fox-hunting
" parfon/ or the infignificant ( Bob
" Jerome/ is pointed out to fatire,
cc while the pale ftudent, who confumes
" his health over the midnight lamp in
" the moft important refearches, or
M the laborious inftrudtor of his village
" flock, are prevented by their obfcu-
" rity from counterpoizing the weight
" of public odium by their ufeful un-
" obtrufive virtues : but, granting the
general conduct of the clergy to be
"as
(C
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 3J
" as bad as their flanderers intimate,
cc the fervice to which we are confe-
<c crated partakes not of our depra-
" vity."
" Perhaps not in minds endued with
if ftrong powers of reflection," return-
ed Fitzofborne : " but, as the chriftian
<( fyftem feems beft adapted for the
cc lower orders of fociety, it is much
" to be lamented, that any thing fhould
cc impede its progrefs where it has
" the beft chance of fuccefs. Perhaps
" the rules by which I would eftimate
" the conduct of its minifters are too
" ftrict, and though, unhappily, my
" own principles have inclined to deifm,
" I have candour enough to regret,
" that while law and phyfic are per-
<c mitted to efcape uncontaminated by
" the knavery of petifoggers or the ig-
" norance of empirics, divinity im-
c< pofes perfection upon its ftudents.
c c But
34 A TALE OF THE TIMES. /
" But our converfation is likely to be
cc interrupted. Permit me to fay, that
<f I Ihall renew it with pleafure. I am
if a novice at compliment, and mall
<f therefore only obferve in my abrupt
" manner, that if the caufe you fup-
" port were always as ably defended
" both in the pulpit and in fociety, in-
<c fidelity would be deprived of one of
<c its moil powerful weapons."
Every x)ne has his weak fide. Though
the cup of undifguifed flattery would
have been rejected with difdain, yet
when tempered by apparent moderation,
and a wifh for conviction, it became
tolerably palatable. Mr. Evaps, in^
deed, ftill felt the propriety of hinting
the dangerous tendency of Fitzolborne's
principles to lady . Monteith j but he
thought it juft to qualify his cenfures
with many exp regions of refpect for
his character, and admiration of his
abilities.
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 35
abilities. cc I grieve for his perverted
" talents," faid he j " and yet they
<e encourage me to hope, that the
cc happy time will come, when they
cc will be the inflruments of reftoring
cc him to a comfortable (late of mind.
Cf Many people are driven into infide-
Cf lity by the flings of a burdened
" confcience j but I fhould think that
< c is not Mr. Fitzofborne's excufe for
" fcepticifm. Yet the manners of the
" clergy can be no more than an often-
fible reafon."
Geraidine was not in a difpofition to
doubt- Edward's virtues. Though (he
had been that very morning the un-
happy dupe of his cruel duplicity, her
agonized foul clung to him as to the
guardian angel who was to refcuc her-
out of an abyfs of forrow. She had dif-
covered a letter from Mrs. Harley to her
lord* It lay open upon his drefilng- table,
c 6 and
36 A TALE OF THE TIMES,
and the hated name was fo confpicu-
oufly placed as neceflarily to attract her
eye. She could not refill her defire to
perufe it, and the fatal contents foon
convinced her, that the bufinefs which
lord Monteith had hinted would foon
recal him to London was nothing more
than a wifh- to renew that degrading
connection. The difcovery feemed to
be perfectly accidental. She perceived
no preconcerted plan in the circum-
ftance of her having been fent into the
room by Fitzofborne to fetch a volume
of RoufTeau, from which he had juft
inifquoted a well-known palTage. She
never confidered that he had free ac-
cefs to her lord's apartments ; and me
rcould not know that he had not only
purloined the letter from Monteith, but
that he adlually inftigated him to the
propefed journey, . by thofe indirect
<rneans of Qppofuion which he had found
to
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 37
to be the moft fuitable way of govern-
ing a headftrong impetuous character,
Fitzofborne allowed her time to pe-
rufe the letter, and then followed her
to the drefting-room. She was leaning
in a kind of ilupor over a chair, her
eyes fixed on the portrait of her lord
which hung over the chimney, with a
fort of complaining fweetnefs in their
expreflion which language could ill de-
fcribe. Edward addrefled her with rhap-
fodical corifufion. He faid the letter
was a miftake. He allured her that
Monteith's affections were (till unquef-
tionably hers. He execrated his con*
duel, and then be fought her to be calm
for her children's fake. At that in*
terefting adjuration the reftrained tears
Hole in fiience down her cheek ; and
her tears again elevated Fitzofborne's
fympathizing tendernefs to frenzy. He
called her " dear lovely excellence !"
He
38 A "TALE OF THE TIMES.
He wiflied ten thoufand plagues to over-
whelm- the narrow foul of the traitor who
wanted difcernment to be juft to her me-
rits $ and he vowed that he could not
look at fuch a finding imperfonification
of fuffering meeknefs without wiihing to
avenge her wrongs.
The countefs anfwered in a faint
tone : cc My wrongs require no avenger.
<c My lord mould be more careful of his
" correfpondence. Let me entreat you
" to conceal the weaknefs into which
" my curio fity has betrayed me."
" And is that the only proof I can
<f give you of my inviolable regard ?"
" What other proofs can a wife re-
" ceive, confiftent with her folemn
" duties ?"
V The ftriaeft delicacy, the mod ri-
cc gid prudence, would allow an adopted
<c brother to take a more active part.
" Remember too, it is ftill pofTible, that
the
A TALE OF THE TIMES, 39
ts the ties of efteem may be fanJHoned
" by thofe of kindred. Can I feek the
" recovery of lady Arabella's favour by
" worthier means than by trying to dif-
<c engage her brother from a criminal
cc attachment ?"
cc O ! name the means that may
cc produce that blefled end/' exclaimed
the impaflloned Geraldine, with clafped
hands, and wild emphatic looks : " ref-
" cue my Monteith from this dreadful
" thraldom ; reftore to me his valua-
" ble but eflranged heart, and I will
" pray for you, Fitzofbornc' I will
" entreat of Heaven, that all your fu-
<c ture days may be as happy as thofe I
" once enjoyed."
Edward had no defire to be included
in Geraldine's prayers. He was equally
averfe to hear of her attachment to her
huiband, and of her dependance on
Heaven. The advice he gave was of a
fatanic
40 A TALE OP THE TIMES.
fatanic nature. It was, to charge her
lord with his infidelity ; to humble him
by her fuperiority; and to convince
him by her eloquence. Vice, he af-
firmed, muft fhrink from the prefence
of virtue. The funbeam of her eye
muft difflpate the clouds by which Mon-
teith's reafon was enveloped. His re-
covered judgment would compare in-
nocence, grace, and beauty, whh prof-
titution, vanity, and caprice -, and a re-
pentant hufband, awakened by her re-
proofs to a fenfe of honour, would at her
feet abjure the infamous Harley, and all
her flagitious fifterhood.
Lady Monteith's perturbed mind ftill
pofietTed fufficient clearnefs to refill the
adoption of fuch a dangerous expedient,
which, by inflaming the violent pafllons
of her lord, was more likely to make
him caft off all the decorum which a
dread of difcovery impofed, than to
7 check
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 4!
check the career of his vicious indul-
gence -, and her delicacy pointed out
the imprudence of arming his pride in
the caufe of a courtezan, when flft
hoped it might be made the happy in-
ftrument of releafing him from a de-
grading connection. " I have/' faid
fhe, < f prefcribed to myfelf but two
" rules for my conduct in this unfor-
" tunate affair 5 and to thefe I will
" rigidly adhere. I will never reproach
" lord Montcith, nor will I ever divulge
" his indifcretions. Even my Lucy, the
<c partner of my foul, does not know that
" the dejection which me muft obferve
t( in me proceeds from any other caufe
cc than latent indifpofition."
ec There are certainly many reafons
" for withholding fuch confidence from
cc Mifs Evans 5 and when I confider
" your father's age and increafing in-
<c firmities, I renounce a plan which
" the
42 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" the refpectability of his character
" bnce fuggefted to me, of acquainting
" him with his fon-in-lavv's conduct,
and urging him to afiume the tone
cc highly becoming an injured and affec-
ec donate parent."
" O ! for Heaven's fake ! reject that
" idea," exclaimed the terrified coun-
tefs. cf Let not the halcyon calm of
" his declining years be clouded with a
<c doubt of his child's happinefs. How
<c ungrateful, how impious fhould I be,
" to draw from repofing age the pil-
<c low on which it finks to reft, cheered
" by approving confcience, and hold-
<c ing fweet communion with that peace*
" ful world for which it has been long
<c preparing,"
" And are you not afraid that his
" paternal folicitude will pervade youf
" pious concealment ?" inquired Fitz-
olborne. <f I have feen him watch your
" varying
'A TALE OF THE TIMES. 43
cc varying looks, and caft glances on
" lord Monteith ftrongly indicative of
" fufpicion."
" You alarm me. Surely I had bet-
" ter leave Powerfcourt immediately,
" before thofe fufoicions mall be con-
" firmed."
cc That propofal, madam, indicates
" your cuftomary prudence, though it is
<c hard at fuch a time to deprive your-
." fclf of the comforts of his tender affec-
" tion, and the foothings of Mifs Evans's
ic friendfhip. Whither will you direcl:
" your penfive fteps ?"
<c Not to that cruel world, Fitzof-
" borne, which has tarnifhed my repu-
cc tation, and robbed me of my huf-
" band's heart. I will go to* Monteith,
" and embrace my dear little girls,
cc from whom I have been ten months
cc feparated. Their playful prattle will
" perhaps amufe me , at lead their un-
" difcern-
44 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
*< difcerning fimplicity will not impofc
cc upon me a painful reflrainfe in order
" to efcape yet more infupportable ob-
"fervations; I {hall be allowed the free
" indulgence of tears, and my mind
" may poflibly recover ftrength from
folitude."
" And is this the lot of the nobleft
" ornament of her age and country ?*'
exclaimed Edward. cc O lady Mon-
ft teith ! are you another victim to the
" blind caprices of Fortune ?" . i'
,vf<,I was the carver of rny own fbr-
cc tune, and muft not complain of her
5* caprices. I was juft to the irapulfe
cc of an early attachment, and I have
" no one to condemn. Even at this
" inftant complaint is filenced by pity.
<c Lord Monteith cannot be happy.
" The recollection of me muft obtrude
" upon his guilty dalliance. The im-
" prudent woman, by whom he is fatally
" entangled,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 45
" entangled, can urge no claim to his
" affections, to invalidate my prior right.
<c I am the mother of his children, the
" faithful repofitory of his fecrets, the
<f partner of his forrows. I have footh-
" ed his anxieties, compofed his ruffled v
" temper, watched him in ficknefs. ?-
" O Fitzofborne ! words cannot exprefs
" how much this agonized heart pre-
<f ferred his intereft and his happinefs to
" my own."
Edward grafped her unconfcious hand,
and tremuloufly articulated, IC Muft
" corroding forrow wade the faireft
<c pattern of all thac is good and attrac-
" tive ? Surely, Monteith ! thou art the
" only man who could be unjuft to fuch
cc excellence."
" My good trlend," faid the coun-
tcfs, roufed to recollection by the ready
tears which bathed her hands, <c fup-
<f prefs this keen fenfibility of my Ibr-
" rows.
46 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
"4-ows. You mall fee that I will en-
" dure them. For my children's fake,
" for the fake of all- who love me, I
" will endeavour to exert myfelf : and
cc to be amuied, I will vifit the good
" cottagers whom I once made happy ;
(< I will retrace the groves I planted,
"and refume my accuftomed occupa-
" tions j though every employment,
cc every purfuit, even life itfelf, is taile-
" lefs now."
Fitzofborne dried his tears, and took
a turn acrofs the room to recover the
philofophy which he protefted had never
before been fo feverely tried. Could '
nothing be done, nothing be thought
of, to reftore the charming fufferer to
the peace which me fo highly merited ?
Again he addrefTed the trembling
mourner, who, gazing on the portrait
of her lord, feemed to apoftrophize the
beloved remembrance, and to implore
not
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 47
not merely companion but juftice, inat-
tentive to the blandifhments of her fe-
ducer, unconfcious of the impropriety
of that confidence which her agitated
foul beftowed, and only fufceptible of
thejenfe of anguifh, or the feeble hope
of regaining an alienated heart.
" At length," faid Fitzofborne, after
two or three ineffectual endeavours
to fpeak, " I have thought of two plans.
" They will, indeed, include a little
" oblique conduct ; but the end is too
<c pure, too defirable to render objec-
" tionable the means of obtaining it.
" I know a young nobleman who wifhes
" to rival your lord in Mrs. Harley's
" favour. He is rich and extravagant,
Cf and I have fome influence over his
" mind. It is but fpiriting him to
" outbid your hufband, and the venal
<c fair will foon forbid the vifits of her
" lefs liberal keeper. Or, I could feign
" a letter
40 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
a letter as from Mrs. Harley to this
" gentleman, which would awaken Mon-
f tcith's jealoufy, and probably might
" have the fame effect of diflblving the
<c connection. You ftart, madam.
<c Confider that the infamy of the wo-
<c man is confirmed, and how forcible
" are the claims which your innocent
cc children have upon your exertions !"
cc I muft not preferve their innocence
Cf by the forfeiture of my own. What.
" right have I to aggravate the guilt of
c an unhappy woman, or to transfer to
" another family the calamity which
" weighs me down ? Nor can I yield
<f to fully my integrity by bafely fram-
" ing a forged accufation, or to taint
" my reputation by expofing it to the
" difgrace of a difhonourable difco-
very."
" I lament when generofity becomes
tf romantic, and I muft beg per minion
" to
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 49
" to urge my ichemes with what I think
" irrefiftible arguments, if the faint
" hope which I have founded upon my
" influence over lord Monteith's mind
" mould fail me. Unfortunately, he
" is fo bent upon going to town, that
" it will be ufelefs to oppofe his plan ;
" but I will accompany him, and ex-
" ert all my limited abilities to dif-
" folve this enchantment. No matter
" though I lofe his friendfhip $ his vi-
<c cious purfuits have annihilated my ef-
" teem, and I fcorn to receive future fa-
<c vours from a man unjuft to you."
" Ah !" thought Geraldine, " what
cf can break the adamantine chain which
" links him to my heart ! Should the
ic hour ever arrive when affection ceafes
" to throb, will not duty continue to
" urge its refiftlefs claims ? But I can-
" not wonder, that a mind fo refined
" as Fitzolborne's iliould call weaknefs
VOL. nr, D <c vice
$0 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
ec vice, and difdain communion with
" one who gives licence to thofe rebel
" paflions which his firmer fpirit holds
" in calm fubjection. O, that Mon-
" teith pofTefied his virtues ! But earth
" muft not refemble heaven/'
<c You paufe, madam, J> faid Fitzof-
borne, interrupting her train of thought.
" Am I ftill fo unfortunate as not to be
<c able to fugged any thing deferving of
c your approbation ?"
" My excellent friend !'* refumed
the countefs, " follow the dictates of
" your own good heart. Whatever
<c fcheme your knowledge of the world
c fuggefts, whatever difTuafive argu-
" ments your fuperior talents direct
" you to ufe, exert them in my caufe.
" But be careful to reftrain your zeal
" to reftore my ruined peace, left it
" fhould urge you to purfue thofe indi-
* c reel paths which, even if fuccefsful,
- "my
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 51
" my principles muft conftantly difap-
cc prove/'
" I think/' returned the fophifter,
" the code of laws which you dignify
cc by your obedience permits the fer-
" pent to be blended with the dove.
ct Your innocence and your reputation
" cannot be injured by aclions in which
" you do not participate ; and if my
" confcience juftifies my proceedings,
" what have you to oppofe ? Be allured,
" that not even your intereft would
" prompt me to any ftep which I did
<f not think highly warrantable ; and
" here again I am countenanced by
<e thofe doctrines which teach me that
" the motive conftitutes the a<5t."
" Be fure," faid the couritefs, " to
" examine your motives with fcrupu-
" lous care, left you mould be deceived
" by a fpecious good.*'
D 2 " My
52 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" My motives," faid Fitzolborne,
" have undergone the defired fcrutiny,
cf and I will abide by the refuh of my
<f inquiry. But I have two favours to
<c requeft of you. Do not, while with
<c unremitting affiduity I (lake all my
<c hopes, and brave every peril to re-
cc ftore to you the happinefs you have
loft do not, deareft lady Mon-
cc teith ! while I am far diftant from
<f you, liften to any uncharitable fbg-
" geftions that might tend to prejudice
<c rne in your efteem. Should any re-
" fiedlions be caft upon me for che-
<f rilhing fome peculiar notions, call to
" mind that noble candour which
<e teaches us, that thofe principles can-
<f not be wrong \\hich prompt right
<c adions. Permit me too the honour
" of your corrtfpondence i and if fuc-
<c cefs fhould crown my hopes, if my
" once valued friend mould return to
<c Mon-
A TALE OF THE TIMES* 53
" Monteith worthy of you, allow me to*
"partake your tranfports ; and let the
Cf cloud of forrow and difappointmenc
<c which now obfcurcs my youth, be
" brightened by the gladdening ray of
<c your fociety. For it is only your un-
" rcfervcd friendlhip that can now rcn*
der life defirable,"
The countefs promifed the required
favours with penetrating fincerity. She
confirmed the affurances of her perma-
nent efteem by giving him a miniature
portrait of herfelf, which had been drawn
with a view of being decorated with
brilliants, and prefented to lady Ara-
bella on her intended nuptials. Ker
opinion of Fitzolborne's merits were
wrought up to admiration $. and the
refult of this interview convinced him,
that he had gained all the ground in her
affections which probability allowed him
to expect. Her delicacy was no longer
D 3 ftartled
54 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
ftartled by his paflionate manner : the
warm interett which he took in her
caufe no longer awakened the appre-
henfion of unwarrantable defigns. She
had all the confidence in his integrity
which he wifhed to infpire j and he re-
lied upon her gratitude and her gene-
rofity to divert every inference, and
filence every fuggeftion, that might be
urged to his disfavour.
The moment, therefore, was unpro-
pitious which Mr. Evans had chofen
to alarm her fears, by dating his con-
viction, that fotfingularity of her friend's
femiments were more nearly allied to
deifm than their apparent moderation
and candour made her fufpedh 1 have
already mentioned the motives which
induced Mr. Evans to foften his in-
tended cenfure; but Geraldine liftened
with impatience even to the extenuated
accufation. Not that fhe thought the
charge
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 55
charge of deifm a light reproach, or
that her own conviction of the truth
of revealed religion was enfeebled f on
the contrary, her prefent dejected fpirits
more ftrongly impelled her to draw
water from the refrefhing fountain of
eternal truth. But her prepoffeffion in
Edward's favour made her allow for a
little clerical zeal for orthodoxy, which
might, fhe thought, confound characters
feparated by many difcriminating te-
nets : and, granting that Mr. Evans's
fufpicions even in their wideft latitude
were ftill well-founded, no danger could
refult from her intimacy with a perfon
to whom he allowed the pofTeffion of
fo much talent and fo much moral
principle.
Her reply, therefore, to Mr. Evans's
obfervations commenced with a popu-
lar fentiment, * that the faith could
c not be wrong, when the life was
D 4
56 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
( right/ " I am afraid/' faid fhe, " many
<( people, who profefs themfelves warm
<c advocates for the doctrines of our
" religion, would be unwilling to have
" the reality of their own belief afcer-
" tained by this fimple and compendi-
te oiis maxim. We cannot judge of
" another perfon's heart but through
" the medium of his actions; and even
<f calumny itfelf cafts no cenfure on
" Mr. Fitzofborne. Let us not then
" condemn him on account of fomeyfo-
<c gularity of opinion : for opinion, my
" dear fir, you know, is free. We can
" only be afFedled by the actions of
<f others, not by their fentiments."
<c Beware, my deareft lady Mon-
" teith," refumed Mr. Evans, cc how
" you extend the apologies which may
" be urged in behalf of harmlefs fin-
" gularity, to the vindication of thofe
" perilous dodlrines which not only
" corrupt
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 57
corrupt the foil where they are differed
cc to fpring, but alfo threaten the ge-
<c neral deftru&ion of all that is dear
" and valuable to fociety. Do the vir-
" tues of even the moral deift (land
" upon any firm - ground ? Reafon
" is his god ; and he may to-day dif-
cc cover the footfteps of his deity ins
" the paradoxes of Epicurus, and to-
" morrow in the fables of the Koran*
" The credulity of the infidel is pro-
" verbial, and his notions of right are
" as varying as his creed. He, my dear
" lady, is the corrupt tree from which,,
" infallibility itfelf tells us, good fruit
" cannot fpring. He is the polluted
" fountain whofe waters muft be bitter.
" As the mind thinks, the tongue
<e fpeaks, and the man acts. The bat-
" tery which he erects againft the
<f rock of faith is built on fand, liable
v to be undermined by every tide, and
D 5 w over-
53 A TALE OF THE TIMES* 1
cf overthrown by every wind ; yet with
c< reftlefs malevolence he perfifts in his
" attack. Obferve, madam, the fyf-
cc tern ever purfued by fceptics is offen-
"five warfare ; the liberty of private
"judgment does not content them.
" Prefixing their peftiferous doctrines at
<f every opportunity, they deny us the
" freedom which they claim for them-
" felves, and never refort to the plea
" of moderation, but when clofely
" prefTed by arguments which they can-
t not otherwife avoid. But let them
" remember, when either vanity or the
" defire of making converts induces
" them to unfettle the minds of others,
" opinion then becomes action, and
" they are as anfwerable at the audit
" of God and their country for the
" principles which they promulgate,, as
" for the deeds they commit."'
" Have
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 59
cc Have you not rather exaggerated
" Mr. Fitzofborne's errors ?" faid the
countefs, in a more decided tone than
fhe was accuftomed to ufe to her reve-
rend inftruftor. " I have often heard
" him expatiate upon ferious fubjects r
." but muff own that I never difcovered
" any tendency to deifm. If I thought:
" him an infidel, it would give me the
" livelieft concern ; for, befide the-
" efteem which his virtues infpire im
" my mind, I owe him indelible grati-
" tude for many uncommon marks of"
" friendfhip."
<c I have repeated the very words he
" ufed, madam. Be you the judge..
ec Why he mould affect referve to you,
" and choofe to be unneceiTarily ex-
Cf plicit to me, is fomewhat myfterious.
"What you tell me of this young gen*
" tleman, and what I have myfelf ob-
f * fervcd, ftrongly awakens my
60 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
* c fion. He has defired to renew the
* c fubjeft of our late converfation. I
Cf lhall return to it with pleafure, and
Cf efteem myfelf happy if my efforts
" can direct his abilities to their priftine
" intent, and reftore to his bofom that
<c tranquillity which he cannot now
" enjoy."
" You are always in character, my
" dear Mr. Evans, compaflionate and
" benevolent even to thofe whofe con-
* c duel: you difapprove. I will endea-
* c vour to be a fellow- labourer in the
" fame good work ; and though my
" knowledge is too limited to convince
<l Mr. Fitzofborne's judgment, I may
<; expedite the conviction he defires
" by pointing fome perfuafive paflages
<c to his heart/*
" Ever-amkblc lady Monteith I" re-
turned the good man with pious earned-
nefs, f< beware how you enter the thorny
'* paths
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 6l
"paths of theological controverfy. I
" refpect your fex too much to wifh
" them to hazard the mild luftre of
" benignity with which the god of na-
cc ture has adorned them, to purfue
< c that uncongenial fplendor which
64 they can never obtain. Metaphyfical
" deductions, and philological learn-
" ing, by which we defend our faith
" againft its af|ailants, require a fe-
" vere courfe of ftudy, and more in-
cc tenfe thought than your habits, or
" perhaps the peculiar tendency of
" your intellectual powers, will afford.
" You will be entrapped into conclu-
" fions which nothing but (kill in the
" fubtilties of argument can elude ;
* f confufed by objections oftentatioufly
" multiplied , the fallacy of which the
" Ithuriel fpear of biblical literature
" would inftantly detect. By a digni-
ce fied filence, or an indication of dif-
7 <c P^a-
6l A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" pleafure, convince the bold difputarrtr
* c who obtrudes his crude notions of
cc an invisible God on your ordinary
" converfation, that your refpect is too
<c profound to enter lightly on the fa-
" cred theme, and your conviction too-
" fincere to need the adventitious aid
" of a vanquifhed opponent. Thele
" fophifts, my dear madam, though
" they feek to- embarrafs others, are
** themfelves well acquainted with the
* c torments of doubt ; and it is only
il by the converts whom their falfe
" theory bewilders that they are kept
<c from renouncing it themfelves. It
" is not to a zeal for truth, nor even.
" to the mifgivings of confcience, that
" fcepticifm owes mod of its adherents.,
" but to the pride of human reafbn,
" and the love of fingularity. Permit
<f them to difplay thefe qualities, and
" you :
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 6j
" you grant them the triumph they
defire."
Geraldine allowed the general truth
of thefe obfervations, but claimed an
exemption in behalf of her friend. He
was -too placable and gentle to love
difpute, and too candid to repel con-^
viflion. Mr. Evans determined to in-
veftigate the exiftence of thefe Dualities
at their next converfation ; but the
opportunity of obferving them never
occurred. Lord Monteith fet off for
London the following morning, and
Fitzofborne, by accompanying him,
confirmed the counted in that lively
fenle of efleem and gratitude which fhe
thought (he could no way better exprefs
than by exerting all her powers to im-
part to his character whatever in her
judgment it ftill wanted of perfection.
64 A TALE OF THE TIMES*.
C'HAP. XXXI W
An elegant fufficiency, content,
Retirement, rural quiet, friend/hip, books,.
Eafe and alternate labour, ufeful life,
Progreflive virtue, and approving heaven ;
Thefe are the matchlefs joys of virtuous love.
THOMSON.
LADY MONTEITH'S fortitude was fo
feverely tried by her confcioufnefs of the
motives which occafioned her lord's
hafty departure for London, that fhe
found it necef&ry immediately to adopt
Fitzofborne's advice of returning to
Scotland, left the forrows of her af-
flicted heart mould fometimes difdain
the difguife which filial piety induced
her to affume. Her parting with her
father was marked by circumftances of
peculiar tendernefs. I fhall not, how-
ever, draw from them any ominous
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 65
predictions. Sir William's advanced
age and increafing infirmities on the
one hand, and his lovely daughter's
deprefled fpirits on the other, may ac-
count for this acute fenfibility without
afcribing to either the powers of pre-
fcience.
The evening previous to Geraldine's
departure, her penfive mind was fome-
what enlightened by a very agreeable
converfation with Mifs Evans. <c You
" know," faid that amiable girl, " I al-
*' ways had a little Can: of the whimfi-
*< cal about me j and probably if you
lc had folicited my company at Mon-
" teith, I might have raifed an invinci-
* c ble hoft of obje&ions ; but fmce you
" fay nothing upon the fubject, I am,
" perverfe enough to determine to go
<c back with you to Scotland."
" My deareft Lucy," faid the coun-
tefs, while her pale cheek kindled with
the
66 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
the blufh of pleafure ; " may you al-
<f ways be thus delightfully perverfe !
" Why I expreffcd lefs folicitude for
<c your company partly proceeded from
" the nature of my own profpecls, but
" principally from what I fufpeft to be
" yours."" We fpinflers," replied Mifs
Evans, pafTmg over her friend's allufion
to the (late of her own affairs with a
Hifled figh, " are feldom handfomely
<c ufed by you married ladies, when
" we chufe you for our confidants.
<c Yet, though I am convinced that
" lord Monteith will know all my fe-
" cret the very firft time you write to
" him, I fee the fpirit of curiofity fa
<c very ftrongly imprinted upon your
<c countenance, that I (hall indulge you
" with a fight of two letters/'
Perhaps fome of my female readers
may happen to have a little of their
great-grandmother Eve's failing about
them,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 6j
them, as well as my Heroine ; and to
gratify it, though in a lefs degree, I lhall
inform them, that thefe important pa-
pers were a love-letter, with the reply :
and that the author of the former com-
pofuion was Henry Powerfcourt. An
attentive obfervation of Mifs Evans's
numerous excellencies had made him
for fome time her fincere admirer ; and,
fmce not all the prudent delicacy of her
character, nor the diffidence of his
own, could entirely conceal from his
obfervation the important fccret of her
preference, his high fenfe of honour
had long prompted him to a difcovery
of that reciprocal affection which her
unalTuming virtues had awakened in his
heart. He was retrained by reflecting,
that, as he had only that heart to be-
ftow, a declaration of his attachment
might fubject her to all the inconveni-
encies which are incident to a tender
engage-
68 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
engagement, when pecuniary circum-
ftances prevent it from being cemented
by the marriage-bond. His refpeded
patron, with fomewhat of the imbecility
of age, and fomewhat of that tenacity
of power which ftrengthens our attach-
ment to the pofleffions in which our
tenure daily grows more precarious, had
ilill delayed confirming to him the in-
dependence which he intended to be-
queath. He contented himfelf with
liberally fupplying his prefent wants ;
2nd as he was perfuaded. tW < young,
man was very well as he was, and had
no wifh to alter his condition, he even
brought himfelf to believe* that refign-
ing to him the Merionethfhire eftate
would be giving him a vaft deal of trou-
ble, which, as he feemed fonder of
reading than of bufmefs, he would cer*
tainly be as well pleafed to avoid.
Panting
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 69
Panting for independence, yet dif-
daining to acquire it by any means
which he thought irreconcileable with
Jady Montei th's interefts, or with his
deference and gratitude to her father,
Mr, Powerfcourt repeatedly relblved to
purfue the defired blefiing by the flow,
but pleafant path of his own active ex-
ertions in fome employment. Yet fir
William's love of his kinfman's fociety
increafmg with his infirmities furnifhed
a thoufand objections to every profefiion
or engagement which was fucceflively
propofed. The baronet at length pre-
cluded all further application by afking
Henry, why he wanted to leave him ?
" Don't be uneafy," faid he, " about
<c your future profpects. Depend upon
" it, I mall provide for you." Thus
compelled to refer the fecurity of his
own happinefs to a diftant and uncer-
tain period, Mr. Powerfcourt fubmitted
with
70 A TALE OF THE TIMES,
with refpectful filence to his benefac-
tor's will. He contented himfelf
with acquainting the amiable object of
his affections with the peculiarity of his
fituation ; and he hoped her penetration
would confider that as a fufficient reafon
for preventing his tongue from avow-
ing the preference which his manner
ftrongly exprefied.
Though Henry's behaviour perfectly
agrees with my ideas of honour, I am
afraid fome fitter of the quill, better
verfed in the new code which has been
introduced into the court of Cupid,
will detect a thoufand grofs mifde-
meanours, of which the above Henry
Powerfcourt has been guilty. They
may prove, according to the letter of
thefe recent acts, that his behaviour
to Mifs Evans ought to have been more
rude, capricious, and inattentive, in
proportion as he difcovered her pre-
ference,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 7 1
Terence, and felt the increafe of his
own. Very likely the new method of
argument may prove, that this would
have been the moft honourable way
of proceeding. I fhall dill continue
obftinately difpofed to deny that it is
the mod natural.
Gifted with that intuitive knowledge
which the votaries of the purblind god
individually poflcfs, Lucy read her lover's
fentiments in his eyes, and allowed the
propriety of his conduct. Yet, when
fhe looked forward to the expected
events of her future life, gratitude,
efteem, and veneration, generally ex-
cited a pious tear at the idea, that her
own anxieties mud not expect a final
termination until the neighbourhood
was deprived of the bleflings it had long
received from the unfparing benevolence
of fir William Powerfcourt.
Affairs
72 A "TALE OF THE TIMES.
Affairs were in this fituation, when
lady Monteith arrived from London.
She had juft opportunity to make a few
agreeable difcoveries, when the party
were deprived of Mr. Powerfcourt's com-
pany. He was fummoned to attend the
fick bed of his father, whofe expecta-
tions, in refpect to the marriage of his
fon, had been quite as unfavourable to
Henry's defigns, as the protrafled
bounty of fir William. Young Powerf-
court being unqueftionably the fineft
gentleman the good old yeoman had
ever feen, there arofe a necefllty of his
matching well -, and as no lady in all
the land could refufe him, there was
no reafon why he fhould take up with
a parfon's daughter. Indeed old Mr.
Powerfcourt had already felected his
daughter-in-law -, his bold ambition hav-
ing directed him to no lefs a perfonage
than
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 7J
than madam Hetty ap Owen ap Thomas,
his own landlady, and lady of the
manor befide. But as the juvenile at-
tra&ions of youth, beauty, and fweet-
nefs, were lefs vifible in the preferred
fair, than the folid advantages of large
property and high blood, the father
was a more ardent admirer than the
fon : and, though the path of the latter
was very much fmoothed by the enco-
miums which the former beftowed upon
" fon Hal," and an enumeration of
what his coufm fir William intended to
do for him, which were repeated every
time he went to pay his rent: ~nay,
though mifs Hetty herfelf always diftin-
guifhed the bow of young Povverfcourt
by a lower curtefy, as fhe walked up
the aide to her own pew on a Sunday,
and even once honoured him fo far as
to afk him to dine with her and the
VOL. irr, E curate,
74 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
curate, Henry continued inviolably con-
flant to His Lucy's
Dimpled finile, and damafk cheek,
And eye of glofly blue.
He was relieved from a perfecution
which was urged with fuch well-meant
but miflaken earneftnefs as at length
made it painful, by the death of his fa-
ther. His regret for that event was fof-
tended by receiving a letter from fir
William a few days afterwards, inclo-
fing the title deeds of the Merioneth-
fhire eftate, and containing an aflurance,
that fince he wifhed to marry, he fhould
have a houfe built for him within a
mile or two of Powerfcourt manor.
As, in common with all Arcadian
writers, I prefume the village ruflic is
too happily engaged with his flocks and
his fhepherdefs to attend to the affairs
of his neighbour ; and being perfuaded
that the love of news and the fpirit of
inter-
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 75
interference of which I have formerly
feen fome traces at Danbury are merely
local difeafes ; I fuppofe the accefiion to
Mr. Powerfcourt's fortune continued to
be a profound fecret in the parifli where
his father refided : at leaft I cannot
conceive that any whifper, which the
taylor, or the fchoolmafter, or the barber,
might circulate, could, through the
medium of the curate, be diffufed in
the atmofphere of mifs Hetty's bell
parlour j or that any one, by adding a
unit to the rent-roll which fir William
had refigned, could be the occafion of
the extraordinary and even oppreflivc
civilities with which the diftinguifhed
lady whom I have juft named loaded
Mr. Henry Powerfcourt. Her T houfe
was at his fervice ; her carriage was at
his fervice ; her fervants were at his
fervice ; nay, the world even faid, that
Ihe more than hinted an offer of herfelf.
E 2 This
76 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
This latter report I difbelieve, becaufc
it went fomewhat further than what
the proverbial hofpitality of her coun-
try can account for. But if flic had any
latent views, they foon received a com-
plete mortification. Henry's firft ftep,
after the arrival of the welcome gift,
was to exprefs his gratitude to the do-
nor j his next, to requeft, that mifs
Evans would render independence more
valuable by lharing it with him.
" And now, my Geraldine," faid
Lucy to the countefs, fcarcely allowing
her time to finifh the letter which had
introduced this "long digrefiion, " I call
cc for your felicitations. Henry, you
" fee, ingenuoufly avows the early at-
" tachment which made you the firft
" miftrefs of his heart. I have not
" that extreme refinement which can
" only be content with a primary affec-
" tion. It is fufficient for me, that
" after
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 77
" after long obfervation he owns a pre-
" Terence which he is too noble to af-
" feel, and too upright to withdraw.
Cf Secure in his honour and his virtue,
" not even your attractions will excite
" fufpicion ; and though the tempered
<c expectations of four-and-twenty abate
" much of the (anguine enthufiafm of
" nineteen, neither experience nor re-
<c flection teach me to doubt of the
<f general happinefs of my future Jot
cc with fuch a partner as my long-loved
." Henry."
. Lucy's head now reclined upon the
(boulder of the countefs, to conceal at
once her blufhes and her tears. " But,"
added the fweet girl after a moment's
paufe, " you exprefs neither furprife
" nor pleafure at the wonders which I
" am revealing."
The reader, who remembers the con-
nubial forrows which clouded the coun-
E 3 tefs's
78 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
tefs's mind, will not wonder, that,
though free from envy, her Lucy's
brighter hopes occafioned a painful
comparifon; and we cannot be furprifed
at events which ourfelves have directed.
It was natural for Mifs Evans to wonder
why fir William, who had fo long de-
layed the promifed gift, mould beftow
it juft at that time ; and why -he, who
had been generally hoftile to marriage,
and decidedly averfe to Henry's forming
any engagement which threatened to
deprive him of his fociety, mould even
fuggeft a plan for his immediate efta-
blifhment. But lady Monteith pofTefled
the clue that could unravel the fecrets
of the labyrinth. Her obfervations on
her coufm's manner had convinced her,
that he was no longer infenfible of her
friend's worth, and me afliduoufly em-
ployed all her intereft with her father
to expedite his intended donation, to
the
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 7
the delay of which (he rightly attributed
the prevention of a defirable union. She
had once intended to apply to the
known munificence of her lord; but
her illnefs, and the painful events which
had followed and preceded it, prevented
that defign, and interrupted her nego-
tiation with her father. She renewed
it with increafed earneftnefs upon the
death of the elder Mr. Powerfcourt;
and at length, by the difcovery of her
Lucy's fecret, won his cheerful acqui-
efcence. - " I never thought, my dear,"
faid the good man, cc that thofe young
<c people had a liking for each other.
" I am fure, if they had told me fo, I
cc mould have given my confent im-
" mediately. Why did they keep me
" in the dark ? My god-daughter is a
" very difcreet girl; and you know I
" can fix them fo near me that I may
" fee Henry every day which, as it is
E 4 " fitting
8O A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" fitting you fhould give up mod of
" your time to your hufband and chil-
" dren, is, let me tell you, a great
" comfort to me. I always was afraid,
" that Henry would take it in his
" head to be in love with fome of your
" London ladies, who would not like
" to- play a game of cribbage to divert
" an old man now and then ; and I
e thought Lucy never intended to
" marry, not hearing of her having
" any lover, which for fuch a pretty
" modeft girl was extraordinary. Well,
" I muft fay, it is very odd that they
" fhould happen to like each other, for
" things don't often happen as we wifh
they fhould."
Though fir William's conftitutional
habits gave a flownefs to his deliberations,
nothing could be more rapid than his
execution of any plan in which he knew
the happinefs of a fellow-creature to be
involved.
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 8 I
involved. He immediately fent for his
fleward and his attorney. The writings
were forted out, the deed of gift drawn
up, the letter written, and the mefTenger
difpatched, before he could commit
himfelf to his pillow with the hope of
enjoying a comfortable revifion of the
proceedings of the pad day. Lady
Monteith could fcarcely reftrain him
from telling his little god -daughter, as
he called her, after dinner, that he liked
her choice very well, and that, rf Geral-
dine had told him fboner how {he had
fixed her affections, fhe mould not have
been kept in fufpenfe. The countefs
was defirous of enjoying the refined
pleafure of fecretly difpenfing good ;
and Ihe wifhed, that an explicit avowal
on the part of Henry fhould precede
the detection of Lucy's love.
That avowal was made in terms
equally honourable to his own ingenu-
E- 5 ous
8 '2 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
ous integrity, and aufpicious to her fu-
ture happinefs. And while a tear dole
down Geraldine's cheek at her coufih's
imprefilve recollection of the event
which conftrained him to fubdue an
attachment that "grew with his growth"
and entwined itfelf with all the ftrong
imprefllons that ardent youth receives,
fhe faw with pleafure the fucceeding
paragraph point out the merits of his
mature choice with clear difcrimination a
and generoufly prevent the confufion of
maiden delicacy, by carefully avoiding
that apparent certainty of acceptance
which his knowledge of the ftate of her
heart might have prompted him to
afifume.
Mifs Evans's reply announced the pa-
ternal fanflion which her lover had fo-
licited, and (he added, with all the frank
fincerity of her character, a confeffion
of the efteem and gratitude (I am al-
i moft
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 83
moft afraid me faid tendernejs too)
which his long-known worth had in-
fpired. The laws by which we veftal
lifters were accuftomed to conduct our
affairs of courtfhip were much more
auftere and remorfelefs, and better cal-
culated to keep up the dignity of the
fex than thofe which the prefent race of
beauties adopt.
Then love could live on {lender bounties,
Then lovers gallop'd o'er two counties,
The ball's fair partner to behold,
And humbly hope (he caught no cold.
One year generally elapfed before the
fuitor could prefume to expect a direct
reply -, and it was not till after feven
years punctual attendance, or the actual
drawing up of the marriage iettlements,
that the lady's acknowledgment of reci-
procal efteem could be jollified. Some
hufbands, my cotemporaries, have de-
clared, that the trepidations of doubt
E 6 and
84 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
and anxiety fcarcely fubfided till thofc
of the modern couple generally begin ;
I mean, when the fair one promifes at
the altar to be her good man's unalien-
able property " till death do them
" part." But though I difapprove of
the renunciation of this decorous feve-
rity in moft inftances, I am inclined to
permit a little latitude when the lover
acts with the integrity of a Henry Pow-
erfcourt, and the lady poflefTes the un-
affected prudence of a Lucy Evans. To
terminate my diffufe account of this
correipondence, Lucy reprefled her lo-
ver's hopes of a fpeedy union by ftat-
ing her previous refolution of fpending
the following autumn in Scotland.
" No, my love," faid the countefs,
wjiofe attention appeared to be roufed
by the conclufion of her friend's epiflle,
" I will not allow you to make fuch a
t facrifice. Dearly as I prize your fo-
" ciety,'
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 85
" ciety, you (hall be juft to prior
" claims. I fhall not be wretched^ I
" mean dull, without you. I will fit
" under my favourite beeches, and me-
" ditate on that fair portrait of connu-
" bial happinefs which you and your
" Henry will 'prefent. He has been
<c long deprefied in his fortunes and
" crofied in his hopes. How fhall I
<c rejoice in the idea of his being at
" laft poflefled of the independence that
" he fo well deferves, and of the hap-
" pinefs which his difpafllonate judg-
" ment bed approves ! You too, my
" Lucy, rich in every domeftic excel-
cc lence! my heart rejoices at the pro-
" fpeft of your virtues expanding in a
" larger fpherej of your fortitude and
" quiet heroifm receiving its merited
f reward. I will not be the means of
" delaying this aufpicious union a fmglc
" hour."
But
86 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" But as my fwain fays nothing upon
" the fcore of an early day, or fond
impatience, am I to give him a hint
cc that I expect fuch flourifhes ? No in-
c< deed ; I think I have been quite frank
" enough already, and fet him more at
" cafe than any lover (I mean except
cc himfelf) ought to be. His father's
"death is very recent; and I know
" his fenfe of propriety will prevent
" him from propofing marriage at pre-
w fent. Let me then, by mowing that
<c I do not expect it, convince him that
* c I can imitate the virtues I revere.
" What ! but one faint fmile, Geral-
" dine, at that declaration ? I expedted
" to have heard fome pretty allufion
<e to fir Charles Grandifon, or to
" the c Phoenix, that fole bird. 9 Can-
c< not you recollect fome little ihade in
" Henry's character? his purple coat,
" for inftance, which diverted you fo
" much
A TALE OF THE TIMES, 87
" much two years ago. But perhaps
" you truft to time to abate the ro-
" mance of my fentiments, or men-
<f tally quote the anfwer to your own
fc conundrum, c why marriage is like a
cc microfcope ?' c becaufe it difcovers
<f little blemimes.'
cc It is happy/' faid the countefs,
<c when there are only little blemifhes
cc to difcover. I will no longer refufe
" your fociety, my dear playful friend ;
" but I accept it upon one condition,
" that 1 may put a poftfcript to your
" letter to Henry."
" If you will promife to fay nothing
" as coming from me."
The countefs gave her word to the
contrary, and then added the following
lines :
" I have confented to take your
" dearer felf to Scotland, in hopes that
" the ftrong attraction will compel you
"to
88 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
c< to give us the additional pleafure of
<c your company. 1 would tell you how
" I rejoice at your propofals to my
cc Lucy, but words are fo inadequate to
" my feelings that I muft refer you to
" your knowledge of my character to
" eftimate the fincerity of my tranf-
" ports. May you be as happy as your
" mutual virtues deferve, blefied with
" health, peace, and every worldly com-
" fort ! There is an event (O how my
" filial heart abjures the impending
" evil 1) which will enable me to give
" my valued friend ilronger marks of
" efteem and gratitude than ineffedtual
" wifhes, by fulfilling a promife ever
cc facred to
GERALDINE
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 89
CHAP. XXXV.
Is aught fo fair
In all the dewy landfcapes of the fpring,
In the bright eye of Hefpcr, or the morn,
In nature's faireft forms, is aught fo fair
As virtuous friendship ?
AKENSIDE.
No event happened immediately after
my Heroine's return to Scotland that
deferves to be recorded. Though Mifs
Evans's conviction that fome concealed
forrow preyed upon her amiable friend's
mind, was the fecretcaufe of her accom-
panying her, me rightly judged that it
was of a fpecies which would receive
no diminution from participation, and
therefore forbore to intrude upon the
fanctity of woe. She contented herfdf
with employing the (lores of her well-
cultivated
O A TALE OF THE TIMES.
cultivated mind, and the. emanations of
her fportive fancy, to alleviate the de-
jection which admitted not of cure.
Her anxious defire to amufe her penfive
companion fometimes made her cheer-
fulnefs more redundant than agreed
with her natural character. But lady
Monteith's perfuafion, that the funfhine
of her profpects gave a more feftal
gaiety to her fpirits, prevented her from
perceiving that her Lucy's vivacity was
more fymptomatic of afiiduous, anxious
friendfhip, than exprefiive of the calm
fatisfaction of heartfelt happinefs.
The countefs fometimes drew a pa-r
rallel between her friend's fituation and
her own, and her heart funk at the
chilling contraft. How bright the ra-
diance of love purified by efteem ! How
mild the luftre of equal minds, humble
but not contracted fortunes, fimilar
taftes, and moderate defires ! How
blank
A TALE OF THE TIMES. C)l
blank were her own views ! Not the
uncontrolled pofTeflion of an extenfive
domain, not the pomp and fuperiority
of feudal greatnefs; cloud-capped moun-
tains crowned with forefts of pine, lakes
beftudded with verdant iQands, and
fringed with odoriferous Ihrubs, could
now afford her any pleafure. The fpa-
cious manfion, the numerous eftablifh-
ment, feemed but mementos of their
abfent lord. Even the fociety of her
lovely children could not give the ex-
pected confolation. They fpoke and
looked like their fakhlefs father, and
the tear of anguifh mingled with the
fmile of maternal rapture.
The correfpondence of Fitzofborne
afforded no fatisfactory intelligence. If
one letter announced a plan which it
was hoped might detach him from Mrs.
Harley, the next epiftle proclaimed its
failure, and only detailed fome muti-
lated
2, A TALE OF THE TIMES.
lated converfations which implied a
more total alienation of his lordfhip's
affections than the writer thought it was
prudent to communicate. Her tearful
eyes fixed upon thefe particulars, and
paHed over with cold and vacant gaze
the compliments which Edward ad-
drefled to her perfon, mind, and con-
duel. She fcarcely obferved even the
fympathy that he exprefied for her fuf-
feringss and the advice he gave her to
detach her affections from a man who
he feared would never again return her
tendernefs, was rejected with a convic-
tion that it was impracticable.
The frequency of lady Monteith's re-
ceiving letters in a male character very
diflimilar to her lord's, at length excited
Mifs Evans's curiofity ; and it even rofe
to anxiety upon perceiving, that they
were always referved for a private pe-
rufal. Her attention, thus cafually
fixed*
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 93
fixed, was continually revived by fome
frefh myftery which every poft-day re-
vealed. The countefs feemed almoft
fretfully impatient till the mail arrived ;
and if any company were prefent at the
founding of the horn, me always made
fome excufe to leave the room. More
than once Lucy perceived her feled the
letter of this favoured correfpondent,
and retire to read it, while even her
lord's lay unopened. Yet they appear-
ed rather to increafe her melancholy
than to relieve it : and conftantly, after
having fhut herfelf in her own apart-
ment to anfwer them, her face bore un-
equivocal marks of having been bathed
in tears.
Difdaintng to fatisfy her doubts by
indirect means, and unable to purfue
any plan of raillery or playful artifice
on what fhe feared was a very ferious
fubjeft, Lucy determined to give her
friend
94 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
friend an imprefiive hint of a very ap-
parent impropriety ; but unfortunately
the interference of the Evans's was al-
ways fo ill- timed as rather to afiift than
to fruftrate Fitzolborne's diabolical
views. In reply to a letter in which the
countefs> like the artlefs placable Def-
demona, had profefled that it was im-
pofiible for her affections ever to change
their object, Edward announced the
welcome tidings of her lord's fpeedy re-
turn. The merit of this reformation
was, however, wholly owing to his
friendly monitor's contrivance. He
had cut out that part of Geraldine's
letter which contained thofe affecting
expreflions of inviolable attachment, and
pretending, that it was addre fifed to one
of her London correfpondents, with
whom he was intimate, he had fhewn
ic to lord Monteith, and fo flrongly
worked up his feelings of compunction
and
A TALE OF THE TIMES. C)J
and fhame, that a rupture with Mrs.
Harley was the confequence. Fitzof*
borne regretted, that he was not likely
to witnefs the reconciliation which he
had fo anxioufly laboured to promote ;
but the Minifter had juft given an ab-
folute promife in his favour, and his
long experience of courtly forgetfulnefs
convinced him of the pofitive neceffity
of reviving recollection by conftant at-
tendance. He however added, that if
his friend fhould not be in a deferable
ftate of mind when he left London, he
would renounce all his hopes of an
eftablifhment rather than rifk the fta-
bility of recent refolutions by leaving
him, during his long journey, to the
fuggeftions of his wayward fancy.
An exclamation, oj* rather Ihriek of
furprize and tranfport, which followed
the perufal of this letter, drew Mils
Evans into the countefs's chamber. She
found
96 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
found her friend funk upon her knees,
her hands and eyes lifted up as in a
flrong rranfport of devotion, while the
palenefs of her countenance indicated
immediate danger of fainting. Lucy
flew to aflift her. " No," faid lady
Monteith, gently rejecting the proffered
falts, <f I am not ill. A fudden furprize
<c has overwhelmed me - leave me to
" myfelf a little I lhall foon be com-
fc pofed." Mifs Evans filently with-
drew.
Contrary to the ufual hofpitality of
Monteith cattle, the friends fat down
tete-a-tete to dinner. The noble hoftefs
was recovered from her firft emotion ;
but her manner indicated that fome im-
portant event demanded all her thoughts,
which reluclantly fubmitted to pay a
fcanty attention to pafiing objects. The
fervants were no fooner withdrawn,
than, unable any longer to reftrain her
full-
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 97
full- fraught heart, fhe told her friend
that they fhould foon have a welcome
addition to their party in the company
of lord Monteith, and perhaps Mr.
Fitzofborne alfo.
" I fincerely rejoice in my lord's re-
cc turn," faid Mifs Evans ; " but I
" thought his friend was fully occupied
rt either in attending the Minister's
" levee, or in difcharging the duties of
" the office which you told me his lord-
" fhip's intereft would procure him."
<c He will facrifice every thing to the
" defire of proving his fmcere attach-
" ment to me," faid lady Monteith,
too much engroffed by the lively patfion
of gratitude to attend to the caution
which fhe had hitherto ufed upon the
fiibject of her correfpondence with Ed-
ward.
Alarmed at thefe expreffions, Mifs
Evans perfevered in a curiofity which
VOL. in. F fhe
98 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Ihe would have reprobated upon any
other occafions and Geraldine, drawn
by her interrogatories to be more ex-
plicit that fhe at firft defigned, at length
confided the whole ftory of her latent
forrows. She fpoke the prefent feel-
ings of her heart 3 and though fhe fup-
pofed it ftill attuned to gentle compla-
cency and forgiving fweetnefs, diftrefs
had for fome time prevented her from
engaging in her cuflomary duty of felf-
examination ; and the Indignant fenfa-
tions of flighted beauty, and offended
defert, gave an air of refentment to
her narrative of her hufband's perfidy,
which the limited merit of his reluctant
return and irrefolute repentance could
not fubdue. She haftened from this
painful fubject to the more pleafmg
theme of Fitzofborne's difcernment,
zeal, and fidelity} his refined delicacy,
correct judgment, and all the capacious
powers of his exalted foul,
" Poffibly
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 99
" Poffibly he may mean well," ob-
ferved Mifs Evans, after having, with,
marked attention, twice read Fitzof-
borne's letter. Surprized at a fuggef-
tion which Teemed deficient of her ufual
candour, lady Monteith replied, that
the integrity could not be doubtful
which fpoke by the moft noble a&ions.
" What," faid fhe, " but difmterefted
<c virtue could thus direct his unwearied
" affiduity to attempt the reftoration of
<c my domestic happinefs ?"
<c There is a myftery in this bufi-
cc nefs," continued Lucy, cc which I
ic cannot penetrate. It is to me aftonifh-
<c ing, that lord Monteith, after having
ec been feveral years your happy huf-
<c band, fhould, unfolicited and felf-
<c feduced, abandon you for a woman,
<c whofe weak pretenfions to his notice
" muft arife from fome faint tranfcript
" of that intelligent beauty which ani-
F 2 <c mates
IOO A TALE OF THE TIMES*
" mates your countenance, or fome
" contemptible imitation of the playful
wit which irradiates your conver-
" fation."
" My dear fecluded friend/' replied
the countefs, " knows nothing of the
* c corrupt manners of the world -, of
<c the eclat which general opinion at-
" taches to novelty, or of the celebrity
c which is oftener fhared by eccentri-
" city and a bold defiance of decorum,
" than awarded to real defert."
" True," faid Lucy; happily both
" for my temper and my heart, I am
" ignorant of the manners you defcribe.
" But how could lord Monteith fee
cc this Mrs. Harley ? A woman of her
cc defcription muft be a ftranger to the
" parties he would frequent : I mean,
<c while he continued unfeduced by the
" allurements of vice."
Lady
A TALE OF THE TIMES. ICI
Lady Monteith obferved, that though
women of character never vifited cour-
tezans i yet unlefs they were very low,
or very audacious, the latter always ap-
peared in public places ; and if a cer-
tain degree of fafhion was annexed to
them, either on account of their own
wit and elegance, or for the rank or
talents of their admirers, gentlemen felt
themfelves not difgraced by being feen
in their parties. It was, therefore, very
poffible for her lord to fee Mrs. Harley
fufficiently to be allured by her perfon
and converfation, without his frequent-
ing any fcenes unbecoming his rank or
injurious to his reputation.
Lucy fighed at the relaxed manners
which feemed to ufher in the triumphs
of relaxed principles. But her fufpi-
cions of fome nefarious proceedings
on the part of Fitzolborne were not
yet entirely removed. <c I muft then,"
F 3 faid
IO2 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
laid fhe, " fuppofe my lord quite
" changed j but ftill I know you are
" the fame. Your feeling heart will
tc not allow you to eftimate the degree of
" regard which you fliould bear to the
" hufband of your youth and the father
* c of your children by the cold plea of de-
44 fert. Your forgivenefs would outftep
( his felicitations j and every time you
4f fpoke or wrote to him, the fentiments
" of your full-fraught heart would give
" a dignified tendernefs to your expref-
<c fions remote from reproach, and beN
" ter calculated to awaken compunction.
" How came it, my love, that this fu-
*' fering gentlenefs, exerted at Powerf-
cc court, or the affectionate letters that
" you have written to him fince you
" have been here, have had no effect i
* c but that the mighty good mould at
<c length be accomplifhed by the fkilful
<c contrivance and artful interpofuion
<c of
A TALE OF THE TIME*. I O J
" of Mr. Fitzofborne ? Has he a greater
C influence over your hufband than
" you could acquire ? You r who are fo
<c much interefted to exert'the refiftlefs
<f power of your many invincible:
cc charms ! How diflimilar muft lord
se Monteith's character be from what it
" appears !"
Geraldine pleaded, that people arc
differently difpofed at different times ;
and that fimilar adlions and fentiments
frequently fail of producing correfpond-
ent effects > and me accounted for the
inefficacy of her pen by owning, that
fhe had only written fhort and in fome
fort formal letters to her lord fince her
return to Scotland. " No longer able,"
faid (he, tc to pour forth my whole
" heart, I was glad of fome extraneous
" fubjecl which would occupy the vacant
" page/'
F 4 And
IO4 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" And how did you then hope to re-
" claim him?" inquired Lucy. tc I
" Ihould think that if he perceived any
" coldnefs in ycur manner he would
" turn that difcovery into an apology
" for his behaviour."
" I could not lielp the conftruclion
" he might put upon my letters. Sor-
" row cannot be diffufe, unlefs where
" it may imbofom its woes."
" Did you not write at large to Mr,
Fitzofborne ?"
" I did. He knew my fecret, and
" in his interpofition was my only
" hope."
" Do women of fafhion, my Geral-
" dine, countenance one another in the
" cuftom of having male confidants as
" well as male attendants ?"
<f There is a little pique/' thought the
countefs in that obfervation j cc but
<c friendfliip warm as jny Lucy's is very
fuf-
A TALE OF THE TIMES. lOj
" fufceptible, and I will not refent her
<c well-meant acrimony."
" Be aflured," faid (he, clafping Mifs
Evans's hand with a fmile of tender
fweetnefs, " that accident alone gave
" him poflefiion of what prudence
" taught me to conceal from you." She
then related the principal particulars of
what pafTed in lord Monteith's drefiing-
room at Powerfcourt ; but though all
her communications were intended to
place Fitzofborne in a fairer point of
view, the lufpicious Lucy only difco-
vered increafing m'yftery, if not abfolute
duplicity.
" It is plain," faid fhe, in reply to
lady Monteith's narrative, fc that Fitzof-
" borne early knew of your lord's in-
" conflancy. ,. It is plain too, that he
" has all along been afiured that he
c poffefies a confiderable influence over
V his mind. Your admii^ble conduct,
j 5 "my
106 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" my Geraldine, has convinced the
" world, that, though your hufband's
" pafilons are hafty and impetuous,
" they may be diredted by gentle ma-
*' nagement. Is it not wonderful then,
" that all Mr. Fitzofborne's boafted pc-
<e netration, judgment, and felf-com-
" mand, (hould not have ftruck at the
" root of this fatal connexion before
"it was confirmed by habit; or that it
" {hould continue fo long, after he had
4< fet all his acknowledged abilities to
" work for its annihilation, when he
" had him to himfelf too, with unin-
" terrupted power to ad: as he thought
moil expedient ?"
" But he has fucceeded at laft,*' ob-
ferved the countefs, rather fretted than
convinced by the evident drift of her
friend's converfation.
<f He has: but how ? By means in-
compatible with the fr^ank ingenu-
" oufnefs
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
cc oufnefs of your character, and which
cf muft either fubject you to the appre-
" henfion of your lord's difcovery of a
" premeditated fraud, or force you to
" confefs that, defpairing of your own
" influence, you have applied to a
** knight-errant for affiftance. Only
t confider too, how inadequate are the
" means, if the victory were indeed fo
" difficult. Did lord Monteith doubt
" your affection, your conftancy, your
" forgivenefs ? Who infpired thofe
" doubts ? Or how came it, that your
Cf champion's eloquence could not dif-
" pel them ? But I perceive I diftrefs
<f you, my Geraldine. Pity, love, and
" admiration for you, are the predo-
<f minant feelings of my foul, which
" exults in your brightening profpects.
<c See, for once I tranfgrefs againft my
" ufual abftemioufnefs : this glafs of
<c Champagne is, to the fpeedy and
id " happy
1O8 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
<c happy return of the agreeable lord
, cc Monteith. You pledge me, I know,
. u in that fentiment. I have not, how-
< c ever, quite fmifhed it. Obferve what
<c follows: But no Fitzofborne with
" him." |
The countefs, fmiling, wiped a ftart r
ing tear. " I perceive," thought me,
" whence Lucy's prejudices againft this
<c amiable man arife. Her father fuf-
<c p'ecls him of infidelity. It is a pity,
<c indeed, that he does not add the luflre
<c of piety to his acknowledged virtues ;
" but it is more unfortunate, when re-
t ligion gives its champions a tincture
" of bigotry and cenforioufnefs." Her
children, entering the room at that mo-
ment, made the images of Fitzofborne
and -his opponents yield to the tender
recollection of their returning father*
That much-defired event fpeedily
took place, and received an additional
recommendation from its happening
fooner
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
fooner than even lady Monteith's cal-
culations judged to be pofiible. Her
lord met her with a glow of tendernefs,
which quickly made her trembling agi-
tation yield to the mod delightful com-
pofure, while Lucy's fympathetic bofom
fwelled wich grateful rapture. She
turned her head afide to utter a prayer
for the continuance of this renewed af-
fection, and perceived that all her wifhes
were not fulfilled. Fitzofborne was of
the party. He made her a mod pro-
found bow. An abrupt curtefy was her
return, as (he glided by him to her own
apartment.
<c It is but fufpicion," faid ihe to
herfelf, driving to calm her agitated
thoughts -, ( and I am certainly very
" wrong in acting upon it as if it were
<e certainty. I think I fee invidious
C guile in every feature of his counte-
" nance. Yet fuppofing my conjec-
" cure
110 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
cc ture right, is it prudent for me to
<c put him upon his guard, by fhowing
<c him that I diflike him ? I ihall be bet-
" ter able to warn my friend of his de-
< c pravity, by at leaft appearing to re-
cc ceive that impreffion which he chufes
" to give me of his character."
Mifs Evans's natural fincerky, and
the ardour of her attachment to the
countefs, prevented her from purfuing
the line of conduct which fhe had pre-
fcribed. As her ftro-ng fenfe and ex-
tenfive reading enabled her eafily to
detecl: the fallacious fophifms which
Fitzolborne pafled upon his more partial
or lefs difcerning auditors ; fo her frank
ingenuoufnefs, undifguifed by the habits
of polifhed life > heightened by her early
imprinted reverence fof facred truths,,
and her anxious ^apprehenfions for the
fecurity of her beloved Geraldine, againft
whom fhe faw that the infernal artillery
5 was
A TALE OF THE TIMES. Ill
was chiefly directed, fcarcely allowed
her to confine her indignation within-
the bounds which her unaffected pro-
priety of manners would otherwife have
obferved. But violence generally de-
feats its own intentions. The horror
fhe conceived againft Fitzofborne's fup-
pofed defigns induced her to view his
every word and action with fufpicion :
and her eagernefs to convict him not
unfrequently produced a falfe accufa-
tion, of which lady Monteith's anxiety
to clear the wounded honour of her
friend conflantly took advantage.
The refultj therefore, of this vigilant
fcrutiny was not what Lucy hoped it
would be. Geraldine, inftead of being
convinced that fhe harboured a bofom-
traitor, faw in the friend of her early
youth another inftance of the ufual effects
of a fecluded way of life, pertinacity of
opinion and aufterity of manners,
The
*lt2 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
The reconciliation of the earl and his
countefs, though apparently cordial,
was not attended with that tranquil con-
fidence which preceded the, difaftrous
period of his lordlhip's enormities. He
feemed to feel degraded by the, virtues
of his wife. He difcovered reproach in
her obfervations, and feverity in her
.conduct. No longer able to flatter
himfelf with the hope that his faults
were not trumpeted to the winds, he
fometimes conftrued her behaviour into
contempt and indifference ; and though
the exquifite anguifh which that idea
caufed might have told him that a tran-
fient infatuation cannot difplace rooted
regard, he always fancied that he could
retort fcorn with fcorn ; arid as his de*-
cifions and actions followed each other
with rapid pace, he foon determined
to relinquim that tendernefs of manner
which compunction had impofed on his
firft
A TALE OF THE TIMES. IJJ
firft return, and which, he thought,
had too much the air of felf-accufatiori
to fuit the dignity of a hufband's cha-
radler. She, on the other hand, though
allured by Fitzolborne that the breach
with Mrs. Harley was irreconcileable,
could not reprefs her fears, left a heart
which once had wandered might be again
inthralled. It was plain that Fitzof-
borne had the fame apprehenlion. His
vifit to Monteith proved, that, to ufe
his own words, <c his friend was not in
" fuch a defirable ftate of mind as to
t permit his dependance upon the (la-
ic bility of recent refolutions." Thus
aggravated, Geraldine's dread of eftrang-
ing her hulband by her behaviour, or
giving him an excufe for future infide-
lity, far exceeded the bounds which
affection alone would have prefcribed ;
and her manner had an air of reftraint
which
114 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
which the increafing gloom of her lord's
did not relieve.
Befide the accufations of conference,
Monteith's foul ftruggled with other
forrows. His initiation into the myfte-
ries of the gaming-houfes had been at-
tended by fevere lofles ; and while the
extravagance of a mercenary courtezan
had been fupplied with the fums appro-
priated to his tradefmen, he had fatis-
fred his debts of honour by granting
annuities upon his eftate to that fet of
harpies who glory in the wealth which
they have acquired by adminiftering to
the vices of mankind. For the firft
time fince his marriage, the earl was
informed by his fie ward, that the. yearly
expenditure would greatly exceed his
rent-roll. Impatient of enduring the
blame of any fault which he could
transfer to another, he determined to
place this defalcation to the fums which
lady
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
iady Monteich had expended in the im-
provement of the adjacent country, and
in fome frefh erections at James-town,
with which fhe had arriufed herfdf
during his abfence. He read her a
long lecture of ceconomy; reprobated
her turn for expend ve alterations ; and
affirmed, that it would be the means of
compelling him to leave the feat of his
anceftors. Thefe reproofs were new,
ill difguifed by the pretence of providing
for his fan's education, and ill-timed:
for, relying upon his wonted liberality,
GerakUne' had not only endeavoured to
occupy her .mia-d by fome expenfive
ereCLions in the park/ but had alfo fet
on foot fome new charitable inftitutions
which her benevolent heart could not
abandon without feeling the mod lively
regret. Forgetting, or perhaps want-
ing fortitude to ufe the guiding clue
by which fhe had formerly been accuf-
tomed
Il6 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
tomed to influence his opinions, fhe at-
tempted to remonftrate, but was foon
filenced by a reply which her enfeebled
fpirits could not fupport. She retired
in tears.
The reader will not believe that Fttz-
oflborne had been fincere in his wifhes
of effecting an entire reconciliation. It
anfwered his purpofe to bring the earl
back, freed from his connection with
Mrs. Harley ; he had performed that
undertaking, and taught the countefs
that (he owed him an indelible debt
of gratitude. He now generally left
his lordfhip to that mifery which muft
be the natural effect of a perturbed con-
fcience and perplexed circumftances
upon a mind which wanted wifdom to
plan and fortitude, to perfevere in a
fyftem of economical retrenchment, or
to efface error by fincere repentance.
He faw with pleafure the gay, carelefs,
generous
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
generous earl of Monteith, become
gloomy, abfent, morofe, and penurious.
He faw too, that the bottle was con-
ftantly applied to, not as formerly, to
be an auxiliary to mirth, but as an
opiate to filence care. Affeclion could
no longer bind the heart of Geraldine
to fuch a partner. Continual provoca-
tion muft weaken the claims of duty ;
and there needed nothing more than
that himfelf mould exhibit the full effect
of contraft, by a difplay of the virtues
mod oppofite to Monteith's vices, and
to proceed in his defign of enfeebling
the power of religious principles, to ren-
der the unfufpecting countefs his eafy
prey. Her oppolition to what me
thought the extreme rigidity of fome of
Mifs Evans's opinions, and her tacit
acquiefcence with feveral of his tenets,
convinced him, that he had made a
confiderable progrefs. He continued
filent
II & A TALE OF THE TIMES.
filent upon the fubjeft ofher lord's con-
dud. An air of pity and refpeft,
mingled with the uniform attention of
his manner, (poke a language far plainer
than words.
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
CHAP. XXXVI.
I hate when Vice can bolt her arguments,
And Virtue has no tongue to check her pride.
MILTON.
I HAVE already obferved, that mifs
Evans's impetuofity was of difiervice to
the noble caufe which fhe confcientioufly
efpoufed ; and Fitzo/borne, certain that
her zeal would defeat her intentions,
pafled herin filence, as an enemy whom he
could only render formidable by appear-
ing to fear. But the caufe of principle
was now defended by the arrival of an-
other champion. Mr. Powerfcourt
availed himfelf of the countefs's invi-
tation to chide his Lucy for a tyranni-
cal exercife of female prerogative, in
compelling him to take a journey of two
hundred miles to whifper a love-tale
which might have been more agreeably
told
120 A TALE OF THE TIMES/
told in a little woodbine bower which
fhe had ere&ed, in ftrict conformity to.
the rules prefcribed by her favourite poet
Mafon, in the parfonage garden at Pow-
erfcourt. Henry had named it after the
Nerina of that elegant bard, and deco-
rated it with the following infcription
and motto :
\
I only begg'd a little woodbine bower,
Where I might fit and weep.
MASON'S ENGLISH GARDEN,
NERINA's BOWER.
Wind, fragrant woodbine ! round Nerina's bower :
Clematis, deepen the umbrageous fhade ;
And, mingling with the jas'mine'spenfile flower,
Fulfil the wifhes of the mourning maid.
Here oft, when evening finks in foft repofe,
Shall Mafon'i numbers wake the flumb T rin
* grove :
Here, gentle Lucy mall recite the woes
Of orphan beauty and unhappy love.
As tafteful fympathy enjoys the theme,
Fancy, the local landfcape ihall extend ;
Bid Grecian fanes in dim perfpeclive beam,
And Gothic arches mid the pine-trees bend.
Ye
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Ve fportive fays, ye fine etherial forms,
Nymphs of the funbeain, fylphids of the breeze r
Defend this foliage from untimely ftorms,
From blafting mildew fave thefe votive trees.
Here, on this verdant turf, the tuneful queen
With attic grace her deathlefs fong renews ;
And native virtues confecrate the fcene,
Sacred to Lucy's tafte, and Mafon's mufe;
The chidings of a fincere lover arc
rarely formidable ; and Mifs Evans had
an excufe to plead, which would have
difarmed a fiercer refentment than ever
glowed upon any occaflon in Henry's
bread. In the fame moment he for-
gave her flight, applauded her motives,
and promifed to afiift her defigns. cc I
w knew Fitzofborne while I was in
" Italy," faid he 3 " our acquaintance
" was but flight, yet I difcovered
" enough to be convinced that he mud
" be a dangerous inmate in any family."
But though Powerfcourt poflefled fuf-
ficient penetration to read the character
vou in. c of
122 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
of a mafked villain, Edward's profound
difcernment had for once led him to
form an erroneous conclufion. The fo-
ciety in which he had met Henry was
compofed of perfons whom the latter
defpifed for their folly, or detefted for
their impiety ; and convinced, that even
the argumentative powers of the unri-
valled Crichton would be in vain ex-
erted againft wilful error, he determined,
by not treating them with a difpute, to
fuffer them to enjoy their fading poppy-
garlands uncontefted. Fitzofborne had
concluded, that the reafon of his coun-
tryman's filence was his having nothing
to fay j and he hailed the arrival of an
antagonift at Monteith, whofe fpeedy
defeat would add to the already exalted
reputation which his fcientific abilities
had acquired among the rural efquires,
feudal lairds, and officers in quarters,
who
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
I 2J
who frequented the earl of Monteith's
table.
When Geraldine acquainted her friend
with her coufin's expedted arrival, his
flile of commendation exprefled his idea
of his character. " O, Harry Pow-
" erfcourt ! I was acquainted with him
<c abroad. A very honed, downright
" foul, with true'Englifh notions; he
cc feemcd always afraid of mixing with
" ftrangers. I fball be very happy to
" fee him again, for I enjoyed his fin-
" cerity."
" He is an exception then to the
" general obfervation ; for he is moft
cc honoured by thofe who bed know
cc him," faid the countefs. cc W^e
" efteem him a good fcholar, and a
" very fenfible intelligent companion."
<c A great deal, my dear madam,
" depends upon our confining ourfelves
" to the ftricl: definition of words, or
G 2 " elfe
124 A TALE OF THE
" elfe our intentions are ambiguous. I
<f perceive that by my neglect: of this
" rule, you have miftaken mine. Mr.
<c Powerfcourt has indifputably a very
" good plain underftanding, and I dare
" fay he is an excellent claflical fcholar,
" But pardon me if I fay he has never
" ftepped out of the beaten track, nor
" attended to what I mould call the
<f concatenation of deductions, or con-
" fecutive effect of given poftulates ;
f and from this want of arrangement
" in his mental faculties, it follows, of
" courfe, that he takes things as they
" are, without examining from what
" caufes the difeafes in the moral and
" natural world originate, or how they
" may be remedied."
The countefs under flood as much erf
this fpeech as the fpeaker intended (he
fhould; and me could only lament her
early inattention to logical ftudies, which
might
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 125
might have convinced her, as they had
done Fitzofborne, that creation wanted
to be new-modelled ; and that the pre-
fent age had more wifdom than all the
preceding ones taken collectively.
The intended combatants now flood,
like Homer's heroes, " panting for the
fight/' and impatient for the fignal
of engagement. Though the defire of
victory alone would not have induced
Powerfcourt " to unlock his lips in
fuch unhallowed air," the preferva-
tion of Geraldine from the fnares of a
feducer infpired him with a zeal warm
even as that which Lucy Evans pofiHTed.
But being tempered by fuperior judg-
ment, he determined to appear, as if
he rather adopted an opinion from his
obfervation of Fitzofborne's behaviour,
than came with a predetermined refolu-
tion of difliking what he was expected
to admire.
G 3 Aware
126 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Aware that it is much eafier to affail
the opinions of others, than to bring
forward a well-digelted fyftem of your
own, Fitzoiborne determined to com-
mence the attack. An opportunity foon
offered for him to point fome of thofe
contemptible but blafphemous farcafms
which pafs for wit, againft the Old
Tc (lament, which infidelity is now pleaf-
ed to term an indefenfible outwork
of the popular theology. A fcandalous
tale of a married nobleman had found
its way into a public paper; Fitzofborne
pointed it out to Monteith by a fignifi-
cant glance^ while he, with the pleafure
common to offenders on difcovering a
companion in guilt, honoured the
^wretched jeft with which the paragraph
concluded with a hearty laugh.
cc What has entertained you, my
<c lord," inquired the countefs. " May
f c we not partake of your mirth ?"
Monteith
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 127
Monteith haftily repliM, that it would
notamufe her; and Edward, tofiing the
paper among the other publications of
the day, fagacioufly obferved, that the
conduct of the prefent age correfponded
more with the practices recorded by
the Jewifh claftks than with the pre-
cepts of their auftere lawgiver. " The
" offences," continued he, <c which feeni
" to give eclat to thofe heroes who are
" recorded in the fongs of their bards,
" are in their legiQative code punimable
<c with death, at lead if we fuppofe
" thefe narrations literal. But we muft
" allow, that the bed critics, confider-
<c ing the allegorizing temper of thofe
c< people, are led to believe, that the
" whole compafs of their literature is
<f fabulous, and by no means pofTefling
" that claim of high antiquity to which
** it pretends."
G 4 Henry's
A TALE Of THE TIMES,
Henry's heart throbbed with indig-
nation j but he determined to wait his
opportunity of interpofing when his au-
dacious adverfary was thrown off his
guard. Warm with affectionate zeal
for thofe truths from which her father
had fo often drawn inftruclive moral
leffons, and the mod auguft views of
fuperintending Providence gradually
unfolding its amazing defigns, Mifs
Evans determined immediately to reply.
" It cannot," thought fhe, " be any
" dereliction of female modefty and
" delicacy to mow an infidel that
* c women may be courageous in a fa-
" cred caufe. Even my father's avowed
11 opinion, that we ought to withdraw
" from controverfial topics, would
" change with the exigency of the pre-
<f fent cafe, which calls me to repel
" the attacks of profligacy and impiety
" united
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" united for the definition of my un-
ec fufpecling friend."
Determined: by thefe reflexions, me
addrefled Fitzofborne : " How long,
" fir, have thefe fagacious critics fuc-
<c ceeded in convincing the world that
" their flile of reafoning was juft ? My
" father has devoted his whole life to
<f the attainment of facred learning i
" and I have heard him fay, that the
" attempts of fceptics ferved but to
" confirm the {lability of that heaven-
<c erected edifice which they fought to
" undermine."
" The honour of an argument witli
" Mifs Evans/' returned Edward bow-
ing, " is too great a novelty for me to
" decline embracing it j and I cannot
<c but lament that I have not been pre-
" vioufly prepared for the conteft, by
" having obtained a knowledge of the
" arguments by which the fuperibr
G 5
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
"judgment of Mr. Evans was decided,
cc T am myfelf a fincere friend to reli-
" gion, anxious for its real rights, and
ee jealous of its true honour j and as
" fuch I have been tempted to wifh
" that fome untenable points were fairly
" given up, and that the profound the-
Cf ologifts of the prefent day would fe-
l led thofe pafTages which bear ftronger
" marks of infpiration. I confcfs that
<f I have often felt mortified at feeing
" the abilities of the order exerted in
cr the defence of thofe parts of the fyf-
" tern which \vere more prudently
<f abandoned by candid difputants."
" And I/' fa id Lucy, " have been
C( mortified too, when I have feen reli-
<c gion degraded by a mock defence.",
Mr. Powerfcourt exulted in the blufh
of honeft indignation which glowed on
his Lucy's cheek, and enjoyed the tem r
porary confufion of her adverfary. Fitz-
olborne
A TALE OF <THE TIMES. IJf
oiborne foon recovered; but, too much
piqued to preferve the ufual politenefs
of his manners, he begged Mifs Evans
to have the goodnefs to repeat her fa-
ther's obfervations. They would, he
was fure, be entitled to refpeft ; perhaps
might operate to his convi&ion. Were
they drawn from his perfect acquaint-
ance with the Greek and Hebrew lan-
guages, or had he ftudied Syriac litera-
ture ?
" I do not know," faid Lucy, fen-
fible that this attack was defigned to
expofe her.
c< From chronology, natural philofo-
" phy, or hiftory ? But I believe, ma-
<c dam, you are yourfelf miftrefs of thofe
" fciences."
Mifs Evans's colour heightened with
every interrogatory. There was a large
party prefent, and fhe felt the cruelty
of thus holding her out to general
G 6 ridicule.
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
ridicule. She blamed her own temerity
in having attacked a Proteus who could
hide his native deformity in a thoufand
forms.
Henry felt her embarraflment too
ftrongly not to relieve it. " Do not
" diftrefs yourfelf, Mifs Evans," faid
he, " by endeavouring to recollect your
<f father's exprefilons. I had the hap-
" pinefs of being educated under his
tf aufpicos, and I know the value of
cf his opinion too well to withhold
" it from thofe who defire informa-
tion. 3>
<c You were of Oxford, I think,
" fir/' faid Fitzoiborne, difconctrted
by the determined coolnefs of Henry's
manner. <c Several of my friends muft
c< have been your cotemporaries." He
then enumerated a long lift, in which
he took care to include the moft con-
fpicuous young men of the age.
"My
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 133
" My time/' faid Henry, " was
" chiefly devoted to ftudy, and I formed
" few connexions. Suppofing myfelf
" deftined for orders, I applied clofely
" to the Greek and Hebrew languages,
cc and I made fome progrefs in the Sy-
" riac. I attended all the lectures on
" natural philofophy, and am not un-
" acquainted with hiftory and chrono-
" logy." His enumeration of the very
topics on which Fitzofborne had quef-
tioned Lucy was rendered more fignifi-
cant by the modulation of his voice*
Fitzofborne bowed, and exprelTed at*
earneft wilh to cultivate his acquaint-
ance. The bow was returned. " I
" thought, fir," added Henry, " that
" you were felicitous to receive a little
" information refpeding thofe argu-
<c ments which induced Mr. Evans to
" affirm, that inveftigation had proved
" of inconceivable ufc in eftablifhing
" the
134 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
t the authenticity of the Old Tefta-
" ment?"
cc I fhall efteem it a particular favour
" if you would inform me/' replied
Fitzofborne. " Can you give me your
<c company in the library for that pur-
" pofe to-morrow morning ? The ladies
cc will thank us for adjourning the de-
<c bate for the prefent."
" I mould conceive, fir," faid Powerf-
court, ",that the ladies are interefted
ct in the authenticity of their bibles ;.
<f and- when any doubts are darted,.
tc explanations fhould follow of courfe.
cc By your calling forth a lady to debate
" thefe points, you muft certainly join
" in my opinion, that the caufe of in-
" fpiration is perfectly fafe in the hands
" of that fex, who are accuftomcd to
" argue jfrom the feelings of an unvi-
cc dated heart, rather than from the
" cold
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 135,
c< cold deductions of the underftand-
" ing."
" No one/' refumed theevafive Fitz-
ofborne, " can have a greater refpect
c< for female excellence than myfelf ;
cc and before you profefs yourfelf the.
<c champion of fentiment, as oppofed
" to argumentative deductions, you
" mould foften the afperity which ap-
<c pears in your manner, by remember-
" ing that I never attacked the fair.' J
cc Not in a direcl: way, I believe/'
faid Henry in a moft animated voice,
and at the fame time leading the eye
of his antagonifl to the countefs, who
fat netting near them, feemingly en-
grofied by fome country vifitors, but
really attentive to this converfauon.
Edward felt ftruck as by &n electri-
cal (hock. Habitual referve could not
prevent a fudden crimfon from flufh-
ing his face ; and his quickly with-
drawn
136 A TALE OF THE TIMES,
drawn eye told a truth which he would
willingly have concealed -, namely, that
he tmderftood Powerfcourt's allufion.
Unable to purfue a theme where dif-
covery menaced every word, and pre-
cluded from the fubterfuge which availed
him in his former difpute with Mr.
Evans, (I mean a reference of the ar-
gument to fome future time> which it
depended upon hlmfelf to procraftinate,)
Fitzofborne muft either have waited
for Henry's attack on. deidical princi-
ples, or have renewed his own charge
againft the authenticity of the fcrip-
tures. He chofe the latter. He began
to lead back the converfation by feme
flourifhing compliments on the peculiar,
fuitability of religion to the female
character ; and the impreffion which
every thing fupernatural and elevated
always made upon the delicate organs
of their imaginations. His zeal to cor-
7 reft
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 137
reft the facred text (he ufed the term
corrett upon the prefent occafion, in
preference to his ufual expreffions of
reform or improve} proceeded from a
fmcere perfuafion of the merits of feve-
*al parts of the received canon, and a
wifh to expunge from it whatever might
corrupt the delicacy of female readers,
or harden their exquifite fenfibility by
the narration of fome ads of more than ;
favage brutality.
" The fimple manners and unrefined
" language of the earlier ages," replied
Henry, " are recorded by their faithful
<c hiftorians in characters of undifguifed
:c veracity. Our ideas of decorum vary
" with the cuftoms of the time and
" country ; but vice and virtue are ila-
cc tionary. It may be a fubjct of re-
<c gret, that tranflators who render au-
<c thors of very remote antiquity mould
" think themfelves compelled to give
" a verbal
A TALE OF THE TI&ES.
Cf a verbal tranfcript of paflages which
cc might be fafely paraphrafed ; yet,
" with refpeft to the bible, I obferve,
" that fome of thofe interpreters who
" profefs to avoid the faults which many
cc years obfervation have difcovered in
" our prefent copy, have fubftitutcd a
cc fort of gay licentioufnefs in the place
<c of the objedtional grofihefs, much
" more offenfive to the purity of the
" heart. Refpefling your fecond ob-
" fervation, as I do not recollefl any
" inftance in which the vindictive Ipi-
<c rit of the Jews is pointed out to the
" imitation of fucceeding ages, I fhould
" fuppofe their hifbory might be fludied
<c even in a critical or hiftorical point
cc of view as an authentic monument
cf of ages but for infpiration wholly
" obliterated, with lefs danger of ren-
<c dering the feelings obdurate, than the
cc page of Homer, or even the epic
" labours
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 139
" labours of that champion of anti-
" chriftian liberality, Voltaire."
{C You forget," faid Fitzofborne tri-
umphantly, " the merit annexed to the
" extirpation of the Canaanites, and
<f the extinction of Amalek. Such
cc pretended injunctions from the bene-
" ficent Parent of the univerfe are with
" me a conclufive proof againft the en-
" tire infpiration of the Old Tefta-
ment."
" I read in thofe commands," replied
Powerfcourt, " an inconteftable mark
" of Divinity. I recollecl: the ftate of
<c fociety at that time, and I venerate
<c the merciful feverity which imprinted
c< upon the minds of a fmall portion
<c of mankind a renewed abhorrence
" of that cruel and degrading idolatry
cc prohibited by one of the firft com-
Cf mands which was imparted to the fa-
ct ther of the Poftdiluvian world. Sure-
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" ly, youy fir, forget the maxim of a
" poet whofe mifdirected mufe is often
" quoted by our prefent deifts to efta-
<c bli(h principles from which he would
" have fhrunk with horror. If
The great firft caufe
A&s not by partial but by general laws ;
" he is not bound by thofe rules of
"conduct which determine the equity
<c of the actions of imperfect, mort-
" lighted, perifliable man. He, in whofe
<c hands are the iflues of life and death*
<c cannot be called upon by his crea-
<c tures to anfwer for the operations
" of any of his inftruments of punilh-
" ment, be they famine, peftilence, or
" war. To fulfil fome vaft defign, per-
<c fected perhaps centuries after its for-
cc mation, the Jewifh babe may bleed
" at. Bethlehem, or the Calabrian infant
<c be ingulphed with its parents by the
* e defolating earthquake, without im-
peding
cc
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
<c peding the juftice of the Creator,
<c with whom a thoufand years are but
cc as a day. We finite creatures, ftand-
cc ing upon a little fpeck of time, can-
ic not comprehend the plans of infini-
<c tude, which extend to eternity. Ad-
" mit a future (late, and every idea of
" particular feverity vanifhes. He who
" exifts for ever can recompence the
cc unoffending children of the idolatrous
u worlhippers of Moloch with an happy
" immortality. He who knows the
" heart can crown with perpetual blifs
" the confcientious aflertors of a de-
" clining perfuafion, whom the more
" peftilent fanaticifm of infidelity im-
<c molated upon the banks of the Loire.
" The Giver of eternal life can reward
<c the patience he exercifes, and amply
" repay the premature privation of tern-
<f poral exiftence. 1 '
The
A TALE OF THE TTMES.
The company liftened with profound
attention, roufed by the folemn energy
with which Mr. Powerfcourt delivered
thefe fentiments. Mifs Evans enjoyed
the unaffeded applaufe which appeared
on every countenance. That of the
lovely countefs was lighted up by a moft
exhilarating frnile, and her exulting
heart whiipered ; <c Edward fought con-
<c vi&ion ; furely he cannot refift the
fc heavenly energy of Henry's heartfelt
<c expreflions." The converfation was
not continued on this fubjecl.
Eager to know if Fitzofborne's opi-
nion of Powerfcourt had been changed
by this difpute, Geraldine feized the
earlieft opportunity of aildng him, if
fhe had over-rated her kinfman's merits.
cc Not in the lead," was the reply.
cc He is certainly very eloquent, and
cc he poflefles fome command of tem-
" per, a virtue rarely found among
cc your
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 143
<c your keen difputants. But I need
cc not, lady Monteith, explain to your
" fagacity the exact point in which I
" could have prefled him, if politenefs
" would have permitted me to have con-
" tinned the argument. His whole re-
" ference is to infinitude and eternity,
tc terms of which we can form no
" clear ideas. He gives no pofitive
<c proof, no mathematical demonftra-
" tion of the infpiration which he tries
<c to infer from contefted pofitions;
" and till this is given by our fchool-
<c men, deifm may always reply, that
<f inattention to tnofe duties which are
" merely prelcribed by revelation, ad-
cc mits of fome excufe, if we consider
" the extreme doubt which attaches to
" thefe fubjefts ; for, if our prefent
" code of "religion may be true, it may
alfo be falfe."
" But
144 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" But is there not a great difficulty,
" if not a total impofiibility, of giving
the fatisfactory proofs which you fay
" are required ?"
" There, madam," faid Edward, " is
" unhappily the ftrong hold of fccpti-
<c cifm, of which all the powers of or-
" thodoxy have not been able to dif-
<c poflefs it. It is pleaded, and certainly
" with an air of reafon, that if divine
" intelligence really dictated what we
" call revelation, it would carry with
c4 it inconteftable proofs of its origin by
" filencing every objection, and enforc-
t ing conviction upon every mind."
Cowardly lady Monteith ! why, re-
ftrained by a fear of offending deter-
mined depravity, forbear affirming, that
the gift of reafon was never intended
to fuperfede the practice of chriftian
graces ? It was intended to confirm and
allure that faith which mall one day be
changed
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 145
changed into certainty, to animate that
hope which her boafted power could
never clearly difcover without divine
guidance. Why fear to drive the mean
difiimulator from the affected decency
of deifm into the bold audacity of
atheifm, by aiking, how animated duft
and aihes can prefume to queftion the
power which called it into exiftence,
demanding, " Why haft thou made
ic me what I am ?" How intelligence
confefTedly finite can charge the coun-
fels of that mind which pervades infini-
tude, and extends through eternity,
with inconfiftency in preferring a rule
of aftion to probationary beings, with-
outat the fame time compelling obferv-
ance ? Why forbear to inquire how hi$
favourite free-will can con (i It with fuch
a fcheme of government ? Nay, bid
him not flop at the moral wprld ; but
fay, why earth is not heaven, and man
VOL. in. H an
146 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
an incorporeal efTence, fuch as we
believe the blefied inhabitants of that
better region. Reftrained by the grow-
ing attachment which, though con-
fined within the ftricteft bounds that
the fpecious affectation of Platonic af-
fection could impofe, and unacknow-
ledged even to herfelf, certainly made
Fitzofborne's approbation of confequence
t6 her peace, lady Monteith forbore
to oppofe where Ihe dreaded to offend ;
and fhe contented herfelf with wifhing
the mind of the moft amiable of men
to be relieved from thofe doubts which
his ' converfations fometimcs transfufed
into her own iofom.
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 147*
CJLAP. XXXVII.
Why, I can fmile, and murder while I fmile ;
And cry, " Content'* to that which grieves my
heart;
And wet my cheek with artificial tears $
And frame my face to all occafions.
SHAKESPEARE.
THE difpute which occupied the pre-
ceding Chapter was not the only in-
fiance of the triumph of manly fenfe
and found principle over fophiftry, de-
clamation, and hypocrify. Confcious
of his advantage, Mr. Powerfcourt, at
every opportunity purfued infidelity into
its retreats of falfehood. He expofed
the credulity of difbelief, the inconfift-
ency of fcepticifm, and the inconclufive
futility of every argument which dared
to fet up Nature in oppofition to its
Author.
H 2 It
J4-3 A- TALE OF THE TIMES*
It was not with a hope of effecting
any change in Fitzofborne that Henry
thus continued to dare him to the
* c keen encounter of their wits j" he
knew from inconteftable authority, " that
thofe who love darknefs rather than
light, becaufe their deeds are evil,"
muft conftantly refift the elucidating
ray of truth. It was the fituation of
the Monteiths which urged him to this
continual warfare. He plainly faw the
predilection of the countefs, and the
infatuation of her lord $ and he vainly
wifhed for that " warning voice" which
might aroufe them to a confcioufnefs of
their danger. He was not without hope
too, that Edward's pride, mortified by
repeated defeats, might provoke him to
quit a refidence which continual op-
pofition muft render difagreeable ; and,
flimulated by the enterprizing warmth
of fincere friendfhip, he fcarcely cal-
culated
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 149
culated the chance of his being called
out by a man, who, on fome previous
occafions, had proved himfelf to be
Jealous of honour, fudden and quick in quarrel ;
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth.
But the patience and humility which
Edward exercifed upon this occafion
was as wonderful as his perfeverance.
Let not the Reader conclude that I
give him credit for thofe virtues ; for
it cannot be fuppofed that he would
adopt qualities which he cflccuicd tu be
weak imperfections. He ufed them
only as the means which were fandified
by the propofed end. Taught by his
recent defeat to abftain from attack, he
contented himfelf with barely attempt-
ing a defence, when Powerfcourt prefTed
him with fome powerful inference :
always taking care that fomething
in his exprefiion, look, or manner,
H 3 ihould
I^O A TALE OF THE TIMES.
fhould convey to the quick appre-
henfion of Geraldine a hint of unfair
treatment -, an infmuation of his love
of peace ; and a complaint that his
adverfary began the debate, and that it
was unjuft to feek to deprive him of his
own opinions, when he did not moleft
others in the quiet enjoyment of their
peculiar notions.
Lady Monteith loved fociety, and
few people were better calculated thajti
herfelf to enjoy and impart the name-
J^fc delights of ronverfation. Whether
we define ir, according to the ideas of
the Swan of Twickenham, to be " thp
feaft of.reafon and the flow of foul $" or>
perfonifying its exhilarating graces, de-
fcribe it in the likenefs of Milton's Eu-
phrofyne, fc buckfome, blithe, and de-
bonaire," yet ftill the aiTociate of <c un
reproved pleafure ," in whichever fhape
the goddefs prefides, the irritating fpirit
of
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 15!
of contradiction, and the fcowling ge-
nius of continual argument, muft be
profcribed ad million, or the fweets of
the mental banquet will be foured by fer-
mentation. The relaxing mind cannot
repofe upon the bofom of confidence,
and pour forth all its chpiceft (lores,
when every expreffion roufes the
clamour of oppofition. The dimpled
fmile of fportive mirth is too timid to
encounter the auflere afpeft of decla-
matory inveftigation.
Such were the reflections of Geral-
dine, who, driven by conjugal infeli-
city to feek amufement out of herfelf,
had fondly hoped that the moft refined
focial pleafures would refult from the
friends of her early youth meeting with
the accomplished intelligent Fitzofborne.
She had anticipated the delights of li-
terary converfation, the corufcations
of playful wit; and, while (he enjoyed
H 4 with
152, A TALE OF THE TIMES.
with finccre pleafure the profpedt of her
Lucy's iiappinefs, fhe determined to di-
vert herfelf with the little aukward-
,nefTes which the prefence of a beloved
cbjecl: generally gives to the manner
of a young woman pofTeffed of a deli-
cate fufceptible mind. Inftead of thefe
expedled luxuries, the demon of Difpute
took pofTefllon of the dining-room and
the faloon , accompanied their walks
and rides, their fifh ing- par ties and
mountain tours ; and, inftead of leaving
the mind of the countefs at liberty to
entertain her guefts with fomething en-
chantingly whimfical or negligently
elegant, her anxiety was perpetually
exercifed to reprefs every topic of dif-
courfe which threatened contention.
Perhaps Geraldine overcharged this
defcription. She was alfo miftaken in
fixing the whole blame of this contrj-
verfial fpirit upon Henry. More ac-
cuflomed
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 153
.cuftorried to Edward's ftyle of conver-
fation, and lefs aware of its tendency,
he could at any time drop the gage of
defiance without arrefting her attention,
till the reply of his antagonist called
her to divert the rifing ftorm. Her
infenfibility of her own danger, and con-
fequent ignorance of the confcientious
motives which urged Mr. Powerfcourt
to violate the prefcribed rules of good
breeding ftrictly adhered to in poliihed
fociety, precluded her from framing any
excufes in his j unification. That eter-
nal gratitude which (he had promifed
to preferve for the generous friend who
had facrificed his own happinefs to
her's, |imperceptibly abated, as the con-
viclion that fhe had founded her hopes
of connubial felicity on a wrong bafis
gathered ftrength. On the other hand,
the recent fervices of Fitzofborne, and
the marked contraft between him and
H 5 her
15.4 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
her lord hourly made a deeper impref-
fion i and her difapprobation of what
fhe thought cavalier behaviour increafed
her indifference for the fociety of Lucy
and her lover. Real efteem could not
be weakened ; but affection fenfibly de-
clined, at leaft fo far as to make her
wifh them married and happily fettled at
Powerfcourt.
Geraldine's eftrangement from her
once-loved friends could not be attri-
buted to Mr. Fitzofborne's Juggeftions.
However poignantly his feelings might
be wounded, he was too generous to
complain ; and refpecl for the relation
of his fair friend withheld him from
anfwering his perfecutor as moft gentk-
men would do. As fome of his own
notions had a tendency to democracy,
he could not confiftently hint the hum-
ble fituation of Henry's father, as a
reafon why his fon was unfit to
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
with men of rank. Betide, he recoU
lefted that he had pafled through the
purifying ordeal of a college education,
which always confumes every particle
of plebeian infection ; and that he could
not caft an oblique cenfure on his ori-
gin without involving the reputation of
the high-feated Powerfcourt anceftryv
He therefore never uttered a farcafm of
the kind 5 nay he even once attempted
to foften Geraldine's difpleafure, who
confeffed herfelf to be a little hurt at
her coufm's behaviour, by obferving,
that Mr. Powerfcourt's early connec-
tions might not have led him into very
polifhed fociety,. and that habit was an
irrefiftible enemy to that amenity of
manners which marked the gentleman.
But though 'thus cautious with refpecT:
to the countefs, the daring genius of
Fitzofborne winged a bolder flight with
her credulous lord. He too retained buta
H 6 faint
156 .A TALE OF THE TIMES.
faint remembrance of the merit of thefelf-
denying, accommodating rival, who had
refigned the girl he loved to his happier
vows. He forgot the dejection and
fubfequent illnefs which fppke the an-
guifh of the facrifice 5 gpd no longer
finding, that the pofieffion of that
blefling which the generous Henry re-
luctantly refigned had confirmed his
own happinefs, he was prepared to look
upon him as he' would upon any other
gueft, and tp regulate his behaviour to
him, not by a fenfe of gratitude or
efteem, but by the prefent amufement
he Deceived from his converfation. I
have fufficiently explained lord Mon-
teith's character for my readers to an-
ticipate my confeflion, that his powers
of difcrirnination were very limited. In
fact, hating controverfy, which he not
unaptly called quarrelling, if he could
not contrive, by playing with his dogs
or
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 157
or his children, to make fufficient noife
to prevent himfelf from hearing the dif-
pute, he rang the bell for his horfes and
took a ride.
He had purfued this method twice
before the hint was underftood, a fuffi-
cient excufe for the total lofs of patience
which followed. Deceived by his own
impetuofitv, and fome infmuations of
Fitzofborne, he miftook the part which
the countefs acted upon thcfe occafions,
which was generally that of a mediatrix;
for, though inclination led her to join,
with Edward, efpecially when he more
nicely affected the plaufible, yet if
Henry, by preffing his arguments clofe,-
furprifed his opponent into the avowal
of fome bold tenets, Geraldine could
not refrain from expreffing her appro-
bation of the champion of fteady
principle. Lord Monteith once entered
the room, when every tongue was loud
in
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
in declaiming againft fome pofitions
which Fitzofborne had juft attempted
to maintain on the fubject of education.
They were, that as it is prefumptuous
to affert, that obedience to parents is
any thing more than the preference of
reafon enforced by affection, the child
ought to lead its own ftudies, and .the
parent or inftructor follow $ for youth
mould enjoy perfect liberty, and be led
to knowledge not by authority, but by
inclination. His lordfhip had no difpo-
fition to give himfelf the trouble of
understanding the debate. He heard
fomething of the cruelty of debarring
innoce'nt infants of the liberty with which-
nature had endowed them, and he faw
every one united in condemning Fitz-
ofborne. He was an advocate for chil-
dren enjoying themfelves, and he never
either restrained or corrected his own,ex-r
cept when they interrupted his particular
pur-
A TALE Of THE TIMES. 159
purfuits. He was, befide, ftrongly im-
pelled to fupport Fitzofborne, who waa
now become abfolutely neceffary to him
in the double capacity of a flatterer
and an advifer.
The earl took a chair; obtained the
lead in converfation ; and foon made
himfelf mafter of the field by filencing
all oppofition. He cad a look of tri-
umph round him. " What/' faid he to
Geraldine, " have you not one word
" left to defend your opinion ? You
cc was haranguing very learnedly, and
<f laying down a fyftem of management
" which you meant to adopt with
" James, I fuppofe j but as I may not
" converfe with you upon this fubjecl:
" again, I would advife you to give it
" up, for I (hall never allow it. You
" have broke the fpirit of the poor
" girls already by your leflbns and your
f c puniffo-
160 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" punifhments ; and I fhall educate the
cc boy according to my own plan."
: The countefs anfwered by an acqui-
efcent fmile ; but his lordfhip had talked
himfelf into a fit of indignation, which
fome domeflic -perplexities fecretly in-
creafed. He arofe, and, giving his
chair rather a whirl than a pufh, ftalked
out of the room.
Every one who has witnefled little
conjugal rencontres knows, that it is
the bufmefs of byftanders to take no
notice of the palling fcene, -but to exert
their happieft addrefs to divert the at-
tention of the parties engaged to fome
new fubjecl:. Geraldine's ftarting tears
were reprefled by Lucy's obferving, that
an uncommonly beautiful butterfly refted
upon the chimney-piece; and at the fame
inftant Henry called .her to 'remark the
eham&eriftic ftyle of excellence which
diftinguifhed Titian's paintings. Fitz-
ofborne
A TALE OF THE TIMES. l6l
oiborne was loft in dejected filence. He
however rofe, as if to examine the pic-
ture which Henry had pointed out ;
and fancying his attention engroffed by
the butterfly hunt, which Mifs Evans
enlivened by a hundred humorous ob-
fervations, he whifpered to the dill-agi-
tated countefs, as he pafled her; <c Dear
" fuffering meeknefs ! mall I follow
<c him, and try to calm his favage
" frenzy ?" me faintly articulated,
ic Yes," and her champion inftantly
withdrew. A thuu^Ht that moment
ftruck the countefs, that his interpofi-
tion might add to the pafiion which
[ quiet felf-refleclion would beft fubdue.
The colours of nature or of Titian
could no longer give a tranfitory diver^
fion to the pangs of thought. The
hitherto retrained tears burft from her
eyes, and fhe haftily flew after Fitzof-
borne,
< c That
l62 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
cc That man is a villain/' faid Henry
to his Lucy, who was now the only per-
fon remaining with him in the room.
" I never doubted it," faid (he, re-
linquifhing the juft-vanquifhed butterfly.
<c But have you any frefti proofs ?"
Powerfcourt repeated the whifper which
he. had diftinctly overheard.
" O my lovely, enchanting Geral-
ts dine, how perilous is thy fituation !"
exclaimed Mifs Evans -, cc between a
<c hufband infenftble of thy virtues, and
c a pretended friend who is determined
to undermine them !"
" And how fatally infenfible of her
" danger !" continued Powerfcourt.
" Are there no means to fave her ?"
<c I have tried what to my judgment
f appeared to be the mod probable,
" and I have purfued them beyond the
cc bounds which regard for the . deco-
<f rum of my own character would
" have
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
cc have impofed. I have clearly de-
" ceded his principles, and, I ibmetimes
Cf hope, armed the countefs aginft their
<c feduclive poifons. But I cannot re-
" move him from Monteith. He en-
" dures my perfecution with a patience
tc which convinces me that he will not
" be provoked to retreat -, and I have
<f no influence either with the earl or
" Geraldine; What can prevent her
Cf from every day, nay every hour, perr
" ceiving the ftrong contraft between hjs
" fofc, infmuating, polifhed manner,
cc and the iaconfiftent, uninformed,
(( I had almoft faicl cruel, deportment
" of her much-altered lord ? You
" fee, Edwaxd himfelf draws the par-
rallel,"
cc And our beloved friend feels it,"
added Lucy. " Can there be a ftronger
cc proof of his defigns than the whifper
" which you juft overheard ?"
" Yes/ 1
164 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" Yes," replied Powerfcourt, <c there
cf is a ftronger. She is lovely and at-
t{ tractive as fancy ever feigned. And
" what fhall induce that man to refift
" the power of her charms, who has
* filenced the reftraints of conference,
" who fears no future retribution, and
* c who has Tufficient cunning to elude
" the pecuniary punilhmems which our
" laws award to his licentious crimes 2
cf Hourly expofed to the blaze of Ge-
<c raldine's ' perfections, indulged by a
Cf credulous hufband with every oppor-
<c tunity for feducing her honour, he
cc muft feel the fafcination of her beauty
"and her merit. Nay, his attentions
cc prove, even to cafual obfervers, that
" he does feel them. My right hand
" neighbour at the earl's laft public
" dinner afked me, c Who is this Mr.
" Fitzolborne ?' I told him an admirer
" of Jady Arabella Macdonald. c I am.
" very
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 165
tf very glad to hear that,' faid the
" blunt inquirer ; * for we country people
" fancied he made* love to the countefs."
Lucy determined to tell her friend
this dory, and Powerfcourt approved
the fuggeftion. <c Be careful, however,"
faid he ; c< alarm her delicacy, but not
" her pride. Convince her, chat it is
" only ftrangers that can doubt her
" recYitude ; that fbe owes the imme-
<e diate difmiflion of Fitzofborne to the
."judgment of the world, not to the
" opinions 'of thofe friends who know
<c her worth, and who deem it almoft
" impoffible that fhe mould fall."
" And fb it is," faid Mifs Evans with
energy. " I defy all the traitor^s arts
" to allure her to wilful guilt. She can-
<c not feel any real predilection in his
favour."
" Ah, Lucy," interrupted Henry,
" we foon ceafe from the perfe-
" cueing
TIMES.
" cuting attentions which we find dif-
" -pleaje the objedt of bur purfuit."
Lucy afked him whether he learned that
maxim of her' o^Geraldine ; and the
converfation chariged to a more agree* 1
able topic.
In the mean time lady Monteith had
overtaken Fitzolborhe, and, finding her
perfuafions to induce him to abandbri'
his defign of reproving her lord for his
petulance ineffectual, frie extorted from
him an engagement, that he would adt
with the gentleft caution. This agree-
ment, like the promifes of the weird
fitter to the guilty Thane .of Cawdor, J
was u ,kept to the ear but broken to the
fenfe." The caution was exercifecT
for his own fecurity, arid the gentlenefs
was the refined covering of fimulation.
He had that day made himfelif matter
of a fecret, the difcovery of which
would, he knew, point the whole tor-
13 rent
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 167
rent of the earl's fretful impatience
againft the countefs and Mr. Powerf-
eourc. I have frequently ftated, that lord
Monteith's natural character ftrongly
partook of generofity and benevolence.
Thefe noble fenfations, blunted by
felfifhnefs and inconfideration, were
now effe&ually chilled by the embar-
rafifments attendant on perplexed cir-
cumftances; and his irritable temper
was continually fretted by the reprefent-
ations of his agents, and the felicita-
tions of his creditors. It was to fome
harafling occurrences of this nature,
that his late behaviour to the countefs
muft be afcribed ; and the moment he
left the room, his fenfe of her meek
fuffe ranee added to his torment. He
flung himfelf upon the bank of the ca*
nal which wound round the menagerie,
and was beginning to yield to that
tranquillity of mind which the warbling
birds,
l68 A TALE Of THE TIMES.
birds, the waving trees, and the calm
fpl-endour of a mild autumnal fun, in-
fpired, when Fitzofborne feated himfelf
by his fide.
" When do you cut a communica-
tion between this canal and the lake ?"
inquired he. The earl only anfwered
by a profound figh.
<f You told me," refumed his tor-
mentor, " that you had fuch a defign.
<c You alfo mentioned your intention
" of levelling a fmall eminence which
" intercepts your view of the Gram-
pian hills."
Stung by the recollection of thole
plans of princely magnificence by which
he had once intended to embellifh the
feat of his anceftors, lord Monteith
could only anfwer by execrating the
dice-box.
" My good friend^ faid Fitzofborne,
" why perfift in teazing yourfelf with
" ufelefs
A -TALE OF THE TIMES. 169
cc ufelefs recolledtions of pad misfor-
* c tunes? Let us look forward to the
" future. You have noble expe&ations.
" Sir William Powerfcourt cannot in
"the courfe of nature livelong, But
cc I believe I fhould not have entered
" upon that painful fubjecl:/'
' Lord Monteith, who at that inftant
felt the mifery of (Iraitened circum-
ftanees too drongly to regard with for-
row the death of an old man who would
leave him a handfome fortune, inquired,
why he fhould think it fuch a painful
event ? " There is a great deal of whim-
<c (ical goodnefs about the old baronet,"
added he, " but people cannot live for
<c ever."
" I did not fufpecl: you of the pueri-
" lity of grieving for his death," faid
.Edward fmiling. " I allude to the awk-
" ward circumftances in which you will
-" be placed at his demife."
VOL, in. .1 cc Is
I7O A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" Is coming into the pofieflion of
" five thoufund a-yea'r an awkward cir-
cumftance ?"
t( No j but I think I fhould not like
<c to be the mere fteward of my wife
" and children. I fhould father like
" to have the expenditure dire&ed by
myfelf."
<c And who elfe will direft it ?" in-
quired the earl, raifing himfelf from the
ground.
" Poffibly you may have fome influ-
<c ence over the part which is fettled
" upon your daughter or your unborn
<c fon; but the two .thoufand a-year
" which the countefs difpofes of will
f be totally diverted from your
"purfe."
<c Why, what does (he mean to do
with it ?"
<c Are you really ignorant of her de-
<c figns then? .1 muft have been mif-
cc informed."
A TALE OF THE TIMES. IJl
c informed.'* Repeated entreaties drew
from Fitzofborne what he now termed
a mere guefs of his own, arifing from the
peculiar warmth of the countefs in her
friendfhips; namely, that it was in-
tended to increafe the opulence of Mr.
Powerfcourt and his bride. Then, look-
ing attentively on the earl, he inquired
what tc bloody pafiion (hook his very
frame j" and he entreated him not
to be difcompofed at his idle fuppofi-
tions; at leaft, to pafs 'the matter in
filence till it was better confirmed. My
lord promifed -, but his behaviour to
Mr. Powerfcourt became, in confe-
quence, fo flrikingly inhofpitable, that
the latter foon found himfeif compelled
to leave a family, in which, independ-
ent of his attachment to his Lucy, the
livelieft feelings of his heart were now
centered.
i 2 Inftead
172 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Inflead of obtruding his- keen fenfc
of Monteith's extraordinary behaviour
upon the obfervation of the countefs,
he contrived to give his departure the
air of choice ; and he declined with an
air of regret rather than pique Geral-
dine's faint invitation to fpend another
week with them. He had, however,
entrufled Mifs Evans with his real
fentiments. " I am convinced/' faid
he, cc that the earl is but the puppet
cc of the treacherous Fitzofborne on
cc this occafion. There are fome maf-
<f terly but diabolical machinations on
cc foot which I cannot develope. My
cc continuing here can be of no fer-
<c vice j indeed it is impoflible, confi-
<c dering the treatment which I hourly
cc experience. No effort of mine could
<c fhake the confidence which this cre-
<c dulous tool of fubtle villany repofes
* c in the betrayer of his peace. Be
" you,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 173
"you, therefore, my Lupy, the Guar-
" dian angel, and watch over your much-
" endangered, too confident friend. I
c know your zeal and your unfhakcn
" fidelity -, but I fear you will be called
" upon for exertions which will put your
f< fortitude to the fevered trial. En-
Cf dure the altered looks of your Geral-
" dine -, even brave her refentmerrl
cc Remember, that fhe is now labour-
" ing under the impulfe of a fatal delu-
" fion, and that her returning reafon
<c muft blefs the hand which fnatchcs
<c her from deftruc~lion."
" I know, Henry, J> replied Lucy,
<c that I mail continually want your di-
<e refting judgment. O that we had her
<c fafe at Powerfcourt ! How would we
" join to pour the balm of friendlhip on
6C her wounded foul !"
<f Cannot you," faid Henry, Cf plead
cc a little pardonable caprice, and fay
13 " you
174 A TALE OF THE TIlVfESi
" you have made a refolution not to
Cf confirm my happinefs till the dear
cc companion of our youth is prefent*
cc to fee your father knit the folema
bond which will make you for ever
< c mine ?"
cc I know not," cried Lucy, giving
her hand to her lover with a faint fmile A
<c what folly I would not affed; to fave
" my Geraldine."
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 175
CHAP. XXXVIII.
Is all the counfel that we two have fhar\I,
The fitter's vows, the hours that we have fpent,
When we have chid the tardy footed time
For parting us i O and is all forgot ?
AH fchool-daysfriendfhip, childhood innocence?
And will you rend our ancient fove afunder ?
SHAKESPEARE.
IT is a general obfervation, that cere-
mony increafes as affection declines.
Confcious of the unkindnefs which we
blufh to avow, we poorly attempt to
difguife our inconftancy by a parade of
words, without confiJering that we be-
tray our hypocrify by a icrupulous re-
gard to thofe minutiae, to which, while
our hearts glowed with real regard, we
were too much occupied to attend.
In proportion as lady Monteith felt
the pleafure me took in Mifs Evans's
i 4 fociety
A TALE OF THE
fociety really diminifh, (he was more ofr-
fervant in her hofpitable attentions, not
with a view to deceive, but from *he~
more generous motive of wifhing to
avoid giving pain. Though (lie would
not have felt any uneafinefs to have feen-
her accompany Henry back to Caernar-
vondiirej me exprefTed a lively feife of
her Lucy's goodnefs in remaining. She
was ever fearful at dinner that her friend
was not taken good care of -, and though
Mifs Evans had made repeated vifits to
Monteith, it now firft occurred to the
countefs, that there was an impropriety
in lodging her in one of the turret
chambers, though the primary reafon
for doing fo had been, that it was the
neareft to her own.
Lucy experienced all the trials which
Henry had predicted ; but fhe recol-
lected, that fhe had determined to en-
dure them. " Let the word come/'
faid
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 177
faid fhe, <c fhat my fears predict, her
" heart can never be vitiated. The
cc moment the feducer pulls off the
* c mafk, Ihe will detect him ; and as
<c the delufion vanifhes, her fufceptible
" heart will recal thofe real friends
cc who drove to fnatch her from de-
ftruftion."
Vice is never fecurc, even when tri-
umphant. Let earth and hell confpire
to favour its defigns nothing is fo mean x
nothing fo cowardly as guilt. The re-
moval of Powerfcourt was a grand point
gained ; but the watchful, fearlefs, de-
termined Lucy remained; and though
Fitzofborne perceived her influence
hourly decline, he felt her prefence to
be an impediment to his concluding
machinations. He could not banifli
her, as he had done Henry, by the
agency of the earl; for the whim of
the moment always predominated with
j 5 that
178 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
that nobleman. The inconveniences
which he fancied he fuffered from a
controverfial propenfity, produced his
refolution of driving his gueft from
Monteith; and though the fufpicion,
that Henry was intended to inherit a
large portion of fir William's eftate
gave that determination immediate ac-
tion, it was confidered feparately, a
circumftance which lord Monteith's ge-
nerofity would have entirely difregarded
in a lefs embarrafTed ftate of his own
affairs. He well knew that Mifs Evans
was intended to (hare in his lady's libe-
rality; but (he was lefs objectionable to
him, on the important account of her
never attempting a formal argument.
He detefted long harangues -, but a
piquant retort was his delight, and fhe
was peculiarly happy at repartee. Her
fprightly unaffected manner, and com-
parative ignorance of falhionable life,
1 4 amufed
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 179
amufed him; and fhe had long borne
him a degree of affedtion as being the
hufband of her friend. She efteemed
his good qualities ; and her concern for
the delufion under which he laboured
induced her to be even more than
ufually attentive to his humour, and in-
dulgent to his follies.
But though Fitzofborne was thus
compelled to leave Monteith out of his
counfel, and Lucy refufed to read a
.wifli for her removal in the fickly fun-
fhine of her Geraldine's languid fmiles,
he refolved, that other means fliould
expedite her departure. A project was
therefore contrived. The evening be-
fore its completion, lord Monteith had
devoted to his increafing love for Bac-
chanalian indulgences. The hour was
late, but madeira and burgundy pre-
ferved their attractions. The joyous
party had fent excufes to the countds
i 6 for
l80 A TALE OF THE TIMES:
for not joining her in the faloon ; and
Geraldine, after fupporting a languid
evening with her two friends, (for Fitz-
ofborne had early pleaded indifpofition
as a reafon for leaving the noify Ana-
creontics,) retired to her own apart-
ment.
She was here encountered by her fa-
vourite attendant, who with much re-
luctance, and many aflfurances that fhe
would not have taken fuch a liberty,
but that fhe really had already advanced
all her own money to the diftrefled par-
ties, prefented a petition from the work-
men who had been employed in laying
the foundation of the amphitheatre
which was begun in the park. They
were now reduced to the laft diftrefs,
not only by an unexpected difmifllon
from their employment, but by the
non-payment of wages already due.
Maria declared, that her father and bro-
thers
A TALE OF THE TIMES. l8l
thers were of the number ; and the
many anecdotes of authentic fuffering
which fhe recited, and traced to this
culpable remiflhefs, fwelled the feeling
heart of Geraldinc with indignation and
pity. " My lord," faid fhe, " pro-
<c mifed to pay all the bills immediate-
ly, as fome compenfation for the dif-
<c appointment I caufed the workmen,
<c by giving up the defign before they
" had finiflied the work they had con-
" traded to execute. It muft be the
" fteward's fault. Is he up ? I will
" fpeak to him immediately."
" There was a light in his office when
your ladyfhip rang the bell."
* f Defire him to come up flairs. But
" no i he is very old and infirm ; I
ic will go to him."
The refult of the converfation was
not at all to the countefs's fatisfadion.
She found that the delay was wholly at-
tributable
(
l82 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
tributable to her lord, who had infifted
that the appropriated fums fhould be
tranfmitted where the claims were Icfs
juft, but more clamorous. The ftew-
ard mentioned many other circum-
flances which increafed her agitaJtion, and
he anfwered her earned felicitations
that thefe bills might be immediately
discharged, by pleading that it was to-
tally impoffible to advance what was not
in his poflefilon.
Geraldine returned towards her own
apartment ruminating on what mea-
fures fhe could purfue, and determining
privately to difpofe of fome of her mo-
ther's jewels rather than that the help-
lefs babes of the labourer fhould want
bread. While Die was crofilng the gal-
lery leading from the flair- cafe, the
loud but indiftinct noife of catches and
glees inarticulately fung, and inter-
rupted by 'applauding clamours, or re-
proving
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 183
proving oaths, iflued from the banquet-
room. She flopped for a moment,
and fancied that fhe heard Monteith's
voice. <c Has he then," faid fhe, " loft
cc all the feelings of humanity, as well
cc as all fenfe of refined pleafure ? Com-
" pafiion, nay juflice demands, that
" the wafle of riot mould have been ap-
" propriated to nobler ends."
Her eye then glanced towards the
library, which was at the end of a fuite
of rooms oppofite to where fhe flood.
The door was open, and fhe faw Fitzof-
borne fit with a book in his hand in a
potlure of fixed attention. She never
felt the power of contrafl fo flrong be-
fore , and a momentary impulfe almoff
tempted her to tear from her finger the
witnefs of that bond which had fealed
her mifery.
Still Fitzofborne continued to read,
and Geraldine, leaning over the ba-
luftrade,
184 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
luftrade, ftill alternately looked and
liftened. " O fplendid wretchednefs !"
faid ihe, gazing on the marble figures
which decorated the flair-cafe, and the
richly carved roof, now rendered more
confpicuous by the coloured lamps
which hung from every pediment ;
" the lonely villager, whom we abridge
cc in his fcanty enjoyments, curfes this
<e parade of luxury ; and the curfes of
c< the injured will one day come into
"judgment againft their proud op-
" prefibrs."
Still indulging her melancholy feel-
ings, the countefs contemplated the
compofure of Fitzofborne's looks. " All
" mud be right," faid fhe, in his
<c bofom. He is neither tortured by
c remorfe nor fear ; and can what I
<c have heard of the fceptic j s wretched
" ftate be juft ? Perhaps at this mo-
ment I mould feel fome confolation
<c in
i A TALE OF THE TIMES; * l8$
cr in thinking that the. great Author of
" the univerfe is too much engroffed
" by his own perfections to take cog-
Cf nizance of things below -, for then I
<c need not fear his avenging the wrongs
c * of indigence." At that inftant the cries
of her little fon in the nurfery threw her
thoughts into a different train* "Ah!
" my poor babes/' refumed fhe, <f what-
" ever is my own lot, a mother muft,
" for your fakes, hope that there is a
"fpecial Providence to protect your
** helplefs infancy."
Fitzofborne now role, and, advanc*
ing towards her, interrupted her mu-
fings: cc For Heaven's fake, deareft
" lady Montekh ! what keeps you up
" at this late hour ?" cc My forrows,'*
replied the countefs, burfting into tears.
" I hoped," returned Edward, affec-
tionately prefllng her hand, " that they
c * were hufhed in oblivion. Permit me
"to
I 86 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" to lead you from the hearing of thefe
f ofFenfive revellers. It is too mocking
" to refined delicacy like yours."
Geraldine inquired where they mould
go ? and Fitzofborne propofed the gar-
den. " The Comus of this place will
cc not lead his band of waflailers there,"
faid he. " The meaner organs of thefe
" fatyrs are only capable of enjoying
" the grofTeft animal gratifications:
c< Pardon my allufion. I have juft
" been enraptured by the fublime bard's
" defcription of reveljollity. How dif-
" ferent is the brutal vociferation which
cc we hear from thefe rapturous ideas :
" Braid your locks with rofy twine,
" Dropping odours, dropping wine,
" Rigour now is gone to bed,
" And Advice with fcrup'lous head.
" By dimpled brook, and fountain brim,
t^y The Wood-Nymphs deckt with daifies trim-,
" Their merry wakes and paftimes keep :
*' What hath night to do with fleep ?"
His
A< TALE OF THE TIMES. 1 87
His further quotations was here inter-
rupted by the appearance of Mifs Evans,
who, declaring the evening was much
too beautiful to think of going to bed,
propofed joining them in their excur-
fion into the garden. They took a
Jhort and filent turn under the colonade>
and then retired to their apartments.
The countefs very foon after per-
ceived that Mifs Evans was at her cham-
ber-door. ct I am haunted, my dear
" GeraJdine," faid fhe, " by fome very
" difagreeable company ; my own
" thoughts I mean: Will you allow
"me to lofe them for one hour, by
cc converfing with you ?" Lady Mon-
teith defired her maid to retire, and the
two friends fat for a few moments
gazing at each other in expreffive
file nee-
Mifs Evans firft fpoke : " There was
cr a time, my Geraldine, when our full- ,
" fraught
l88 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
cc fraught hearts never wanted a fubje<5t
" for converfation. That confidence is<
cc pad, I fee $ yet I will neither lament
sc nor complain. But for your own, for
" your dear children's fake, let not any
cc - rece,ntly-difcovered fault in me induce
" you to flight the important difco-
" veries that I can reveal. My anxiety
S c for your little boy, who is not quite
" well, brought me this night to wit-
Cf nefs a fuller confirmation of Fitzof-
" borne's villany/'
" What villany ?" inquired Geral-
dine with an unaltered countenance. .
" He placed himfelf purpofely in the
" library, that you might fee him."
What then?"
" I firmly believe too, that the ban-
" queting-room door wasfet open by his
" order, that you might hear the con-
fufion."
c And
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 189
ec And was not lord Monteith mod
" to blame to caufe that confufion ?"
" I do not vindicate my lord. O,
cc my fainted mother ! if I could bun
" breathe the energy of thy difcerning
" fpirit into my dear unfufpicious
friend "
I never knew that Mrs. Evans
c < thought fufpicion a virtue/'
"She never would have iuffered an
jCC audacious man to kave offended her
" ears with reflections on my father's
" conduct. Though mild, and pa-
" tient of reproofs to herfelf, her quick
" fufceptibility of his honour J>
" You furely do not recollect/' in-
terrupted lady Monteith, <c that the
" comparifon you have darted is mod
exquifitely painful to me. I will only
" fay, that the regularity of your fa-
<f ther's conduct difproved (lander. Do
^ you, draw the inference. 1 ' The tears
which
A TALE OF THE TIMES,
which at that inftant ftreamed from her
eyes avowed her tortured heart.
" My fweeteft Geraldine ! can I wit-
< f nefs thofe tears, and not wifh to re-
" lieve thy forrows ?"
"Then feek not to deprive me of
<c my only friend."
" Your only friend ! How is your
cc ftyle of expreffion changed ! What
cc then am I ? what is Henry Powerf-
" court ? J>
"Both ftrangely altered by unjuft
c .fufpidons. r>
<c Our fufpicions are not pointed at
c< you. We know that you are pure,
cc and guiltleis of the fmalleft intentional
" fault. We grieve to fee your can-
<c dour betrayed, your unfufpeding in-
cc nocence infnared, your reputation
blafted."
cc My reputation blafted, Mifs Evans ?
* c Are you not cruel in referring to a
cc flanderous
A TALE OF THE TIMES,
f flanderous tale, invented by envy
<c and falfehood, which you once told
cc me my conduct fufficiently dif-
" proved ?"
" No ! no ! my heart is a ftranger to
<c defigned cruelty to any one, and
* f leaft of all to you. It is not to the
" attacks of malignity, it is to the con-
" clufions of guilelefs fimplicity, that I
" refer." She then repeated the obferv-
ations which were addreiTed to Mr.
Powerfcourt at the public dinner.
" Muft I then," faid the countefs,
cc clear my character to the world by
" throwing treble odium upon my
<c lord's ? or, muft I renounce the only
<c companion who feems fludious to
<c fweeten the bitter cup of anguifti
" which I now drain to the dregs?
* c Am I to publifh the obligations
<c which I owe to Fitzolborne ? obli-
* c gations which would juftify me
" in every one's opinion $ or fit a
lone,
(f
A TALE OF THE TIMES*
" lone, folitary, flighted being in this
cc magnificent prifon .?"
Lucy now melted into tears. " Does
f your palace, your bower of blifs, as
<c you once fly led it, now receive that
<c appellation ? O ! what has wrought
<c this dreadful change ? It is not quite
cc a twelvemonth fince your own dear
Cf hand, writing to me, traced thefeftrong
cc exprefiions. c I enjoy as much hap-
" pinefs as experience teaches us to ex-
" peel: in trfis uncertain world. I pof-
" fefs my hufband's afFedionate confi-
<c dence, the 6fleem of my friends, the
Ct love of my dependants. With what
" heart-felt tranfport, my Lucy, do I
" tell you, that lord Monteith feems
<c every hour more firmly attached to
cc me and his children. You know his
<c manner is fingular. It once gave me
"pain, but reflection has reconciled
" me to it, and I difcover, even in his
c * eccen-
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 193
ec eccentricities, indubitable marks of
"an excellent heart.' Do not wring
cc your hands, my love ! I do not re-
Cf cite this paflage to awaken your
c < poignant feelings, but to convince
<c your judgment.* 1
Mifs Evans paufed -, the countefs was
unable to fpeak, and me proceeded.
" Can all this ruin, originate from
Cf chance ? Can your lord withdraw
Cf his affection, his confidence, nay
<c even treat you with fe verity without
" fome tempter ? Truft me, my Ge-
cc raldine, if Fitzolborne were indeed
(< your friend, the influence which he
<c fo eminently pofTefies over your im-
f< petuous lord mud be apparent and
cc produce the moil oppofite behaviour."
cf In what," faid Geraldine, reco-
vering herfelf, " do you perceive this
" influence ? does lord Monteith ever
VOL. in. K " coincide
194 A TALE OF THE TIMES,
cc coincide with Fitzofborne's fenti-
" ments ?"
-"Rather fay, does he ever oppofe
'" them ? Fitzofborne is too fubtile to
ce let me ever hear his real fentiments j
f( but I read them reflected in the uir-
" difguifed countenance of your lord.
" His eye continually watches his art-
C ful favourite, a proof that he feels his
" influence. He is not only warm and
** uniform in his approbation of Fitz-
" ofborne, but his behaviour is marked
" by a degree of refpecl: and deference
fc which I never obfcrved him to Ihow
w to any one elfe, except to you in
" thofe happy days when you reigned
" the undifputed fovereign of his heart.
" You, who knew the gentle clue by
i: which he was imperceptibly led to
" comply with your wifhes, muft know
w that the delicate management which
"his
A TALE OF THE TfMES. 19 J
" his temper requires can only be vi-
" fible to others by its effe<5t."
cc For what purpofe fhould Edward
<c wifli for this afcendancy over lord
<c Monteith ?" inquired the countefs.
" In my opinion for the moft dia-
bolical purpofe to alienate his
<c heart from you, and to induce him
" to treat you with fuch unkindnefs,
" as may fubvert, in your mind, thofe
<c fentiments of affe<5tion and efteem
" which, next to the principles of duty
<f and honour, form the ftrongcft
cc guards of female purity. Nay, hear
" me one moment more. Every au-
<f dacious whifper which he utters
" againft your hufband, every look of
" artificial tendernefs by which he dares
" to recommend bimfelf> are employed
" to batter down the fame defence,
" while his atheiftical infinuations tend
" to reprefs the compundlions of con-
K 2 " fcience,
196 A TALE OF THE, TIMES.
c< fcience, and to weaken that principle
cc of religion upori which your fafety
<f principally depends/'
" Before you draw fuch harm con-
c clufions, Mifs Evans/' faid the of-
-fended countefs, " you mould defcribe
* f what parrs of my conduct will, in
" your opinion, expofe me to the in-
<{ dignity of a licentious addrefs. I
f mud alfo add, that as your judgment
" of Mr. Fitzcfborne feems to be too
"decided to be the mere refult of fuf-
" picion, I have a right to bid you
** prove, that he feels for me a bolder
" fentiment than pity or efteem. If he
" is what you defcribe, inftead of being
" the ornament of fociety, he is its dif-
grace."
" Do recollecl," replied Lucy, <c that
<c I give him credit for the deepeftcon-
" trivance, the mod profound artifice.
" I am not in his confidence. The
" only
A TALfc OF THE TIMES. 197
fc only pofitive proofs which I can bring
" againft him are, your prefent wretch-
" ednefs, his influence both over lord
<f Montcith and yourfelf, and his avowed
" infidelity."
ic You and Mr. Powerfcourt have-
cf ever given that harfh name to a fin-
<c gularity of opinion which your can
" did father only Jufpetted of leaning to
" deifm. All doubt \^ith you appears
C to be a crime, and a difient from
cc your notions on fome important but
cc myfterious point fubjecls your ill-
" fated opponent to the moft confirmed
" imputation of the blackeft guilt, even
cc though his whole previous condufb
cc evinces a courfe of almoft unfmning
" reditude and exemplary virtue."
" O my Geraldine ! I will urge you
cc but this once more. Is it from him-
" felf that you hear of this unfmning
reclitude and Ihining virtue ? His
K 3 " character
198 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
character is comparatively unknown
" in iws own country. Abroad it was
" efteemed to be far from immaculate.
*' His conftant affociates were men of
" loofe principles and profligate man^
c ners."
" Is it from Henry Powerfcourt that
ff you learned this catalogue of vices ?"
inquired Gcraldine with a refentful
air.
" It is/' returned Lucy. " It is
" from that Henry Powerfcourt whom
" we both fo tenderly efteem j the
" dear companion of our early happy
" years, thofe years of confidence,
u tranquillity, and mutual affection,
11 O lady Monteith ! how exquifitely
" painful is that reflection now. Hear
"*me yet on my bended knees; hear
" my folemn requeft. Mine is no
<c difplay of officious zeal, no falfe co-
< louring of a hollow heart. If I have
" erred,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 199
" erred, it is from a miftaken judg-
" ment; and puniih me as that crime
" deferves. Yet, my ever beloved
" friend ! do not let your confidence
<c in your own difcernment lead you
" into danger. It is not becaufe I fuf-
c< pect your virtue that I thus im-
" preflively warn you; but it is becaufe
" I confider you to be furrounded with
" fnares which, without divine pro-
*< tedlion, no mortal can efcape; and
<c to that protection I commend you ia
" my moft earned prayers."
Vanquiflied by this affectionate ap-
peal, Geraldine raifed her Lucy, and
folded her in her arms. The reconci-
liation was as fmcere as it was affect-
ing. The countefs protefted, that
though (lie could not adopt her opinions
of a man whom me had (ludied with
unremitting attention, me yet gave en-
tire credit to the fmcerity of her mo-
K 4 lives;
Zoo A TALE OF THE TIMES.
lives* and Mifs Evans hoped, that the
communication, which had. foruewhat
relieved her burdened mind, would noc
be entirely forgotten in the hours of
calm refk&ion. They then parted,'
after mutually engaging to name this
affecting fubjecl: no more.
Mifs Evans's thoughts were diverted
the next morning to a fubjecl yet more
poignantly diftreffing, and which, as the
imfter-forrow, fwallowed up every other
care. A letter from her father's houfe-
keeper announced, that he was alarm-
ingly ill, and requefted her immediate
prefence at Powerfcourt. This letter
flung her into fuch violent emotions,
that fhe had not felf-command fufficient
to reflect upon fome very extraordinary
circumftances which accompanied it.
The ftyle and the writing were greatly
fuperior to Mrs. Mary's ufual perform-
ances. This was, indeed, accounted
for
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 2OJ
for in the poftfcript, which dated, that
being afhamed of her poorjcrawl, me
had got the clerk to copy it, and to
reclify the fpelling. The excufe was
more fufpicious than the writing; for
Mrs. Mary and the clerk were not upon,
good terms, and it feemed extraordinary,
that a faithful confidential fervant fliould
think of fuch minute explanations when
a beloved mailer lay in the utmofl
danger, and requiring all her aftive
ft r vices. Where too was Henry ? Was
k not natural for him to write to his-
Lucy ? and how improbable, that- he
mould permit another pen to tranfcribe
his mefTage that he wifhed her to return,
kiftantly 1 The alarm which the letter
excited prevented the confideration of
thefe contradictory particulars. Mifs
Evans was in the chaife on her return
to Caernarvonfhire in half an hour after
& arrived ; nor was it till her anxiety
K.S. for
202 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
for her father was relieved by rinding
that the whole narrative was an infa-
mous impofition, that (he began to be
furprized at her own want of penetra-
tion in not immediately difcovering it to
be fo. A ftatement of this faft, which
feemed to convey fome frefh indications
of Fitzofborne's guilt was immediately
difpatched to Monteith, and Henry
Powerfcourt undertook to be the cou-
rier. His generous heart braved every
indignity and every danger ; nor could
even his Lucy's apprehenfive terrors
difiuade him from defying the refent-
ment of a man whom Ihe believed to
be capable of adding murder to his
other crimes. The prefervation of his
once-fondly loved, and ftill-tenderly
efteemed Geraldine> overpowered all
regard for his own perfonal fafety. Bui
his generous intentions were fruflrated
by the events which had happened at
Monteith previous to his arrival*
5
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
CHAP. XXXIX.
O much deceived, much failing, haplefs Eve !
Of thy prefutrTd return ! event perverfe !
Thou never from that hour in Paradife
Found ft either fweet repaft or found repofe j
Such ambufh, laid among fweet flowers and fliades,
Waited with hellim rancour imminent
To intercept thy way, or fend thee back
Dfpoil'd ot innocence, of faith, of blifsl
MILTON.
THE diftrefs of Mifs Evans for her fa*
ther's fuppofed illnefs had given a tem-
porary diverfion to lady Monteith's
ideas 5 but they foon recurred to the
contemplation of her own forrowa. The
affe&ing fcene of the preceding evening,,
by reviving all her former tendernefs,,
gave that importance to her friend's-
judgment of which it had been for fome
time deprived ; and while (he recollected
&. 6 the
2C4 A TALE OF THE TIMES. %
the impreflive earneftnefs and indif-
putable fincerity with which it was de-
livered, (he deemed it at kaft entitled
to attention; and fhe determined to
fcrutinize the principles on which fhe
had founded her opinioa of Fitzof-
borne*
She firfl reverted to the high eftima-
tion in which his character was held by
the world. Every one fpoke of him as-
a moft extraordinary man : and his in-
violable integrity was confirmed by his
behaviour on the difcovery f lady Ar&-
belJa's attachment to him. Nay, ftrange
as it might feem* fhe often thought that:
he ftill cherifhed her idea in his heart*
She knew that he had preferved her pic-
ture, and he had jufl rejected the pro-
pofai of an advantageous alliance, witht
the rich heirefs of an Iflandic chie/tain..
This conftancy, though from the dif-
cordanse of their character fcarcely at-
tributable
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 205.
tributable to the caprices of love, proved
the folidity of his virtue, and fecured
herfclf from even a poffibility of being
the object of his licentious paflion* His
fpeculative notions on fome points were
indeed reprehenfible ; but then they
were merely fpeculations ; and fhe ftill
thought Mr. Evans's notions, which
tended to confine opinion, were defi-
cient in liberality, and founded on a
tyrannical denre. of fubjugating the free
independent mind. All her own ob-
fervations tended to convince her, that
Henry and Lucy exaggerated his errors*
No direct charge was brought againft /?;/*
even fuppofing his companions to have.
been as profligate as they were defcribed.
A twelvemonth^s intimacy was fome
ground whereon to judge of characters s
and ihe could not help affirming, that
fche innocence of his conduft was a
proof
A TALE OP THE TIMES-
proof of the inoffenfivenefs of his prin-
ciples.
The change in lord Monteith could;
not, even by Lucy's own confeffion,
be clearly traced to his influence. The
fufpicion that he was acceflary to his.
lordfhip's faults only arofe from the
probability of his having fome fecret
jfeducer, and the influence which Fitz-
oiborne feemed to have over hirru For
her own part me was doubtful of the
exiftence of a feducer, and could not
perceive any certain proof of that fup-
pofed influence.
His marked attentions to herfelf
formed the next accufation. But Lucy
knew nothing of the manners of the
great world, or the freedoms which
cuftorn had rendered general* The
univerfal homage, which even appro-
priated beauty required, and the fami-
liar iiitercourfe to which the cenforious
did
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 20?
did not affix the lead fhadow of impro-
priety, would fhock her friend's no-
tions, formed in the depth of retirement,
and rather founded on the idea of what
was prudent, than on the confideration
of what is practicable.
Her thoughts then fell into a train of
reflection upon the incidents of her
early years, the peaceful (hades of
Powerfcourt, the joyous hours of play-
ful gaiety, the endearing recollection of
tender confidence, and interefting fim-
plicity, all rendered itill more exquifue
by the vivid glow of youthful hope,
which fpread a more fafcinating fplendor
round the prefent fcene, by the pro-
mife of more brilliant future enjoy-
ments. Fallacious promife ! falfifkd
prediction ! " Is there," faid fhe, caft-
ing her eyes from the proud heights of
Monteith caftle on the fubject vale i
" is
10$ A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" is there in all this wide domain a
" wretch more miferable than me ?"
She darted at that recollection. " Yes>
<f there are. There exifts pining pe-
c< nury ; there deftjtute ficknefs fuffers*
<c and wafting infancy declines ; not
cc only deprived of the affiftance which
cc former experience prompted them to
if expect from their lord, but even re-
c< fufed what juftice determines to b.e
<c their own. O Fitzofborne ! how
" ftrongly do fuch fituations demon-
c< ftrate the truth of your opinion, that
" the prefent order of things requires
" the bold hand of fbme intelligent
" reformer ?*
Leaving lady Monteith's conclufion
to difprove itlelf, I proceed with my
narrative. She walked to the cabinet
which flood in her dreffing-room, and,
opening the cafket which contained her
mother's jewels, me determinc4 to dt-
" vest
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 209
vert them from the fervice of oftenta-
tion and vanity to the nobler purpofes
of benevolence and integrity^ She
looked over, without a figh, the va-
rious articles of ornament ; but her mo-
ther's picture, fet round with diamonds,
excited a flrong repugnance. It had
been prefented to one of her fitters, and
reftored to the Powerfcourt family, on
the death of its owner. Lady Monteith
attentively contemplated the features.
Thou art at reft," faid me ; " would
<c I were fo too. Thou didft endure
" fevere bodily fuffering; mine are the
" fharper tortures of the mind. The
" neglect of an eftranged hufband never
" rived thy heart V
She then began a letter to a friend at
Edinburgh, whom (lie wifhed to employ
as an agent in this bufmefs. The diffi-
culty of afiigning a motive for this
action, and the fufpicious fecrecy that
ihc
SIC A ^TALE OF THE TIMES.
fhe was forced to require, made her in-
capable of executing it to her iatisfac-
tion though ihe made repeated at-
tempts. " It will certainly be difco-
" vered," faid (he. If it fhould come
<c to my father's knowledge, it might
" difpleafe, it muft diftrefs him. To
' whom but him fhould I apply for
" affiftance ? Ah ! hard neceffity ! that
" 1 alone cannot folieit the bounty of
*! his ever liberal hand I 1 *
Tear after tear flowed down her
cheek, when the fouad of Fitzofborne's
foot upon the flairs roufed her from the
flupor of grief. "He fhall not fee me
" in this diforder. Lucy fhall not re-
" proach me with having a male confi-
" dant." She haftily fnatched up her
papers, and retired to her own cham-
ber. Her expedition was too much the
effect of agitation to admit of exa&nefs,
and ihe left behind her a part of a letter
which.
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
which, with her jewels lying upon the
table, were fufficient to inform Fitz-
ofborne of the nature of her recent
occupation. He immediately inclofed
bank-notes for four hundred pounds,
which feemed to be the required fum,
and addrefied to lady Monteith a few
refpeclful lines, in which he entreated
her to permit him to enjoy a luxury
feldom annexed to humble fortunes, by
appropriating what was to him an in-
cumbrance to thofe noble offices, to
which he durft affirm me had deftined
the value of her jewels. He then
fcaled the note and retired.
Lady Monteith only waited to hear
him quit the room to leave her retreat.
She read the paper, which was ad-
drefled to her, and though (he fteadily
determined to reject the inclofed pre-
fent, me felt enraptured at the genero-
fity which proffered the gift, and at the
delicacy
A TALEOF THE TIM ESr
delicacy which fo inflnuatingly fued for
its acceptance. The reader will not
partake in her feelings, when informed,
that juftice would have ordered the
reflitution of this property to the Mon-
teith family, it being only a part of a
larger fum which had been tranfmitted
to Fitzofborne by a right honourable
rook of his acquaintance, as a douceur
for the favour of being permitted to
have the principal plucking of the fined
pigeon that had been for many years
brought to market.
Ignorant of the nature of the <c ac-
curfed fpoil," the countefs remained
fleady in her refolution of returning it.
In vain did Edward attempt to refift
her determination. " My pecuniary
" difficulties," faid (he, " are not fo dif-
<c treffing as to permit me to^fcquefter
" the flender portion of a younger bro-
then"
* f Re*
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
c< Recoiled/' replied Fitzofborne,
c that the influence of lord Monteith
" has permitted me to extend my hopes
cc beyond the narrow fphere of a younger
cc brother's enjoyments, and do not
cc check the impulfe of gratitude."
" Then to lord Monteith be the re-
" compence made/'
" And why not to his charming
< wife ? I fhould admire this lovely
" pride, did I not fufpeft that it was
<c united to a degree of fufpicion, un-
" worthy of your purity and my own
cc honour. Can I no way convince you
" of my fincere difinterefted friend-
c Ihip ? Can I make no offers which
" will not be difdainfully refufed ?"
" Yes, certainly you may," replied
the countefs ; " and I will depute you,
" inftead of my Edinburgh friend, to
" difpofe of thefe jewels. Fafhion va-
Cf ries fo much, and people in the coun-
" try
ZI4 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
try drefs fo plain, that I fcarcely ever
" want fuch ornaments. Befide, lord
" Monteith was remarkably liberal on
cc my marriage. They really are not
<c of the fmalleft ufe to me."
" I willingly undertake the commif-
<c fion," returned Fitzolborne j " but
<c it may be fome time before I can
<c find a purchafer ; and why mould
" this money lie ufelefs in my fecre-
" tary ? Are the objects of your bounty
Cf (for I know it is not extravagance,
<c but generofity, which limits your
" refources) to languifh to an unocr-
* f tain period ? Why may I not advance
" it by way of loan ? Indeed, lady
" Monteith ! you 7 are too fcrupu-
lous."
"I believe," faid (he, recollecting
herfelf, c< I am. I will accept your
" offer. The jewels will, I am con-
" fidcnt,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 215
cc fident, difcharge the debt; and pray
" never expect me to redeem them."
This bufmefs being adjufted, a mo-
mentary paufe en.fued. " We exceed-
<c ingly regret," obferved Fitzofborne,
<c the lofs of our cheerful companion
" Mifs Evans. I hope me will find
" her father better." The countefs
fincerely joined in that wifb.
" She was the life of our party/'
continued Edward. " My lord is
" quite miferable at her going. He
<c declares that he never met with a
<c woman whofe manner fo much en-
<c tertained him ; all vivacity and fpirit;
<f and certainly me was afliduoufly at-
" tentive and obliging to his lord-
ihip."
" She is generally obliging to every
" one," replied the countefs. u But
" I think you fometimes experienced
41 mher a feverc bon mot."
2l6 'A TALE OF THE
" O, I don't doubt chat my imperti-
" nence deferved it ; and it was of no
" confequence to me, fo fhe kept lord
* c Monteith in good humour."
Fitzofborne's remarks were never
without meaning ; and the moft candid
tempers, when roufed to fufpicion, are
ever the moft watchful. " Does he/'
thought the perplexed Geraldine, cc mean
<c to infmuate that fhe was improperly
" attentive to my lord ? She is defti-
" tute of vanity, and infinitely fupe-
<f rior to every finifter defign. If fhe
c was more pointed in her civilities, it
<f muft have been from her conviction
<f that I failed in paying him due ob-
" fervance ; and fhe ftrove to fupply
<c my deficiency. Alas ! even my
ci bofom-friend condemns me. Even
w my Lucy will not allow how difficult
" it is for an injured heart to be at
. cc once affectionate and fmcere, to dif-
<c guife
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" guife the bitter feeling which un-
<c kindnefs calls forth, under a forced
" fmile that has loft the power of plea-
" fing."
This inference was exactly what Ed-
ward wifhed her to draw. He had for
fome time attempted to revive the flame
of jealoufy in lady Monteith's bofom ;
but it was nor in the chafte fimplicity
of Mifs Evans's manner that he hoped
to find materials to feed the fire. It
was fufficient for him, that Geraldine
fliould think her friend cenforious and
partial ; another object had long fmcc
been fixed upon to effeft the confum-
mation of Fitzofborne's treacherous de-
vices.
Among lord Monteith's tenants was
a young woman, the daughter of a
farmer, highly graced by the charms of
natural beauty, and not lefs diftinguifli-
ed by a levity of manner, and a
VOL, in. L faihion-
21 8 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
fafhionable arrangement of drefs, ex-
tremely diflimilar to the plain attire
and fober demeanour of the neighbours
in her rank of life. Thefe circum-
fiances, though perhaps only the refult
of folly and inconfideration, or at the
worft unfufpicious vanity, the uncom-
mon beauty of the girl forced into at-
tention; and even ,at the caftle, when
better fubjects were exhaufted, the per-
fon, the finery, and the flirtations of
Pattie Thompfon formed an occafional
theme for converfation. Geraldine had
been freqiiently diverted by her awk-
ward, yet not difgufting imitation of
her own drefs and manners; and on
Fitzofborne's firft arrival at Monteith,
ihe pointed her out as a figure very
likely to at|ra<5t general attention if
feen in Grofvenpr-fquare or Hyde-
park. Edward gazed a few moments,
gave an exclamation of furprize, and
then
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 219
then whifpered her, that (he was the
exaft likenefs of Mrs. Harley.
From that moment the countefs
turned her eyes from the blooming
Pattie with an involuntary fhudder of
horror; and when fhe invited the rural
lafles to a dance in the caftle in honour
of one of her daughter's birth-days,
{he was fecretly pleafed that Farmer
Thompfon's daughter could not be of
the party. Even her vifits at the old
man's houfe were lefs frequent than thofe
which fhe made to her other neigh-
bours. She felt herfelf wrong, and fhe
determined to make a painful effort to
be right. She fet out accordingly, and
had nearly reached the dwelling, when
fhe faw lord Monteith walking haftily
towards it by another road. The dif-
covery was of itfelf fufficiencly agitat-
ing, but Fitzofborne, as ufual, pointed
the dart more directly to her peace of
L 2 mind
22O A TALE OF THE TIMES.
mind by the fudden exclamation of
" Good Heaven !" He left her inftant-
Iy, flew to the earl, and, feizing him
by the arm, with a degree of violent
gefticulation, walked back with him to
the caftle.
The vifit of the countefs was fhort,
and her manner was ungracious. She
returned home, and, pleading that the
walk had overcome her, Hie continued
confined to her chamber the remainder
of the day. However poignant her feel-
ings, me never difclofed them even to
her Lucy, who was then at Monteith.
But me had continued to brood over
this really accidental circumftance in
fecret till the time of which I am now
treating. If it fhould here be objected
to my narrative, that chance had too
confiderable a lhare in the fuccefs of
Fitzl-lborne to give probability to the
fimilar defjgns of another villain, let
inex-
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 221
inexperience and felf- confidence remem-
ber, that a determined feducer, admit-
ted to an equal degree of intimacy, will
always find in the domeftic events of
every family equal opportunities of ex-
pediting his views. The moft fubtile
genius cannot preconcert every opera-
tion. It is in the directing fkill by
which incidental circumftances are made
to conduce to one great defign, that
the power of fuperior ability is moft
eminently vifible.
Fitzofborne, now conceiving the mine
to be fully delved, determined on the
immediate explofion. He* was con-
fcious that a difcovery was impending;
and when he confidered the magnitude
and the intricacy of his plots, he felt
aftonimed at his own good fortune in
having fo long efcaped detection. To
trifle with danger was now folly.
1,3 My
222 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
My readers have doubtlefs afcribed to
him the letter which hurried Mifs Evans
to Caernarvonfhire, as they will eafily
conceive that her prefence was an infu-
perable obftacle to the completion of his
iniquity. I muft now inform them, that
by repeated bribes he had feduced the
fidelity of lord Monteith's butler, and
the groom who generally accompanied
him on horfe-back. They regularly
gave him information of every event
that happened in the family. His ap-
pearance in the library, and the opening
of the banqueting-room door on the
night lady Monteith went down flairs to
fpeak to the fleward, were not accidental.
The watchfulnefs of Mifs Evans checked
the audacious hopes which he had that
evening dared to form from the ex-
treme refentment which diftrefs had en-
kindltd in lady Monteith's mind againft
the
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 22J
the degrading conduct of her lord. But
Mifs Evans was now far diftant; the
faithful confcientious fleward had fet
out for Edinburgh to tranfaft fome
money affairs ; and lord Monteith was
wholly engrofied by the (hooting feafon,
which had jufl commenced.
The third morning after Mifs Evans's
departure, my lord was abfent at break-
faft 5 but that was not uncommon. Fitz-
olborne read fome of Wieland's works
to the countefs, commented on the
beautiful defcriptions, and then pro-
pofed a walk. They went through the
plantations to the lake. On the road
me enlarged, with affecting fimpli-
city, on the pleafure which (he once
enjoyed in adding a finifhing grace to
the richnefs of that finking fcenery;
and a tear ftole down her cheek, as me
pointed out parts which her lord had
ufed to commend. Fitzofborne's replies
L 4 were
A TALE OP THE TIMES.
were calculated to confirm her appre-
henfion that fhe muft now turn her
mind to different objects ; for that the
pleafures of connubial efteem and con-
fidence were loft for ever. On their
way home they pafTed near Farmer
Thompfon's. Fitzofborne propofed
calling, but the countefs, pleading weari-
nefs, declined going out of her 4 way,
and refted upon a ftile, while Edward
went, as he faid, to pleafe himfelf with
the fight of a pretty girl. He returned
thoughtful and difconcerted, and ob-
ferved gravely that (he was not at
home.
Dinner was ferved foon after their
return, but no one could find lord
Monteith. " This is very extraordi-
c nary," faid the countefs. " He u fed
c to -be remarkably punctual. Who
went with him ?"
<c
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 225
" My lord took no fervant," was the
butler's reply.
Geraldinc felt alarmed: " Sure no
" accident has happened. Call my
cc lord's groom." He was queftioned
refpe&ing the fafety of his horfe, and
the countefs was now informed that he
was not gone out upon any of his own,
horfes.
" Search the woods immediately.-
*. c Some dreadful event muft have de^
" tained him. He never would go far,
" from home on foot, and unattended.
" Had he a gun with him." The.
groom now owned in fome confufion,
that his mailer had fet off early that
morning in a hired chaife and four.
" Do- none of you know which road
* he took ?" The fervants were divided .
in their opinions. The greater pare
faid, he went towards the moors, but.
the butler and the groom declared that
L 5 they
226 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
they faW the chaifc turn round by the
lodges in the park, as if it was going
to Farmer Thompfon's, and then, after
having flopped for a moment, proceeded
towards Edinburgh.
Geraldine now trembled with unde-
fined diftrefs. Did you," faid (he
to Fitzofborne, " know nothing of this
<c journey ?"
He ordered the fervants to retire, and
then faid, " He confides none of thefe
< fecrets to me. I only know that his
" affairs are defperate $ but before I
" mention my further fufpicions, allow
" me to afcertain their validity. I will
<f juft run to Farmer Thompfon's.
** For heaven's fake! be compofed. I
<c will fbon be back. Shall I fend your
children to you." ,
"No! no! fly! fly!" was all flic
could articulate.
He
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
He foon returned, and the tale he
told corroborated in every particular the
buder's account. Pattie Thompfon was
feeri in a chaife with a. gentleman
wrapped in a riding-coat, at fix o'clock
.that morning. The countefa fainted.
The tyger who fports with the victim
that he holds in his fangs is not fuf--
pe&ed to feel companion; nor did the
tender epithets which Fitzofborne ad-
drefied to the object of his more fa-
vage cruelty indicate a relenting heart.
He wifhed, indeed, to recal her fenfes;
but it was only that me might feel the
torments of guilt added to thofe of
mifery.
No fooner did he perceive returning
life faintly flufh upon her cheek, and
her fcarcely-opened eyes fixed upon
him with a look at once exprefiive of
confidence and defpair, than he deter-
L 6 mined
228 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
mined to confirm that defpair and to
abufe that confidence.
c < Where fhall I go? What (hall I'
"do?" inquired the difirefied Geraldine.
" I know not what to advife. You
<f cannot flay at Monteith. The cre-
" ditors will certainly hear of the earl's
u departure."
Cannot ftay ! why ?"
* f An execution will be immediately
" ferved."
<c O my helplefs, houfelefs babes !
<c where fhall I flicker them ?"
<c Surely your propereft afylum will
V be with your father."
" True. O ! let me fly to Powerf-
' court."
" Yet confider his years and infirmi-
V ties. Will there not be fome dan-
" ger in pouring upon him, while
" unprepared, the whole weight of
" your calamities , of affiiding him
3 " with
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" with you diftrefs before you have
" learnt fortitude to endure it. Can-
" not you be for a little time at the
" Evans's ?"
" My Lucy is already finking with
" her own forrow. Ought I to increafe
it ?"
<c Permit me then, ever loved anJ
" refpefted lady Monteith, to propofe
" another afylum. I have a filter, a
" woman of the moft unblemifhed cha-
" radter, who will efteem it an honour
" to proted: you. Allow me to con-
cc duct you and your children to her.
" She lives in Lancafhire."
" No ! Fitzofboi ne. I muft not take
" refuge with your friends."
" I can name no other fantftuary,
" unlefs it be lady Arabella Macdo-
" nald's houfe. And furely calumny
itfelf muft approve of your taking
" refuge there."
" 1 can-
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
cc I cannot apply for prote&ion t<y
" lady Arabella. She will be fevere,
cc and make me feel the pang of de-
pendancc/'
" You are then unacquainted with
" the influence which I have happily
' " regained over her fentiments. But I
" recollect that, engrofied by your
<c forrows, I have omitted to announce
<c my own brightening profpefts."
He then drew from his pocket a
letter which ftrongly refembkd the
writing, and ftill more the ftyle, of
lady Arabella* It was add re fled to the
Honourable Edward Fitzofborne.
' S I R,
" I really do fed fa exceflively dif-
" concerted, that I hardly know in
fc what ftyle to begin* For one hates
" to own onefelf wrong, and yet I
" think I ought to tell you that I have
" been
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" been under fome little miftake : and
" not chufing .o be upon bad terms
cc with a gentleman fo vaftly well fpoken
<c of, and received, every where, I
"juft add, that I (hall be very glad to
" fee you at my parties when you come
4C to London. I hope this conceffiofl
" will fatisfy lord Monteith, to whom
" and his fweet Geraldine I beg my
cc tender regards, and remain, fir, with
<c fincere efteem,
" Your very obedient fervant,
" ARABELLA MACDONALD."
<c Shall I then throw myfelf at her
"feet? and afk her to protect me and
" my children 5 to fave us from want ;
<c to foften the pangs of perfidy j at leaft
" till I can gently prepare my father ?"
inquired the afflicted Geraldine. *
<c I would advife that you ihould
<c not only do fo, but that you fhould
"fee
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" fet off immediately. A thought has
" juft ftruck me. You may overtake
" lord Monteith. He has certainly
" taken the road to London."
" What ? with that unfortunate girl ?
" O, Fitzofborne I a wife is bound by
" indiffoluble ties, and .muft fuffer
< with him j but how could he be fo
" cruel, fo felfifh, to. involve a ftranger
" in his calamities. She was innocent;
<c happy, bleffed with humble compe-
tence."
" Your candour has mided you. I
cc have certain proof that a criminal
" connection has fubfifled fome time
" between them. She probably pro-
" pofes to accompany lord Monteith
" abroad."
" Abroad ! Is he going abroad ? What
abfolutely defert me and my little
u ones without one preparatory word ?
" Leave me too in all thefe compli-
" cated
i
A TALE OF THE TIMES. -ijj,
u cated circumftances of grief and did
" trefs ? Oh ! hold my brain, or let
<f me lofe refle&ion in inftant madnefs.
<c Unparalleled! unpardonable cruelty 1"
" It is indeed unpardonable. Mon-
" teith, the execrable Monteith, is un-
<c worthy of you."
<c May the anguifh which I fuffer,
" Fitzolborne, warn you of the danger
<c of a precipitate choice ! Let not
" your eye miflead your judgment, nor
" your fancy cheat you with the fern-
" blance of non-exifting virtues."
" My heart, moil charming moralift,
" is for ever fixed where my judgment
<c has difcovered the moil unqueftion*
" able excellence. Yet do not droop
" beneath your forrow. The tyrant
" laws of cuftom will not for ever bind
" you to the mean defpicabie feducer
c< of a fimple ruftic, the depraved
" aflbciate of a hireling proftitute."
" True.
A> TALE OF THE TIMES.
" True. But my children. I
" for their fakes what would I not
C fubmit to? I would ftill endure his
" contempt. I would kneel, and hum-
- ce bly iupplicate to be the partner in
" all tbeir father's fortunes;"
Fitzoiborne paufed. " No injuries,.
<r l fee, can compel her to a willing
CT elopement. It is well 5 I have a re-
" fource. I know that I poffefs her
" affections ; and women always pardon
" where they love."
" If fuch be your refolution," faid
he to the half-frantic Geraldine, c< let
" me inftandy order your carriage, that
"you may fet off in purfuit ofhirru
c< Every moment's delay increafes the
<r difficulty of overtaking him."
" True. I will be gone. You are my
cc better angel, Fitzoiborne. Order my
" carriage, while I fetch my little ones.
" They fhall kneel widi me to their
faithlefs father."
Dear*
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
c< Deareft lady Monteith," returned
Fitzofbcrne, infernal triumph fparkling
in his eyes, " how diftrefs affects your
c< flrong intelle&s ! At this late hour,
" their feafon of reft, would you ex-
cc pofe their delicate frames to the dan-
" gerof a rapid purfuit ? Confider, that
" all your hopes of overtaking lord*
" Monteith depend upon your fpeed. If
" you are fuccefsful, your own charms,
" and your deep diftrefs, muft pofTefs
<c fufficient eloquence^ and if you are fo
c< unfortunate as to mifs him, will it
c be a&ing with proper decorum, to
" lady Arabella to obtrude your family
cc upon her without previous prepara-
tion ?"
" Am I then to leave them here,
" thefport of mercilefs creditors ?"
<c Reft aflured, madam, that, how-
" ever barbarous our laws may be, in
" that
A TALE OF THE TIMES;
" that particular, the execution of them
"is happily^ conducted with urbanity,
" at leaft to people of your rank. But,
Cf to foften any apprehenfion on their
" account, I will take care to efcorc
t( them wherever you pleafe to order,
" when you are placed in honourable
" protection. Their nurfes are very
" careful of them 5 .they are too young
<c to know forrow by anticipation ; and
c< any tale will account for your ab-
" fence."
, <c Is t.he carriage ready ? where is
"Maria ?"".,;'
<c She and rny fervant muft pack
<c up a few neceflary changes of linen.
<c They can follow us in another chaife. J>
cc Us 9 Fitzofborne ? you do not
" mean to go with me ?"
. \ On that head I muft be firm. Hu-
" manity will not fuffer me to let you
" undertake fuch a journey by yourfelf
<{ ia
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 237
" in cireumftances of fuch peculiar
" diftrefs. Befide, if you fhouldover-
cc take Monteith upon the road, who
" knows but that his violence, aggra-
<c vated by detected guilt, may make
" you want a protestor."
" What bloody fcenes are you re-
<c volving ? Loft, unhappy Geraldine \
<c Better perim here than want a pro-
" te6lor againft thy hulband. 1 '
" He has abjured the feelings annex-
* c ed to that title. Though I renounce
< the name of his friend, and cancel
" all ties of gratitude, ' yet for your
" fake you (hall fee me calm and dif-
<c paflibnate, nay even patient of infult.
" But you forget how we wafte thefe
" precious moments.
" Ah, true/' She ftept towards the
door ; and then, fuddenly ftopping,
exclaimed, " Where are my children ?
" I mud fee them once more ?"
Would
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
<c Would you wake them from their
< f fleep ?" cried Fitzofborne, who dread-
ed the event of fuch an interview.
*' Would you fill their innocent minds
cc with forrow at feeing your diftrcfs ?"
"Sleep on, my innocent peaceful
" children j and never may ye know
cc what your mother fuffers !" She then
turned her eyes upon Fitzofborne. The
cxpreflion in his countenance excited a
momentary alarm. She withdrew her
hand from his impaffioned grafp, and
fearfully uttered : " Something ftill
cc whifpers me, that I ought not to go :
<c at leaft, not with you."
c< Whence this cruel diftruft of your
<c adopted brother, the contracted huf-
" band of your Arabella ?" returned
the re-colleded diffembler. t Dear
lady Monteith ! Will thefe darts of
** too fufceptible delicacy never ceafe,
" even if you fhould fee that engage-
ment fulfilled?"
Then
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 239
c< Then remember," replied fhe in
an impreffive voice, <c that my diftrao
<c tion enfeebles my judgment. My
cc brain feems on fire. If the ftep you
c< advife fhould widen the breach be-
tween me and my lord, on you be
all the blame."
" May it reft upon me forever!"
He uttered this terrible imprecation as he
led his vi&irn to the chariot. He flopped
a moment, under pretence of giving his
valet inftrudtions for their route, while
Geraldine, clafpingher trembling hands
exclaimed, "Adieu, Monteith ! perhaps
"eternally adieu!" The fervants crowded
into the corridor with looks of confterna-
tion and diftrefs. Fitzofborne called
aloud that the other carriage mould
follow as foon as poffible, and join them
at the next poft-town. Then throwing
himfelf into the chariot, the horfes fet
off full fpeed on the Edinburgh road.
240 A TALE OF THE TIMES,
CHAP. XL.
Axylus, hofpitable, rich, and good,
In fair Arifba's walls (his native place)
He held his feat j the friend of human race.
Faft by the road, his ever-open door
Oblig'd the wealthy, and relieved the poor.
Breathlefs the good man fell.
POPE'S HOMER.
MARIA flood in the "great hall ready
to attend her lady, her eyes fwelled
.with tears, and her heart throbbing
with forrow at the idea of her beloved
miftrefs's diftrefs, when fhe was joined
by the old houfekeeper.
<c Pray, Mrs.. Maria," faid the good
woman, <c can you tell me what is the
"matter with her ladyfhip ? It is fo
;V .oddjto fet out- for London at eight
" o'clock at night, and fo late in Sep-
" tember too. Thank God ! there is
cc a very
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 24!
" a very good moon to be fure, and
<c the roads are very fafe, and I wifh
"you all well there with all my heart.
But the poor foul muft be faint, for
cc me has not ate one mouthful of din-
cc ner, though I fent up two courfes as
<c nicely difhed as ever I did in my life.
<c She has had nothing within her lips,
cc the footmen fay, but one glafs of
cc fome fort of cordial which Mr, Fitz-
" ofborne mixed up and gave, her."
Cf My mafter did not touch one morfel
cc neither/' obferved Fitzofborne's fer-
vant, who now joined them.
" Your mafter, Mr. Pomade, does
" not do many things which other
c< people think they ought to do. He
cc never goes to church, nor fays his
cc prayers ; and yet he pretends to be
C( very good. So, if he can be good
" without going to church, or faying
VOL. in. M " his
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" his prayers, he may live without eat-
* f ing for what I know."
cc You are rather fevere, Mrs. Anni-
" feed. My mafter, madam, I muft
<c inform you, is one of the moft ge-
" nerous, free, good-tempered gentle-
" men in the world."
" Very likely 5 I only know that my
" lord and lady were as happy as kings
c and queens before he came."
" I wifh," faid the weeping Maria,
<c that our chaife was ready."
" Go, Sandy," faid Pomade to one
of the grooms, ct do juft have the
c goodnefs for once to~ be expeditious ;
<c and if you will do me the honour
" of a call in town, a bottle of bur-
" gundy is at your fervice : but, a-
" propcs, my dear Mifs Maria, fuppofe
<f I have the happinefs of juft drinking
"one glafs of wine with you before we
" fet
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 243
cc fet out on our immenfe long expedi-
" tion."
The houfekeeper now beckoned
Maria into the fpice-room. " Do as
" you pleafe, child," faid the faga-
cious matron ; " but if I was you, I
<c would not go to London with that
ic random fop. You and I will get
<c into the chaife, and fay nothing to
cc him, but go by_ ourfelves after our
dear miftrefs."
<c But he has received directions
" what inns we are to ftop at on the
" road."
Cf Never mind. With God's bleff-
c< ing, we (hall find her as well vvith-
cc out him as with him, I dare fay. Ah
" Maria ! Maria ! there is no good
" abroad, I fear. Heaven preferve her
ladyihip is all I fay !"
One of the ftable-boys now entered
to fay, that, as my lord's groom was
M 2 putting
244 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
putting the horfes into the travelling
poftchaife, one of them had turned ref-
tive, and had kicked the ihafts all to
pieces.
<c Then harnefs out my lord's," ex-
claimed Maria.
<f That's impoflible ; for the coach-
cf man is gone with it to Stirling to be
mended."
Then I will have the coach."
" What ? fend the new coach twelve
<f miles in the night ? No ! Mailer
" Sandy dare not do that, I know.
<c Why, the coachman would have us
" both turned. off direftly."
" Then pray, William, let me have
r< the curricle."
"No," faid the houfckecper; "I
* won't have my bones broke in the
" curricle ; but 1 can ride double very
" well. Have the two faddle horfes
got ready direftly."
A fhout
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 1A.$
A (bout of ridicule was now raifed
againft the houfekeeper by Mr. Pomade,
who came to condole with Maria upon
his misfortune in not having the plea-
fure of travelling with her that evening.
" We mud defer our expedition, my
"dear/' faid he, " till morning's early
" ray ; and I proteft, but for the lofs
<c of your charming company, I fliould
" be glad 3 for I find the thick mount-
" tain fog very pernicious to my lungs,
" which fuffered extremely in eroding
( the Alps when I came out of Italy.
cf Mr. Fitzofborne has too much friend-
" (hip for me to be difpleafed at my
" not expofing myfelf to the night
" air."
<e I will follow my lady," faid Maria,
" if I go on foot."
" To be fure you will be very likely
cc to overtake her, who has fet out an
" hour before you in a chariot and
M 3 " four.
246 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" four. No ! come, as it is utterly
" impoffible for us to proceed, let us
" embrace my good friend the butler's
" propofal; and have a little feftival.
" He has promifed us plenty of excel-
" Jent champagne ; and I requeft Mifs
" Maria's hand for the ball. Nay !
" my dear creature, why do you cry
" fo ? Lady Montcith will be vaftly well
" taken care of, I dare fay. Ton my
" foul ! I (hall begin to be fcandalous,
" if you take on fo, and fay, that though
" her ladyfnip looks like an angel, (he
" is a devil of a termagant."
" I don't know what your matter
" looks like; but I could teli you what
" he is, if I chofe it," faid the houfe-
keeper: " but it is not my way to
" be uncivil to any body." Her mo-
deration, however, continued no longer
than till ihe heard that the riding- horfes
were all loofe in the Park, and that the
groom
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 247
groom had fatigued himfelf to no pur-
pofe in endeavouring to catch them.
She now poured upon Fitzofborne a
thoufand execrations; and, without
paying the lead attention to the excufes,
which drove to perfuade her that thefe
misfortunes were merely the effect of
chance, her pafilon and Maria's tears
became fo troublefome, that the butler,
to pacify them, promifed to walk to the
next poft-town, and to order a hired
chaife immediately,
He did walk, but it was only to the
watch-tower, where he, Mr. Pomade,
and the perfidious groom, fpent a riot-
ous evening, exulting in the triumph
of wickednefs, and anticipating their
promifed reward, while the reft of the
family exhibited a fcene of diftradlion.
The morning rofe, but not to bring
confolation. The obftacles to Maria's
following her lady multiplied every
M 4 hour.
248 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
hour. Indeed, that faithful girl was
now incapable of taking the journey.
She had been in (Irong hyfterics moil
part of the night ; and the venerable
houfekeeper, though fhe alternately
blamed, pitied, and commended her
arFeclionate fellow- fervant, had now fo
cxhaufted her own feeble ftrength, that
fhe was unequal to any further exer-
tion.
About "two o'clock a carriage drove
into the caftle-yard, and was welcomed
by the univerfal (hout of, " Thank
" God ! it is either my lord or my lady."
It was neither. Henry Powerfcourt
arrived, but unhappily one day too late
to fave the honour, and ultimately the
life of Geraldine.
" Where is lady Monteith ?" was his
firft inquiry. " Gone."" Whither?"
No one knexv. " With whom ?"
" Mr, Fiteofborne."
Henry
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 249
Henry reeled againft the portal,
dapped his hand to his forehead, and
was fpeechlefs.
The fervants crowded round him.
A burft of tears relieved his manly
fbrrow. He then inquired, " Where is
" my lord ? " Gone too." cc What,
* c in purfuit of the countefs ?" No !
they believed her ladyfhip was gone
after him.
" This is villany of a deeper catt,"
refumed Henry. " She is the vidtirn
" of fraud, not of perfuafion."
The houfekeeper was by this time got
into the hall, eager to afk his opinion*
or to receive his inftru&ions. And the
pale trembling Maria, hearing that Mr.
Fowerfcourt knew what was become of
her lady, had dragged her feeble frame
to hear the defired tidings.
" Heaven blefs you ! my good fir/ 1
faid the houfekeeper. " If you had
M. 5 " but
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" but come a little fooner, it would not
" have been fo." Henry now inquired
the particulars, which were recounted as
intelligibly as twenty different voices
could detail them. In one point they
all agreed, that their lady feemed in the
greateft diftrefs.
" Ah, betrayed innocent !" exclaimed
Henry. " And is my lord's journey a
" fecret too ?"
ic A moft profound one, fir," faid
the butler.
" He went, you fay, in a hired chaife
" and four, at fix o'clock yefterday
( morning, the road toward the
Moors ?"
" I do, fir/' replied the groom.
" Nay now, Sandy/' faid one of the
footmen, " that is little better than
" a lie ; I faid fo, and you told my
" lady, when fhe feemed fo frightened
" about him, that you faw the chaife
" turn
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 251
cc turn by the lodges in the park, and
cc then (lop, and go back again toward
Edinburgh/*
"Did not you think fo too, Mr.
cc Thomas ?" faid the groom, addreff-
ing the butler.
" Why, my eyes might deceive me,
" but Mr. Pomade thought the fame."
Who is Mr. Pomade ?"
" Mr. Fitzofborne's fervant."
" Call him. He may poflibly throw
" fome light on this inexplicable bufl-
nefs."
" He went off to London at four
<f o'clock this morning," anfwered the
groom.
" How ? J> On horfeback/'
<c Another lie," exclaimed the houfe-
keeper. " O, there are fome wicked
" doings, and it will all come out*
<f The very ftones in the ftreet will
" fpeak when there has been a murder.
M 6 " His
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" His matter has got no horfes, and you
" told us that you could not catch any
ce of my lord's, if we would give you a
" thoufand pounds.*'
" Do I," faid Powerfcourt, " fee
" around me fo many flout healthy
" men, fed by lord Monteith's bounty;
<f and would none -of them walk
<c to to order a chaife > that this
<f yqung woman might have followed
"hermiftrcfs?"
A general murmur announced that
they would all have willingly walked to
Johnny Groat's houfe to ferve their lord
or their lady, but the butler had under-
taken that office.
<c And why did he not perform it
" then ?" faid Powerfcourt. " I (lopped
u at that town myfelf two. hours ago,
" and 1 am confident, not only that
c there are chaifes to be procured,
" but
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 2JJ
" but alfo that no meflenger from Mon-
cc teith had been to order one."
The butler attempted an excufe ; but
the groom falling upon his knees,
faid, he would confefs all. Mr. Fitz-
ofborne had long defigned to run away
with his lady when he had an opportu-
nity. His lordfhip received a note on
the evening before her departure, after
his lady was gone to bed, giving him
an invitation to go to fhoot fome moor-
game on the neighbouring moun-
tains with fome gentlemen of his ac-
quaintance ; and propofing to fet off
foon in the morning, he left a note for
his lady, telling her where he was gone.
He confefled too, that he had told Mr.
Fitzofborne this, and alfo that he was
gone in a hired chaife on account of
the bad roads, and without any attend-
ants, for gentlemen did not like to
have anymore with them on the moun*
taias
254 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
tains than were abfolutely neceffary.
That Fitzoiborne then took the note
from him, and bade him fay, if he was
queflioned, that he went round by
Farmer Thompfon's, and then turned
toward Edinburgh.
Influenced by a fudden flart of in-
dignation, Henry ordered both the
groom and the butler into cuftody,
without confidering that the blacked
crimes will fometimes evade the punifh-
ment of human laws. He now paufed
a moment to confider how he fhould
ac~l, when the head nurfe thus inter-
rupted his mufings :
" Won't you fee the pretty little dears,
cc fir ? Alaska- day ! what is to become
" of them ? They have been afking for
" their mamma all the morning. Lady
" Bell and lady Lucy have fat and
c< learned the lefTons me gave them
" yefterday, like two angels 5 and they
"fajr
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" fay that they know me will call them
" good girls, and kifs them, when fhe
" comes : and that dear beautiful little
" creature Geraldine has made up a
" nofegay for mam-mam. She can
<c hardly talk, you know. Dear fweet
<c fouls ! to have their mother taken
<c from them. So young too ! Do,
cc good fir, jiift go and fee them. My
" little lord is vaftly grown, even fince
<c you went away, and crows, and is
" fo merry !"
Henry fuffered himfelf to be led to
the nurfery. The fcene overpowered
his fortitude. " O, coufm Harry !"
echoed the two elder, <f we are Jo glad
" you are come again." <c Do," con-
tinued Arabella, " tell mamma we
" are ready with our books. Is noc
tc fhe well, that fhe has not been to fee
" us this morning ? nurfe does cry fo,
" and fhe won't tell us why."
" Were
256 A TALE OF THE TIMES*
cc Were all thy drops of blood lives r
" Fitzofborne !" exclaimed Henry,
ff thy crimes demand the forfeiture of
Cf all. Villain ! monftrous infernal vil-
cc lain ! to facrifice to fenfual paflion
" the peace, the welfare, the reputation
" of innocents like thefe !"
" My dear little ladies/' cried the
nurfe to the terrified children, " naughty
<( Mr. Fitzofborne has took your mam-
" ma away ; but if you will be very
" good, and not cry, this good gcn-
cf tleman will fetch her back again. >r
c Yes, indeed, I will be very good,"
faid the fobbing lady Arabella, " and
* c not cry, if I can help it. Pray, Lucy,
" don't hold coufin Harry's coat ; con*
* 8 fider you will hinder him ; and when
" you find mamma, coufin, tell her
" (he fhall not fee us cry when fhe
w comes home again."
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 257
Henry caught the children alter-
nately in his arms, and while his heart
yearned at their misfortune, he com-
mended their deferted innocence to
the common Parent of the orphan and
the diftrefled. He at length tore him-
felf from the affe&ing fcene.
He now debated which way to fhape
his courfe : whether to fet off in pur-
fuit of the countefs, or to communi-
% cate the intelligence of her abfence to
lord Monteith, and to confult with
him what meafures mould be adopted.
Every circumflance proved that me
had been rather entrapped than feduced.
A hope flruck him, that his refcue
might come in time to fave her from
difhonour, and he fet out rapidly in
fearchof her.
He (lopped at all the poft inns on
the route to Edinburgh; but his mi-
nute inquiries obtained no fatisfaflion.
In
258 A TALE CF THE TIMES.
In that city he renewed his fcrutiny;
and when his failing hopes had almoft
deferred him, he obtained what he
thought a guiding clue. It proved eva-
five. Still, however, convinced in his
own mind, that London would be the
place of Fitzofborne's deftination, as
being beft fuited for the purpofes of
concealment, he continued to travel
towards N the fouth, till he accidentally
faw a tenant of fir William Powerf-
court's at an inn door, where he was
changing horfes. Anxiety for his Lucy
induced him to inquire after her wel-
fare. The honed ruftic mournfully
fhook his head. Ah ! fir/' faid he,
t( all is well at the parfonage ; but very
" bad news at the manor-houfe. Our
" good old matter has heard that the
<c lady countefs his daughter ran away
cc with a fine London 'fquire 3 and it
" has thrown the gout into his fto-
" mach,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 259
46 mach, and they doubt he won't get
<e over it. There's not a dry eye
"within ten miles of him by this time.
" I told all the folks I met as I came
c< along, and they all began to pray for
t him, , and to drink to his getting
c< well. And they do fo curie my
" lady countefs. For my part, fir, I
" can't curfc her -, for I don't think it
<c true; do you ? She was the prettieft,
cc decenteft young lady I ever faw in
" my life, when me was with us -, but
<c they do fay this London 'fquire was
<e an eternal great rogue."
Henry lifted up his eyes to heaven,
as if requiring the tardy lightning to
blaft Fitzofborne's complicated guilt.
He now turned his courfe weftward,
and arrived at Powerfcourt late the en-
fuing day, worn down by fatigue and
anxiety. He had, however, the fatis-
fa&ion to hear, that fir William was
dill
A TALE OF THE TIME?.
dill alive, and he learnt the following
particulars from Mr. Evans.
The news of lady Monteith's elope-
ment had travelled to Powerfcourt with
inconceivable celerity. A dependant
of the earl's, more grateful than judi-
cious in his intentions, had perfuaded
himfelf, that a mighty noife was made
about nothing at all ; for that the lady
was only gone to ftay a little with her
father, as his wife would fometimes do,
when he had a word or two with her.
He determined therefore to ride poft to
Caernarvonshire, not doubting that he
fhould bring news back of her being
fafe and well. His uncouth manner
and confufed extravagant account ra-
ther amufed than alarmed the fervants,
and it was accidentally communicated to
fir William. Nothing refpeding his
darling child was uninterefting to him.
He ordered the " bonnie Scot" into
his
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
his prefence ; and though he gave little
credence to the improbable narrative, he
heard with concern, that lord Monteith's
affairs were in a bad ftate, and that he
and his lady were thought not to be
quite fo happy as they were.
Sir William pafled a reftlefs miferable
night, and the next morning appeared
ferioufly ill. He rofe, however, with
the determination of going himfelf into
Scotland, when an exprefs arrived from
lord Monteith, which proclaimed his
own difgrace in ferms of the moft rafh
feverity ; and haftened the crifis of fir
William's diforder. He was immedi-
ately feized with fpafms in his ftomach,
and, though fomewhat relieved by me-
dical aid, he ilill remained fpeechlefs,
and in a very alarming (late.
" He is perfectly fenfible," conti-
nued Mr. Evans, " and his counte-
" nance is inconceivably intereiling. I
" never
262, A TALE OF THE TIMES.
w never faw fo much meek forrow
cc filently expreffed. I am confident,
that his frame of mind is fuch as his
<c life would warrant us to expect, and
" that he blefles the Power that cor-
cc reels him. I have juft been at prayers
< c by his bed-fide. He preffed my
" hand when I had finiflbed -, looked at
<c the portrait of his daughter, which
<e hung, at his bed's feet, then on me ;
C and laftly raifed his eyes to Heaven.
c I understood that he commended her
cc to me. The ligature, as Sterne ob-
<c ferves, fine as it is, fhall never be
<f broken. When the world forfakes
cc her, I will receive and cherifh the
te mourner. She may be frail and cri-
cc minal j fhe cannot be wholly aban-
doned."
Lucy now, having heard of Henry's
return, rufhed into the room with in-
quiries refpecling her friend. She
liftened
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 263
liftened with breathlefs eagernefs to the
narrative which he related. " 'Tis as
" I faid," exclaimed Ihe, clafping her
hands : " I knew that her pure elevated
<f mind could never yield confent to a"n
" adulterous elopement. O Henry !
" do follow her to London the
cc traitor has certainly concealed her
" there ; refcue her from him 5 fear
" not his oppofition guilt like his
" mud be cowardly : perhaps even
" yet you may fave our Geraldine."
" Let us ftudy moderation in every
" thing," replied Mr. Evans in his
ufual dignified manner -, <c whether we
" grieve for the refpectable friend who
ct feems- leaving us for a happier world,
{< or feek to affift the dear lady who ap-
" peared to be worthy of a better fattS
< Let us ever remember, that excefs
" offends. Do not you fee, my dear
" child, that Mr. Powerfcourt is ex-
" haufted
264 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
"haufted by diftrefs, and the fatigue
c< of feven days* incefTant travelling.
cc We have no clue to direct us where
to find the loft countefs. Inftead,
<f therefore, of wearing out his ftrength
<c in impatient romantic wandering, let
ce him referve it, till fome certain in-
<c telligence calls us forth to action ;
" and if /can ferve the child of my be-
" nefa&or, neither my age nor my
<( function fhall be pleaded in my ex-
<c cufe. In the mean time we will con-
fc fole ourfelves with the conviction,
" that Fitzofborne cannot fecrete her
Cf from the fuperintendence of Omni-
<f potence -, and we will confide her to
" the care of that Providence which
<c never deferts thofe who, fenfible of
* r their own weaknefs and the perils by
s which they are furrounded, fanctify
" the meafures which human prudence
" fuggefts by a dependence upon him
<f who
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 265
cc who is able to fave." The weeping
Lucy acquiefced in the piety and the
wifdom of this reflection. ,
Affairs continued in this ftate at
Powerfcourt till the following evening.
Sir William grew perceptibly weaker,
and Henry in vain endeavoured to in-
fpire Mifs Evans with the hopes which
he had himfelf abandoned. Every
found and every footftep feemed to her
charged with tidings from her friend.
About nine in the evening a note ar-
rived, which I iliall tranfcribe :
cc To Mrss EVANS.
cc Let not Mifs Evans ftart at the
cc writing of her once-beloved Geral-
" dine. The loft miferable wretch pre-
" fumes nor to claim the friendfhip which
" was the delight of her happier days.
" I only afk companion. Tell me, is my
cf father yet alive ? if he is, exert that
VOL. in. N " refift*
66 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
<f refiftlefs eloquence which convinces
"every heart, and move him to beftow
" his parental blefllng on his undone
" child. And for this aft of mercy,
" the laft I will ever folicit, my dying
" lips but I dare not pray 1 did
e not afk the protecting care of Hea-
<c ven. I did not liften to your coun-
fels. I was felf- willed, boaftfel.
" Ah 1 what am I now ? I have no
home, no name, no one to recog-
" nize or to protect me. Lord Mon-
<c teith but I deferve his accufations.
" Yet if I am the fhamelefs being he
" calls me I know not what I fay.
cc O that eternal mercy would fave me
<c from the pangs of murdering my
father !"
I fpare all comment upon the feelings
of Mifs Evans at receiving this incohe-
rent epiftle. Indeed it would be im-
poflible to fay, whether grief or joy,
rage
A TALE OF THE TIMES. H6y
rage or pity predominated. The mcf-
fenger ftated, that the lady who fent
him was at an inn a few miles diflanr.
The landlady told him it was a great pity
that none of her friends came to her,
for that fhe was quite alone, very ill,
and fcarcely in her right mind.
Not an inftant was loft in expediting
the defired confolation. The carriage
was prepared, and the Servants mounted,
each contending, with all their national
impetuofuy and humanity, who fhould
be the firft to fetch back the refpe&ed
fugitive. Lucy had determined to go,
but Henry perfuaded her to change that
refolution. " Spend the time of my
<f ablence," fa id he, " with your father,
" and confult his difpafiionate judg-
cc ment, whether it will be prudent to
cc apprize fir William that we have
" heard of her. Try too, my love, to
" prepare your fortitude for the moft
N 2 " excru-
268 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
< c excruciating trial it ever fuftained.
" The dear unfortunate requires more
cc than the tear of fympathizing for-
" row."
cc Reftore her quickly to me," cried
Mifs Evans. cc I will watch her night
"and day. She fhall be all my em-
<e ployment, all my care,"
" The fpeed of my return will en-
cc tirely depend * upon her ability to
" bear the journey," replied Henry.
Let the fufceptible reader who has
attended to the delineation of lady Mon-
teith's character through the preceding
pages, conceive the fituation of her
mind at the time that her coufin joined
her at the obfcure inn which afforded
her a temporary afylum. Let them re-
collect her keen abhorrence of difgrace,
her eager purfuit of fame, her acute fen-
fibility as a daughter, a wife, and a
mother. Let them contraft the exqui-
14 fitc
A TALE OF THE TIMES^ 269
fite refinement of her ideas with her
prefent calamities, and releafe me from
the vain attempt of defcribing her men-
tal fufferings.
She lay upon a couch ; her eyes fixed
and raylefs ; her lifllefs arms hanging
motionlefs ; her face deadly pale, and
half concealed by her redundant ne-
glected hair. The attendant, who was
fitting by her, announced a gentleman
who wiflved to fpeak with her. Jn-
ftantly the ftupefaclion in her counte-
nance changed to extreme terror. She
grafped the girl's hand, and entreated
her to fave her, while her eyes rolled
with frightful wildnefs. The terrified
maid added, that his name was Powerf-
court.j but that he mould not come in
unlefs me pleafed. The countefs -re-
laxed her convulfive grafp, and funk
fainting upon the couch.
N 3 Henry,
270 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Henry, who at that moment entered,
contemplated in mournful anguifh, the
change fo fuddenly wrought in the
loveliefl of female forms. While the
remembrance of his youthful attjchment
gave a livelier impulfe to his fufcepti-
bility, he rejoiced in the firm integrity
which had preferved him from the in- .
finuating inticements of an illicit paffioa,
and clafping his hands in an ecftafy of
piety, gratitude, and regret, he ex-
claimed, " Thank God ! I have not this
" to anfwer."
Geraldine mifinterpreted his emo-
tion. " I am a murderer then ? A
" parricide ? He is dead."
No ! he is (till alive," faid Henry,
in a faltering tone.
" And has he," exclaimed (he with
tmpaflioned frenzy, cc fcnt me any token
" of forgive nefs ?"
c< I am
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 27!
Ci I am come," continued Henry,
wetting with his tears the feverifh hand
which (he held towards him, " to con-
" dufl you home."
" Bleflcd, angelic, peaceful found!
"-My home ! 1 never thought to
" have a home again. O raife me tip.
" Let us go this inftant."
" Are you equal to the journey ?"
cc Yes. I can go home. O Hea-
" venly found ! My father's houfe !
<c And have I indeed yet a father ?"
Unable to judge of her real (Irengtb
during this paroxyfm of joy, Mr. Pow-
erfcourt propofed waiting till the horfes
were refrefhed. The uniform humanity
of Geraldine fhone through her difor-
der. <( My heart is furely grown hard
" with my misfortunes. Are they my
" father's old horfes that ufed to take
" me out when I was a girl ? I talk
foolifhly, Henry. I did not know ic
N 4 " was
272 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
was you. I thought you were lord
" Monteith come back again or I
" thought you I know not whom
" I was fo terrified,"
" Have you feen lord Monteith ?"
cc Yes. Don't blame me : I hope
" for the laft time. He ufed fuch
" horrid expreffions. He would not
" allow me to fpeak to him. He will
cc never let me fee my children more.
* f Not once more, Henry. 1 only afked
" for once, before I die. Is not this
cf too hard even to fuch a wicked wretch
" as I am ?"
Henry continued to bathe her hand
with tears. They afforded fome relief
to his full- fraught heart*
" Shall I ever/' rcfumed the plain-
tive mourner, " fee your Lucy ? You
" don't anfwer. Will fhe fpeak to
" me ? Don't let her fee me if fhe will
<c not fpeak to me. Yet how mould
" J rejoice
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 73
" I rejoice to hear her voice once
" more !"
<c She waits your arrival at Powerf-
<f court, there to join with all your
<c friends in the pious tafk of foothing
^your affli&ions."
I pafs over the remainder of this dif-
trefilng converfation. No perfuafions
could prevent lady Monteith from fet-
ting off that night for what me termed
her haven of reft. She bore her jour-
ney better than Mr. Powerfcourt ex-
pected ; and he perceived. with pleafure
that the wanderings of her converfation
were more the effect of wearinefs, for-
row, and indifpofition, than of deranged
intellects. She feemed to ftruggle for
fortitude, but her efforts failed her,
when the carriage {topped. " The
"prodigal returns/' faid me, " but
ct where is the welcoming father ?"
N 5 Henry
274 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Henry now inquired after Sir Wif-
Ham, and heard that he continued in
the fame ftate. Mr. Powerfcourt fup-
ported, or rather carried, Geraldine
into the breakfaft parlour $ but no
previous re folution could reftrain Mifs
Evans's tranfport on feeing her. " My
" more than fitter ! dearer than
Cf friend ! My love ! My Geraldine !
" Open thofe fweet eyes fpeak to thy
" faithful Lucy. Come, broken lilyi
* c reft upon my bofom. Ever dear !
ct ever lovely ! Dearer than in thy
"hours of happinefs ! Give me but
" fome fign that thou doft hear me.
<f Only prefs my hand if thou canft not
" fpeak." The languid countefs feebly:
returned her friend's ardent preflure,
and dropped her liftlefs head on Lucy's
throbbing bofom j while H'enry, gazing
on his deftined partner with looks of
affe&ionate admiration, gently blamed
the
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 275
the overflowing tendernefs which charm-
ed hi in to the foul.
Geraldine gradually revived. cc And
this," faid flic, " is my father's
" houfe ? And thou art Lucy ? And
" I hear no reproaches no bitterly-
'* remembered warnings. O kind
" friends ! O (till kinder Providence,
<c thus to follow guilt with bleffings !
" But when mall I fee my father ?"
It had been previoufly determined;
that this awful interview, mould. be der-
layed till the next morning,; and Ge*
raldine at lad reluctantly confented to
try to obtain foma repofe.. "It has
" been," faid. (he,. " a ftranger to
" me 1 know not how long.'*
Hert delirium fcemed to return upon
going into her apartment. " Be fure,"
faid (he, " you bar the doors and win-
ce dows, and let fomebody fit up to
" guard me."
N 6 Early.
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Early the next morning fir William
altered fo confiderably as to indicate
immediate diflblution. His daughter
had juft dropped into a broken flumber.
Mr. Evans lamented the necefiity of
awakening her, but obferved, that as
her father was dill fenfible, his for-
givenefs would be a lading confolation.
Prepared by the counfels of this truly
Chriftian pador, Geraldine fupported
herfelf through the trying fcene with
meeknefs, piety, and fortitude. Kneel-
ing by his bed-fide, (he felt the preflure
of his convulfed hand upon her head,
received from his quivering lips the kifs
of reconciliation and peace, and watched
the laft druggie of his parting foul, as
it winged its flight to join in Heaven
thofe benevolent fpirits whom it had
imitated on earth. Universal dejection
accompanied the news of his death, and
the tears of a grateful neighbourhood
Jpoke his unequivocal eulogium,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 277
CHAP. XLII.
i One falfe ftep for ever damns her fame |
In vain with tears fhe may her lofs deplore 5
In vain look back to what fhe was before ;
She fets, like ftars that fall, to rife again no more.
ROWE.
THE obfervation of Solon, repeated by
the celebrated Crcefus at the moft in-
tere fling period of his life, that ' we
' never (hould pronounce a man happy
' until we have feen his end/ was
ftrikingly verified in my Heroine's hif-
tory. Her morn of exiftence rofe with
peculiar fplendour ; and even the con-
templative philofopher, who is accuf-
tomed to look beyond the furface, and
to balance hope with experience, when
he confidered the rare advantages of
judicious education, amiable temper,
difcreet
A. TALE OF THE TIMES,
difcreet habits, ample wealth, and ex-
emplary connections, united in the per-
fon of the lovely Geraldine, muft have
concluded that no common vicifiltude
of fortune could demolifh this goodly
fabric.
The commencement of her married
life was, in the opinion of the generality
of obfervers, equally aufpicious. United
to the man of her heart, her fuperior in
rank, and correfponding to herfelf in
fortune, perfonal grace, and natural ad-
vantages,, what " a pity if aught" had
intervened to prevent the Hymeneal
bond from infuring the happinefs of
" this matchlefs pair/' The latent
fpark of vanity, lurking in her bofom,
was undefcribed , and no. one could cal-
culate how long it would be before the
carelefs Monteith would drop the cha-
racter of a lover. No one afked, where
is the firm judgment, the manly tender-
nefs,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 279
nefs, which fhould guide and direct this
attra&ing woman through the thorny
maze of public life ? Every admirer of
equipage, vivacity, fplendor, and beauty,
pronounced the perpetual happinefs of
the earl and his bride*
Five years had elapfed fince Powerf-
court-houfe exhibited the fcene of fefti-
vity with which I u (he red in this narra-
tive 5 and the fun of Geraldine's peace
is fet for ever. The fhadows lengthen-
ing, as the bright luminary defcends,
point at laft to- the tomb. The death
ef a revered father, full of age and ho-
nour, is not of itfclf an event to caft a
fable hue over the fcarcely mature life
of a dutiful affectionate daughter ; but
the eircumftances attending fir William
Powerfcourt's ; demife were fuch as lady.
Monteith could never overcome. She
felt convinced that fhe had fhortened
his exiftence; and though his parting
fpirit,
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
fpirit, uniformly benignant, blefied and
forgave his involuntary murderer, a
thoufand fatal indifcretions rofe to her
remembrance, and, feen through the
medium of their effects, they no longer
appeared pardonable levities. She who
had afpired to give delight and comfort
to all around her, had brought difgrace
on her hufband, infamy on. her chil-
dren, and death to her father. The
pious confolations of Mr. Evans alle-
viated the horrors of her firfl defpair j
but mining grief confirmed the ravages
which fatigue and terror had made in
her delicate frame. Each rifing morn-
ing feemed to announce fome faded
charm. Uniform dejection ufurped the
place of her fafcinating fmile. Feeble-
nefs and melancholy alike reftrained
her fportively graceful movements ; and
inftead of the corufcations of her
fprightly wit, c forrow unfeign'd and
h'umU
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 28 I
humiliation deep' fpoke in all her ac-
cents.
Yet the heirefs of fir William Pow-
erfcourt's fortunes mud flill poflefs
fufficient charms to allure a mercenary
heart 3 and Fitzolborne (whom cow-
ardice and chicane had preferred from
the vengeance which lord Monteith's
pardonable fury firft prompted him to
require for his injured honour) encou-
raged the audacious hope, that the legal
procefs which the frantic hufband im-
mediately commenced to vindicate his
wrongs would terminate in the accom-
plifhment of all his wifhes, by putting
him in pofleflion of a wealthy and ad-
mired wife. Mifled by his own falfe
maxims, which had taught him to be-
lieve that f a woman pardons every
* infult when fhe loves the infulter,' he
ventured on the atrocious crimes which
made him matter of lady Monteith's
perfon,
282 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
perfon, while he knew her uncontami-
nated foul revolted at the idea of con-
jugal infidelity. He was now perfuaded,
that ihe muft feel anxious to repair her
tarnifhed honour : and being convinced
that grief and fhame never proved fatal
to youth and beauty, when its return
to reputation and happinefs feemed not
only poflible, but certain, he deter-
mined to make my drooping Heroine,
what he called, an honourable offer.
In the letter which he addrefTed to her
upon this occafion, he explained his
fentiments with more explicit freedom
than he had dared to do while Geral-
dine, proud in confcious innocence, felt
no neceffity of applying for confolation
to the fubterfuges of fophifm. But he
now thought her predominant love of
fame and horror of reproach would in^
duce her to extricate herfelf from the
difgrace in which his infamous artifices
and
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
and her own credulity had plunged her,
by adopting thofe excufes which were
invented to enfeeble virtue, and to fane-
tify vice. He knew, indeed, that fhe
had a tale to tell, which would harrow
up the hearer's foul ; but he well un-
derftood the laws by which public opi-
nion is regulated, and the delicacy of
her fentitnents. Thefe reafons con-
vinced him that fhe would never ex-
pofe her defence to a doubtful belief.
I fhall now fubjoin his letter, written
about two months after fir William's
death, with her reply.
"To THE COUNTESS OF MONTEITH.
" Madam,
" When I reflect upon the melan-
" choly event which has recently hap-
" pened at Powerfcourt, I feel that an
" additional odium devolves upon me,
< c which reflection and candour mud
" own
284 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" own I have not deferved. Could I
cc pofiibly have forefeen, that when I
" felt the power of your irrefiftible
" charms, I was preparing the .grave
cc of your worthy father ! No, love-
" lieft, and moft-adored of women !
" whatever of imperfeflion and frailty
" may be attached to my character, ic
<f is pure from the approach of delibe-
<c rate cruelty.
" I hear, with inexprefllble concern,
" that your too fufcepcible mind finks
under the inconveniences of your
" prefent fituation. Suffer me, rnadam,
cc to remove the veil of forrow which
" now clouds your reafon, and per-
cf mit me to direcl: your view to
" future profpecls. Inconfideration
" like mine (for I, in juftice, claim
c< that the blame mould be folely con-
" fined to myfelf) is to'o frequent in
<c this age to excite indignation ; and
"the
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 285
ec the known unworthinefs of lord Mon-
fc teith forms an excufe which all ladies
<c ^ho have diflblved their firit marriage
<c connexion cannot plead. Some con-
cc verfation will indeed be excited, while
cc his lord/hip purfues the legal revenge
cc which his vindiclive temper will
fc prompt him to adopt. But it will
" ceafe with the adventures of the day.
" Your prefent exemplary behaviour
" will reftore you to the efteem of
<c the world - 3 and permit me, Madam,
<c to indulge a hope, (it is the only one
" which, fince I have heard of your ex- .
" treme, diftrefs, makes my exiftence
<c fupportable,) that you will deign to
<f accept the reparation which it is in my
cc power to make you, by allowing me
" to lead you to the altar the moment
" you are free from your prefent difaf-
" trous tie. There, I truft with the moft
" aufpicious omens, will I dedicate to
you
A TALE OP THE TIMES.
" you a heart penetrated with your
<c merits, and a mind capable of rever-
" ing all the dazzling fuperiority of tafte,
" information, and difcernment, which
" you poiTefs.
" I muft hope, that the happy mo-
" ment will arrive, when we (hall look
back upon our paft forrows with com-
<< placency, and confider the.m as the
" progenitors of prefent blifs. But why
<c mould excefilve forrow now prey
cc upon your heart ? It is but to fee
" you, adorned as you are with all that
Cf art and nature can beftow of lovely
".and excellent; it is but to contraft
<r your character with that of the im-
<c perious infenfible being to whom a
"juvenile inclination unhappily en-
" gaged you ; and he muft be loft to
"'the- moft amiable feelings of huma-
<c nity who does not excufe and pity
" me. The moft enlightened literati
"of
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 287
c< of the age have proved, that chaftity
" confifts in the individuality of affec-
" tion ; and when lord Monteith's con-
<c dud has forfeited your affe&ion, the
" transfer of your perfon to another is
" equally delicate and juft. Marriage,
" being merely a civil engagement, can-
<c not invalidate the great laws of Na-
u ture ; and the man muft be a prey
" to the mod narrow prejudices, who
<c would deny a woman the right of
" flying to the protection of a kindred
c< mind, when her revolting foul fpurns
cc the tyrannical power of a huiband
" whom (he can neither refpecl nor
" love.
" O my beloved Geraldine ! fufFer
<c me to drop the hateful title of your
cc former thraldom, and to call you
c * mine. I have been contented to fup-
u prefs the keen indignation of wound-
" ed honour, and have forborne to in-
ci terrupt
288 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" terrupt your filial forrows by an ex-
planation of what mud appear to
cc you a bafe defertion when I left you
Cf at the inn at . Alas ! I only
cf propofed an abfence of a few hours
te to procure you an honourable afy-
<c lum in my fitter's family 5 and during
<c that interval Monteith, with the ca-
Cf pricious cruelty natural to his difpo-
" fition, bereft me of the treafure I
" had rifked fo much to obtain, and
<c then abandoned it to an unfeeling
<c world. What anguifh have I not
" fuffered fince that moment ! Yet, dill
<c more to convince you of the refpeft-
<c ful delicacy of my unaltered love,
< c I will not alk permiffion to throw
" myfelf at your feet till the joyful
<c moment of your emancipation. Then
will I lead you back to the world,
a nine-tenths of whom will not only
" juftify
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 289
"juftify but applaud your conduct.
" That fyftem of univerfal benevolence,
*' which fuperfedes all written precept,
cc gains ground. To that do we ap-.
<c peal, and not to the infane morality
"of fpecific injunctions, which foolifhly
<c and even wickedly attempt to bring
<c individual actions under the limita-
Cf tion of, one general rule. Man in
" fociety muft retain all his natural
cc rights ; and the reftraints that cir-
cf cumfcribe thofe rights (if founded
c< upon falfe principles) muft foon fub-
" mit to the refiftlefs voice of public
" opinion. Nor does this fyftem tend
" to encourage general profligacy of
" manners. No ! it can only apply to
u thofe more intelligent characters,
" whofe refinement is a fecurity againft
" licentioufnefs.
" So acute is my own confcioufnefs
"of error, that my heait ftarts from
VOL. in. o - the
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
* c the remorfeful recolledion of fomc
* c indirect means, not wholly con*
<c fiftent with the lovely fincerity of
." truth, which my refiftlefs pafTion for
<c you urged me to adopt. For the de-
cc ceptions which only love can excufe,
" I humbly entreat your pardon, and I
C( faithfully promife you, that as they
<c were the firft, fo they fhall be the
cc laft inftances of moral turpitude
c< which, you mail ever difcover in the
c conduct of
<e Madam,
" Your entirely devoted
" EDWARD FITZOSBORNE."
<c To THE HONOURABLE EDWARD
FlTZOSBORNE.
" Does Mr. Fitzofborne fuppofe the
c unhappy victim of his treachery as
< meanly bafe as he has proved her to
" be
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
c< be weakly credulous, that he affronts
ct her with a propofal, which atrocious
< c guilt alone empowers him to make 5
<c and from the indignity of which me
<c was once happily fecured by infur-
" mountable barriers, till he reduced
" her to the dire neceffity of furrender-
<c ing the facred name of wife, and
" mingling her blufhes with her tears,
c< when (he hears the once-joyful ho-
" nourable appellation of mother.
" You feem, fir, to difown the
" charge of deliberate cruelty. Ac-
" count, if you can, for your conduct
<f by any other motive. You know
" what I was when I had firft the mif-
<; fortune of feeing you. You know
" how foon you formed a plan 'for my
<c deftruc~lion, and by what arts you have
"made me what I am. You know
" too, how your infidious friend fliip
lord Monteith, and made
02 him
292 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
* f him unconfcioufly accefiary to my
" undoing. To you he owes the con-
t tamination of his once unfullied ho-
cc nour. From you, my innocent, dif-
" graced, deferted children, require
" their mother, their inftructor, the
" guardian of their infant years. From
" you I demand my ruined peace, my
" unfullied ,fame, my loft health, and
<c every blaftcd profpedl, which, while
"they rendered life valuable, taught
" me to look on death with ferenity.
<c I not only require of you the life of
* my dear venerable father, but I alfo
" charge you with having given in-
<c conceivable anguifh to the laft hours
<c of one who lived but to make others
<c happy ; whofe benevolence would
" not have hurt a worm ! He is at
" reft. Would I were fo too! O
" that I were now joined to his pure
*< beatified fpirit ! But I muft firft pafs
<f through
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" through many a purifying Tea of for-
" row. How excruciatingly refined has
" your cruelty been ! Life is infupport-
" able, but I dare not afk to die.
" I fcorn to reply to the arguments
" urged in your infamous letter. Ad-
" drefs them, fir, to thole who, while
" they lead a life of guilt, with cheaply
" to purchafe the reputation of virtue.
" Yet beware how you confide in them,
" when the awful fummons of death
c calls you to an invifible world. For
< c me, all my temporal views have ten-
, <c minated. I feek no fubterfuges. I
" will endure the cenfures of the world ;
" they are my juft portion. Its vindi-
" cations I would rejecl: with difdain.
" I fubmit to whatever punifhment lord
" Monteith's lawful refentment infii6ls.
" It does not belong to imprudence
" like mine either to juftify its aclions,
o 3 " or
294- A TALE OF TH TIMES.
<c or to complain of fuffering. In re-
" pentance is all my hope.
" I will enumerate the offences which
C claim my conftant tears. You will
<f then fee what portion of .guilt falls to
" your mare. Your artful adulation
<f pleafed my vanity, and while I fup-
<f pofed myfelf merely amufed by your
" converfation, you excited a growing
ff intereft in my regard. To you, by
"imperceptible degrees, I transferred
" the efteem of which I thought my
"lord undeferving; and I foothed my
<f reproving confcience by fuppofing,
" thatin admiringyou, I honoured virtue.
" Blindly pertinacious, I perfifted in re*-
" jeering the councils of my more dif-
cc cerning friends, and purfued my own
" fallacious judgment, which taught me,
" that immoral actions' were not the
" natural confequence of relaxed prin-
<f ciple.
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 295
" ciple. You know that you concealed
" the full tendency of thofe -principles
" from me. You know that I always
" ftarted at what I thought feemed to
<c militate againfb religion and virtue.
" You often aflailed me, but I was your
" admirer and apologift, not your con-
" vert.
<{ Thus far I have contributed to my
" undoing ; and may my (lory be an
" awful memento to all who, trufting.
* c in the fuppofed feeurity of their own
" virtue, neglect the fuggeftions of
" prudence j and, under the perverted
"name of friendihip, admit a finifter
" gueft to difpute the pofleflion of their
<c affections with the lawful claims of
" connubial duty ! May it alfo warn
" thofe wives,' who, availing themfelves
" of the indulgence of fafhion, permit
" the marked attentions of an agree-
cc able man of unknown or fufpicious
o.' cha.-
96 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
tf charatSler, however they may think
" themfclves functioned by cuftom, pro-
<c tecled by the rules of decorum, or
" fecured, as you taught me to think, by
" the bond of pre-attachment. I fhall
" not then die in vain.
" Let me, though fhame and horror
<c alike agitate my trembling frame,
tc this once allude to thofe particulars
* c of my misfortunes which you alone
' can illuftrate. You feem to allow,
" that it was to your artifices that I
" owed the fatal abfence of my friend
ic and my hufband on the day I left
" Monteith. You know the arguments
" by which you influenced my elope-
cc ment; may your repentance enable
" you to efcape the terrible maledidlion
" with which you clofed them. You
" know how I hoped to overtake my
" lord at every ftagej but your heart,
" rendered callous by guilt, cannot con-
" ceive
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 297
. c ceive the agonies of mine when I firft
" fufpedted your nefarious purpofe. My
" confufed recolle&ion can trace no
Cf more. I only know, that returning
fc reafon taught me, that I was a wretch
<c for ever.
cc And can you, who know that your
" life is in my hands, who are confcious
" that, by telling my fad tale in a court
* c of juftice, I could convict you of a
" crime more foul than murder, fuppofe
"me capable of plighting my faith to
<c a monfter ! No ! Fitzofborne ; en-
" joy the fecurity which my own feel-
<c ings, and not companion for you,
cc allows you to poflefs $ but infult me
* c no more. Know, that the moment
" which revealed your bafenefs tore from
" my heart every veftige of efteem, and
" taught me, by my deteftation of the
" offence, to hate and to defpife the
<f offender,
o 5, * c Front
298 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" From a wifh of roufing in your
" breaft the torpid feelings of compunc-
" tion, I honour your letter with a copi-
<c ous reply. The compliments you
" pay to beauty are ill addrefled to the
" faded form which pens this epiftle ;
<c and the praife of fuperior talents are
" equaliy inapplicable to her whom you
<c have proved guilty of the weakeft va-
a nity, and the blinded credulity.
" I have forfeited the name with
cc which lord Monteith once honoured
" me, and I will not difgrace the un-
c fullied purity of my father's.
* c GERALDINE."
An interefling converfation took place
between my Heroine and her friend
upon the fubject of thele letters. The
countefs had fhewn them to Mifs Evans>
and requefted her opinion of the ten-
7 dency
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
dency of her reply. " Worthy of
" yourfelf," was the anfwer. " But
<c there is one part/' continued Lucy,
<c which feems to afk for explanation :
<c Some particulars of your (lory are
" unknown to me, nor do I wi(h to
" hear what it will be agony for you to
" repeat. But why, my dearefl ! do,
" you hefitate to do juftice to your
ec wounded fame, perhaps too to pre-
" ferve fome other victim from medi-
" tated ruin, by giving up a villain to
" that ptinifhment which the offended;
"laws of his country would inflict upon,
" his atrocious crimes ?"
<c My refolution/' faid the countefs,,
c< is fixed j but you lhall hear the rea-
<c fons on which it is founded. You
" know the fabricated tale which:
" drew me from Monteith. My recol-.
<c ledipn, then not clear, foon grew
o 6 <c ,more
JOO A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" more confufed -, and it is only by
<f comparing circumftances that I can
<c connect my narrative. I think I muft
(< have been firft taken to an obfcure
" houfe in a lonely fituation ; for I re-
<c colled! on the horfes flopping I faw
<c only trees and a mean building, and
* c I thought how foolifh it was to flop
" there, as my lord would never
c< put up at fuch a place as that.
ct I fuppofe that I was detained there
tf till my purfuers had paffed upon the
" road. I remember travelling very
* fad -, but my head was too bad for
<c me to guefs where. It was on a
" Thurfday that I left the caftle. My
" lord found me in a fmall inn in Lan-
" cafhire on Tuefday. I was fitting
*' in a room by myfelf, and weeping
4< bitterly, when he burft in. He re-
<c viled me in the fevereft terms, and
" afked
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" afked me for Fitzofoorne. I told
cc him that I did not know where he was,
" and wilhed I never might fee him
cc more: Indeed, Lucy, I fpoke the
cc truth j but my lord redoubled his
" ravings. 1 know that I faid I was
cc not fo wicked as he fuppofed ; and I
cc made an effort to kneel $ but whe-
cc ther he fpurned me from him, or I
fell through giddinefs, I cannot tell.*
I hurt myfelf in my fall; and, re-
" covering, found myfelf covered with
" blood. But my head was relieved,
and I was treated with companion.
" I kept afldng for my lord. They
told me, that he was gone after the
" gentleman who came with me. O
" what a found was that for me ! The
people at the inn were worthy cha-
rafters. They believed me to be
" penitent, and afiifted me to efcape
" from my feducer. I knew not where
" to
A TAEE OF THE TIMES*
>cc to go ; but .1 thought you would ad-
<c vife me. I travelled rapidly towards
<c Powerfcourt till I heard of my fa-
" ther's illnefs. You know the reft."
The trembling Geraldine faltered
as fhe repeated this melancholy tale,
and then funk weeping on the bofom
of her friend.
* Suppofe me now/' continued fhe,.
as foon as fhe could recover compofure
enough to proceed, <c repeating this
" narrative in a court of juftice j every
<f eye fixed upon me with offenfive cu r
" riofity ; infulted (at leaft in my own
" opinion) by that crofs-examination,
* c which impartial juftice will require
" to difcover whether I was not the
" willing partner of the crime. The
" powers of eloquence will be ex-
" erted againft me. Confufion may
" make me prevaricate ; and when life
Sf is at Hake, mercy pleads for the cri-
<c minal,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 303
sc minal whofe guilt appears doubt-
" ful. None of my own fervants were
" with me. I can bring no corrobo-
<c rating evidence. It will be proved,
<c that I was feen with him on the road,
" and at feveral inns, and made no
" effort to efcape. My appearance
cc may have caufed contradictory
cc opinions ; and art like his would
" certainly take care that the general
" imprefiion (hould be unfavourable.
" To thofe who know not my ufual
" manner, I might feem paflive, or ac-
" quiefcent, as well as infenfible.
" But fuppofe my character receives
" all the justification it can by his con-
<c demnation, of what advantage will
<f his death be to me, or to the world ?
" The vain beauty, who is not deterred
" by my misfortunes from liftening to
" the adulations of a Fitzolborne, will
"not be difiuaded from encouraging
"the
J04 A TALE OF THE TIMES*
" the fyren fong of flattery by hear-
" ing that a determined feducer can
" call in arts more unwarranted than
" illicit perfuafion. Lord Monteith can
" never be reunited to me. His ho-
cc nour and my delicacy, demonftrate the
" impofiibility of oblivious forgivenefs.
* Wherever my children appeared, the
" lad tale of their mother would ftiil
be whifpered, and the blufh of flume
t( muft dye their cheeks.
<f Nor," continued fhe, wiping the
tear which maternal feelings called
forth, " can the mortal wound in my
u reputation ever be healed. I am
cc confcious of a thoufand indifcre-
" tions, proceeding indeed from the
C erroneons idea, that every virtue, as
<c well as every accompli foment, unit-
c< ed in Fitzofborne's mind. Not an ac-
c quaintance have I in Scotland, or in
" London, who cannot relate thofe in-
difcre-
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 305
" difcretions and tell with what mark-
" ed preference I received his atten-
<c tions j and when thefe corroborating
" tales are confidered, will candour
" fay, 6 Perhaps the vain trifler (lopped
" at adlual guilt ?' A thoufand inci-
< c dental circumftances concur to over-
" ( whelm me. My mother's jewels are
" now in his pofleffion. They were
" not given with a culpable defign ;
<e but who will acquit me ? who knows
cc that lord Monteith's affairs were
" embarrafTed ? Or fuppofe I flate my
" motives : there again I am fole witnefs
" in my own caufe ; and fhe who be-
cc flowed on a flranger the confidence
" which fhe withheld from her hufband,
cc can fcarcely expect belief. I gave
" him my picture too. Good heaven,
fc what blind delufion ! No ! Lucy ; I
cc muft be filent. I have been too
" culpable to talk of innocence. The
" licentious
306 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
<c licentious would fay, poor Fitzof-
<f borne was very hardly ufed at lad by
* c the woman who invited his attack ;
" and the cenforious would accufe me
cc of taking a cruel method to redeem
" an irretrievable reputation/'
" Still," faid Mifs Evans, " there
" are advantages which you have not
cc confidered. Your daughters would
<c certainly be reftored to your care." A
flood of tears burft from the eyes of
Geraldine, and fhe faintly uttered :
" Sweet, lovely, helplefs girls !" Then,
after a paufe, me added, " Could I
" flatter myfelf with the expectation
<c that my protracted life would be ad-
<c vantageous to them, this fuggeftion
<c would have weight -, but a tranfient
<c felf- indulgence may be bought too
dear."
< c At lead," urged Lucy, " let Mon-
" teith know your ftory. Convinced
"of
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
u of your comparative innocence, (you
" will not, I know, allow me to ufe
<f a more favourable word,) Henry has
cc been for fome time employed in col-
s< lecling the circumftances in your
"favour. The chief are the teftimony
cc and the confeflion of your fervants
" at Monteith. Suffer him to add to it
" your narrative, before he tranfmits it
." to .your lord."
" By no means : ufe your influ-
" ence with your generous Henry to
" abandon his propofed juftification. I
" know the difpofition of him who
<c was my hufband. While he con-
cc fiders me as an adulterefs, contempt
c preferves my gallant from his ven-
<c geance ; and he can wait the (low
" proceedings of the law now his firfl.
cc fury has fubfided. But if he knows
" the wrongs his once beloved Geral-
s< dine has endured, not the united
" world
308 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
tf world could difluade him from tak-
c< ing a more fummary vengeance. He
" would purfue the ravifher of his wife
" to the remoted corner of the globe,
fc and only value his own life as it was
<c the means of aflailing his adverfaryv
" Chance, or Ikill, my Lucy, and not
"juftice, determines thefe blind and
<( audacious appeals to prefumptuous
cf vengeance. And fhall my helplefs
" babes lofe their only parent ? No !
<f let every document in my favour be
<f fupprefled, at lead till lord Mon-
cc teith is fecure from the fword of my
" feducer."
" Confider yet once more. Your
" lord has commenced proceedings in
" a court of juftice." cc I have de-
4< ferved difgrace, and muft endure
it."
" The legitimacy of your little fon,
c I fear, is queftioned."
GeraU
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 309
Geraldine fhrank with horror. cc O
cc wide extended evil !" faid (he. " Three
<c generations, blafted by me, may
" curfe the hour when I was born.
" Yet, my murdered father ! thy be-
" nignant fpirit, even in the pangs of v
<c death, forgave me. Will my flan-
" dered babes be inexorable ? But I
cf lhall not hear their reproaches. The
" time is not far diftant when I may
" fpeak with an expedtation of being
<c believed. I willjuftify to lord Mon-
" teith the fufpeded, becaufe prema-
cc ture birth of his fon; O infupport-
table anguifh ! that fuch juftification
cc fhould be required of me."
Mifs Evans repeated this converfa-
tion to her father and Henry. The lat-
ter praifed the greatnefs of foul which
dictated thefe fentiments:
<c Your interefting friend, my dear
" child, does indeed repent," faid Mr.
Evans.
3IO A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Evans. <c No vindi&ive rage, no
cc felf- acquitted accufations of others,
cc mingles with her true remorfe. She
<c properly appreciates the degree of
cc her own culpability j nor does any
" remaining affection for her feducer
ce lurk in her paflionate reproaches. She
" feems like the penitent defcribed by
< our immortal bard,
' To repent her, as^it is an evil,
* f And takes the fhame with joy."
cc To fuch contrition we are warranted
" to hope that the golden gates of
cf mercy will be unclofed."
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
CHAP. XLIII.
Hail wedded love ! by thee,
Founded in reafon, loyal, juft, and pure,
Relations dear, and all the charities ;..-. '
Of father, fon, and brother, firft were known.
MILTON.
the fwifc anticipator of time,
continued to prey on Geraldine's youth-
ful cheek. Her decay was vifible to
every beholder. But Lucy Evans, dill
liftening to the flattery of hope, believ-
ed that another and another day would
bring the defired amendment. PafTion-
ately admiring the beauties of nature,
me wooed the tardy fpring to approach,
and continued to repeat the well-known
defcriptionj
Airs, vernal airs,
Able to cure all fadneis but defpair.
Defpair
312 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Defpair was, however, the mortal dif-
eafe, under which her friend laboured.
Like Shenitone's interefting Jefly, (he
faw in every object fome reproach of her
folly, or fome memento of her former
happinefs. " What have I," me
would fay to herfelf, cc to do with hope ;
Cf and what without hope is life ?"
EngrofTed wholly by her friend's
diftrefs, Lucy dedicated all her time
and thoughts to her fervice and amufe-
menr. " If I could fee that faded
<c cheek blufh again !" fhe would fay.
cc Surely her appetite leaves her. I
" watch her fleeplefs couch till I fink
<f with wearinefs. I wake, and the
<f firft objefb which the lamp mews me
"is her unclofed eyes. I offend my
c own feelings to afTume cheerfulnefs.
f< She fometimes fmiles, but it is fuch
<c a fickly fmile, fo unlike its former
<c exhilarating brilliancy, it fpeaks fo
" plainly,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 313
cc plainly, I will even feem diverted to
" footh my apprehenfive Lucy."
Henry Powerfcourt often reproved
this extreme folicitude j blamed her for
being engrofled by one objecl ; and
pleaded his prior right to her, atten-
tion, and her promife of making him
happy. Cf O, talk not to me of feftal.
" days and happy vows/' ihe would
reply, ce when every hour prelents to
" me the affe&ing fpe&acle of declin-
ce ing lovelinefs ! Surely, Henry, you
cc never loved our Geraldine, if you
cc can now think of any one but her."
It was one lovely fpring-day, that
Lucy prevailed upon her friend to ac-
company her into the parfonage-garden,
to look at the burfting germs of the
lilac, and the honey-fuckle's tender
green. They had proceeded to Nerina ? s
bower before the trembling knees of
Geraldine required reft. When a little
VOL. in. p recovered,
314 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
recovered, fhe read with pleafure the
infcription which Henry had placed
there, while Lucy energetically repeated
the laft lines ; and not infenfible to the
charm of praife, when offered by one
fhe loved, fhe exclaimed, " There's a
cr happy compliment for you. You
ufed to fay, coufin Hal would never
" learn to make fine fpeeches."
The fmile which Lucy's fprightly
fally invited foon yielded to the bitter
recollection of former days. " Happy
<c blamelefs delight!" faid the countefs,
gazing on her friend : " long may it
" be your's ! May my fweet Lucy con-
** tinue to receive the incenfe due to.
" her worth, nor fear that a latent
<c poifon lurks in the grateful fragrance !
" Ah, that I had never welcomed
" praife but from a hufband's tongue 1
" Let me," continued fhe, " here, in
c this your favoured retreat, difclofc to
"you
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 315
< c you the hiflory of my errors. You
" need no warning ; but the time will
<c probably Jo on arrive, when the re-
cc membered confidence will Hill more
Cf endear this fpot.
<c I had not been long a wife before
<c I difcovered that my eye had be-
<c trayed my judgment fo far as to
" fruflrate my expectation of ever
Cf finding in marriage that communion
" of well-paired minds, that feaft of
" reafon and that flow of foul which
" I had looked up to as the perfec-
t tion of felicity. Every attempt to
" give lord Monteith a tafte for intel-
" ledbual pleafures was unfuccefsful.
cc But I was not unhappy. I remem-
" bered your excellent mother's pre*
<f cepts, and reconciled myfelf to the
" limited enjoyments which this world
" affords. In every eccentricity I be-
" held myfelf the undifputed miftrefs
p 2 " of
'A TALE OF THE TIMES.
^ cc of my husband's heart. In many
cc inftances I faw my power over his
"determinations; and often a genuine
Cf trait of native goodnefs appeared in
" fomething apparently inconfiftent and
ce irregular. I compared my fituation
" with that of many married ladies
"whom I knew, and I found abun-
" dant reafon to be contented with my
" lot.
" I then firft faw Fitzofbprne, and
" unhappily poffefled fufficient confe-
< c quence to attract his notice. He
" flrove to pleafe, and foon grew inte-
<r refting. Yet, weak as I have proved
" myfelf to be, I think I mould not
<c have been the victim of his 1 arts, had
<c not my lord's behaviour to me been
" perceptibly changed. He was no
" longer the man who engaged my
" youthful love, or the hufband who
" claimed my refpedl and gratitude.
" Then,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 317
ce Then, and not till then, did I feel
"the power of contraft which I had
cc hitherto indignantly avoided. The
<c elegant commendations of Fitzof-
" borne^ taught me, that I was not a
cc being of a vulgar mould. His grace-
" ful attentions indicated the homage
cc which merit like mine ought to re-
<c ceivc. His glowing defcriptions,
" though delicate as the ear of purity
<c itfelf could defire, pointed out a
<c fairy region of felicity, the abode
" of congenial minds, where human
cc foibles and human forrows never in-
" trude. Infatuated by this unreal
" vifion, the blamclcfs occupations by
< f which I had previoufly diverted
" painful reflections became infipid.
" Wrongs were converted into unpar-
<c donable injuries, and inattentions
" grew into wrongs. I no longer re-
c< collected thofe who were lefs happy
p 3 " than
A TALE OF THE TIMES.,
" than myfelf. The pang of wounded
ct love loft its tendernefs, while it af-
" fumed the indignant fpirit of offended
" pride ; and my rebel heart, imper-
" ceptibly alienated from its lawful pof-
" leflbr,. admitted an ufurped claim.
" O, Lucy ! if my tale were told,
" it would not only ferve as a warn-
" ing to our weak fex, whom vanity
" or fufceptibility generally betray^
" but alfo to thofe hufbands who are
cc anxious to guard their honour from
" reproach. I would bid them not en-
" tirely depend upon the {lability of
" our principles or the conftancy of
fr our attachments, but to afTift our
" virtue by that almolt invincible de-
<f fence which their behaviour to us
" would fupply. Might they not, with-
<f out derogating from their own fupc-
" riority, treat our foibles with gene-
" rous lenity, and make even our faults
" con-
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" conducive to our fecurity ? Praife is
" never fo grateful as from thofe we
" love. Attentions are never fo plea-
<c fingasfrom our dcareft friends. Let
" them not, when they neglect us, fup-
" pofe, that the affiduity of an agreeable
" follower is only welcome to the de-
" termmed wanton. The delicate mind
" that fh rinks abhorrent from the
" thought of guilt, may divert the
cc pangs of unrequited affection by in-
* c dulging the unfufpected feelings of
* efteem and gratitude for an amiable
" obfervant friend. Modern manners
Cf juftify thefe connexions, and modern
" hiitory defcribes their refult. But
<c let me not recriminate. My hopes
<c of pardon are founded on my own
* c penitence, not on the aggravation of
" my hufband's errors. The fuperior
" advantages of my education, my ha-
<e bits of reflection, my fenfe of fhame,
P 4 " the
32O A TA.LE OF THE TIMES.
<f the acutenefs of my fenfibility, were
f( all entrufted talents; and I recollect
* f with terror the awful afiurance, that
Ci where much is given much will be
" required."
<c Still, my Geraldine !" cried Lucy,
" fcill art thou the affociate of the pure
" in heart."
tc I might have been, had 1 liftened
" to your counfels. Have you for-
" given me, Lucy? I fear you 'have
" not."
" Forgiven you ? O ! when did you
offend ?"
<c Then will you undertake to pay a
cc debt which has long burdened my
" confcience ? I muft hope to live to
" fee it difcharged."
Lucy's finances were not very abun-
dant. She could fcarcely underftand
her friend's intention.
" Reward
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
cf Reward Henry Powerfcourt," con-
tinued the countefs -, " for you alone
" can. And let my fetting Tup con-
<( template the only object on which
cc it can now look with pleafure. My
(( contagious mifery has extended to
" all I love. Be you and your ge-
" nerous noble Henry exceptions."
Lucy could not refift this affectionate
appeal. She only pleaded, that the death
of their revered benefactor was too
recent.
" His daughter," refumed the
mourner, " wifhes ' to perform the
" office which he would gladly have
u executed : I mean, beftowing you on
" a deferving partner. Look, Lucy, is
< there much time to lofe ? Will this
" hand be long equal to the pleafing
Geraldine, as fhe fpoke, held up
her hand againft the fun. Its fymmetry
p 5 was
3^2 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
was formerly one of her diftinguifhed
characters. ItnOw exhibited a bare ana-
tomy, loofely covered by a Ihrivelled
fkin. Each meandering vein arid liga-
ture was vifible. It fcarcely obflructed
the penetrating beam. Lucy flung her-
felf into her friend's arms, and min-
gled compliance with her tears.
On the day of celebration, lady
Monteith, in compliment to the bride,
changed her fable drefs for the tafteful
elegance of her former habit. She
never looked more Ic/vely. A hectic
bloom, was fpread over her cheek, and
the accomplifhment of a favourite wifh
gave to her eyes the radiant emana-
tion which they ufed to poiTefs. She
was compofed > and almofl cheerful.
She feemed to forbid the intrufive for-
row which preyed upon her own heart,
and to drive the remembrance of her
woes from others. A plain relpectable
neigh-
A TALE OF THE TIMES 323
neighbour of the Evans's, and his wife,
were the only company. They were
ftruck with her appearance, and al-
moft feemed to inquire, " Was that
" Mifs Powerfcourt that was, or was
cr it fome angel in her form ?" In the
overflowing of their hearts they talked
of the manor- houfe, the happy fcenes
of feftivity it exhibited when fhe lived
there ; and then repeated their blunt
wifhes, that it might Jo on be as gay
again. The countefs accepted the well-
intentioned compliment, and added,
that Ihe hoped it would. Her eyes
glanced upon the bride's, who met them
withanexpreffion ofpleafure. Cf She hopes
" to live," whifpered fhe to Henry.
" O furely that hope will be gratified !"
The morning after thefe aufpicious
nuptials was marked by a converfation
peculiarly interefting. Lady Monteith
had prepared the neceflary forms, and
P6 me
324 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
fhe took this opportunity of delivering
to Mr. Powerfcourt what (he called a
pledge of her efteem. He faw with fur-
prize and regret, that it was a gift of
that part of the Powerfcourt eftate which
was by her marriage fettlement referved
for her unlimited difpofal. Henry ex-
claimed againft the profufe generofity
of her intentions 5 affirmed, that her
father's bounty had gratified all his
wifhes ; and pointed out the propriety
of prefenting it to Lord Monteith.
"What," faid the countefs, "to
<c purchafe forgivenefs for me ? My lord
" would difdain to receive what I fhould
" blufh to offer."
" For your children then/' faid Pow-
erfcourt.
" My daughter's fortunes are fuffi-
^ ciently ample, and lord Monteith's
< e mud revert to his fon. Do not,
" Henry, reject this gift, if you would
"not
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 325
" not add to my prefent forrows. I
c( have been unjuft to your merits, even
<c from my girlifh. days. But though
<c I may confefs my undifcerning ca-
<c price, I do not lament what has fe-
" cured your happinefs by uniting you
" to a mind fo much better adapted
" to the o firm integrity of your own.
cc Mine is not a difmterefteci bequeft.
cc How richly may you repay this fordid
" boon by the communication of un?-
<c perilhing advantages ! I have no right
<c to the difpofal of my children. I
" gave them being, but I have forfeited
" all pretenfions to direct their educa-
" tion, or to difpofe of their perfons.
" Every requeft which I couH make
<c would but inflame lord Monteith's
tc juft refentment. You have never
" wronged him : on the contrary, your
" difcrimination and integrity would
" have preferved me from the abyfs
" into
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
<c into which I have plunged. Perhaps
<c a proper reprefentation might induce
ce him to commit to your care thofe
<c unhappy objects, whom wounded ho-
" nour muft refufe to their wretched
cc mother. They no longer can give
" him pleafure, and he muft wi(h to
*' remove from him fuch lively me-
" mentos of former happinefs."
Mr. Powerfcourt and his Lucy both
promifed to folicit the facred truft, and
to difcharge it with punctual fidelity.
" And you too will continue to re fide
<c with us?", inquired the bride.
The countefs moot her head.
" Where do you mean to go ?" re-
peated Mrs. Powerfcourt.
<c There is but one afylum," anfwered
Geraldine. " If I could but be re-
cc ceived there." cc Can we aflift you
"in procuring it?" Tefumed her affec-
tionate friend.
" I firmly
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 327
<c I firmly believe, that you all have
tc an intereft there/ 1 continued the
countefs, looking round her. " Re-
c member me in your prayers." Lucy,
no longer able to miftake her meaning,
burft into tears j while Powerfcourt,
too much agitated even to notice the
diftrefs of his beloved wife, attempted
to relieve the gloom which deprefied
lady Monteith's profpefts. He talked
of the claims which fociety had upon
her, and of the power of time in foften-
ing grief.
c< What claims has fociety," return-
ed fhe, " upon a wretch whom every
" one that is tenacious of reputation
muft abjure ? My huiband mud caft
" me off, or be degraded by the reproach
" of fubmitting to wilful infamy. My
<c children muft be eftranged from my
<c fight, or be fufpe<fted of being in-
a fe<5led by my contaminating crimina-
" lity.
328 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
< c lity. Time, Mr. Powerfcourt, will
" heal the wounds of common forrows :
C{ it may redrefs the wrongs pf inno-
<c cence, or recruit the mattered for-
<c tunes of poverty. But what can
f time do for me ? Can it obviate the
tf fatal effects of my errors ; recall
'! my father from fyis grave ; give to
c< my children that unfullied honour
< c which my conduct has tarnifhed j or
" reftore to myfelf that peace of mind
<e which I feel to be for ever forfeited ?
c< If time can accomplifh the.fe won-
" ders, welcome years of fuffering ;
<c welcome the agonies whiph lead tq
" hqpes fo dear; welcome the poignant
" regret which teaches the value of
" bleffings that may bt again enjoyed !
<c But neither time nor forrow can re-
<c jnftate me in thefe loft bkfTmgs, or
reftore to me the good opipion of
<c the world. My feciuded remorfe
" has
A TALE OF THE TIMES. . 329
<f has no witnefles ; and if it were
" oftentatious, it would be fufpicious*
" Pare of my ftory remains untold ;
" but, judging of what is known, the
" world is right in its renunciation of
"me. No rules are prefcribed for my
<c future conduct, except feclufion, re-
" pentance, and death."
Mr. Evans interrupted the pathe-
tic paufe which fucceeded the coun-
tefs's affecting conclufion with all the
folemn earneftnefs which mould ever
characterize the Chriftian priefthood.
" One duty, lady Monteith, ilill re-
<c mains, which you muft difcharge.
" Cheerfully fubmit to your prefent
cf calamities till Heaven fees fit to libe-
<c rate you from them."
" I do," faid Gqraldine, meekly
bending her head. <c I feel them to be
cc the confequences of crimes. Betrayed
" by a vain confidence in my own
" ftrength,
33O A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" ftrength, I fhut my eyes againft the
" cleared difcoveries, and rejefted the
" warning voice of Heaven, which
4 * fpake in the language of a faithful
" friend. I not only fubmit to live, I
<c even cling to life, to that hopelefs
" life, which has no other aim but by
" recollection and patience to atone for
" my youthful follies, and to fmooth
" with meek refignation the painful
*' couch of death."
<c Remiffion of fin, 1 ' replied Mr.
Evans, wiping away a darting tear, c * is
" ever promifed to fincere contrition.
C Examine your heart, my dear lady 1
* f feparate the regret of pad pleafures
* f from the forrow for pad offences. Try,
" by a fevere fcrutiny, how far the
<c lofs of fame may claim the tear
* f which darts at the idea of remem-
<e bered eminence; and, while the ne-
f ceffity of forgivenefs finks deep into
" your
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" your foul, compofe your anxieties
" by reflecting on the mercy of your
" God,"
Mrs. Powerfcourt looked as if her
father had fpoken with undue feverityj
but the countefs, after a mental ejacu-
lation exprefllve of piety and refigna-
tion, proceeded : " While I frequented
f * the circles of fafhionable life, I par-
" took of their follies j yet the glare
" of perpetual amufement, and the
" hurry of conftant engagement, did
" not fo far vitiate my mind as to
" render me unfit for the duties of do-
" meftic life. Refledlion ever attended
cc my pillow, and defcribed, not the
" parties in which I was to appear,
cc nor the adulation I mould receive,
" but the more grateful images of my.
<c children, my focial friends, my quiet
cc occupations. Thefe, therefore, were
<c ever my dearefl delights j and regret
"for
33 2 A TA^E OF THE TIMES.
<c for thefe ble (Tings will mingle with the
cc tear that contrition claims. ;
< c The love of fame was, I ow-fi, my
cc predominant error. Impelled by
<e this powerful pafiion, I purfued
* c diftinction, and, though I only fought
( it by prarfe-woi thy means, I am now
. <c fenlible, that this: . . bufy pafTion*
xc mingled imperfection wit"h my c fair-
<e eft aims,' f perplexed the genuine
4C fchemes of defective virtue/ and
cc c flyly warped my unfufpecling heart.'
" Though in the fight of man they
'* may wear the fame impofing afpecl,
< the fearcher of hidden things muft
cc difcover an infinite difference between
<c thofe aclions which originate from
* c the dutiful defire of pkafing him,
<c and thofe the ultimate view of which
<f was the applaufe oT fellow- mortals.
" Your firmer mind, my Lucy, early
" imbibed the noble ambition of gain-
" ing
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 333
" ing the approbation of the Supreme
'* Good. Your virtue fhunned obfer-
cc vation, and only courted the filent
cc plaudit of confcience. For me,
cc though not infenfible to the innate
c< lovelinefs of virtue, nor callous to
" the feelings of companion, I felt
< every faculty roufed to exertion by
" the 1 idea of what the world would fay
" of me. Our hiftory is a comment
" upon the comparative tendency of
f thefe governing principles. Hapj3y
" Powerfcourt! how firm muft be your
t confidence in the integrity of a mind
" which always acts under the convic-
" tion that its moft fecret thoughts
" are noted by Omnipotence !"
<c The merit was more in my fitua-
" tion, than in myfelf," returned the
amiable bride. " I was fecluded from
<c temptation, and I had leifure to ac-'
" quaint myfelf with my own frailties*
Retire-
7
334 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
" Retirement, my Geraldine ! is the
cc foil mod congenial to female virtue.
" How will yours, which even in the con-
" taminating world appeared fo love-
Cf ly, flourilh in thefe peaceful (hades !
" What ample fupplies will your here- -
" ditary poffeffions afford to your be-
" nevolence ! Let not mortal forrow
" dry up the fource which would con-
" vey happinefs to all around you ; but
f< enjoy the anticipated pleafure of
cf widely- diffufed liberality."
" You forget," faid Geraldine, " what
" I now am. The mercy of the law,
" or the bounty of lord Monteith, mud
" determine the means of my future
" fubfiftence. My marriage - articles
" made no provifion for contingent
" crimes. My dear father did not
" think his child could be guilty of
*' any, and his conviction of my
" frailty was attended by death. The
" mortal
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 335
" mortal forrow, my Lucy, which has
cf to lament fo many deprivations, can-
" not ceafe, at leaft while memory
" holds her feat. Yet though Reafon
" ihrinks from the contemplation of
" my calamities, I muft continue to
" requeft, that her guiding ray may ac-
<c company me to the laft moment of my
*' frail exiftence. My generous friends !
" I iadden you with my forrows. I feel
" your kind fympathy. Every day
" confirms the certain diminution of
" my ftrength and health j nor can I
cc conceal from your difcernment my
" convidtion that I have not long to
" live. Your pious offices, Mr. Evans,
" are doubly welcome. If any un-
" warrantable fentiment efcape my lips,
" reprove me with the meek intrepi-
" dity of your function, and teach me
<c yet further to explore the weaknefs
" of my own heart. Yet in one point
"let
336 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
cc let your candour credit my folemn
" aflertion. It is not from any remain-
cc ing infatuation, but from a deep fenfe
"of my ieducer's atrocious crimes, that
" 1 not only, thus unfolicited, exprels
" my forgivenefs of my deftroyer; but
c I alfo earneftly entreat, that Heaven
< c would pardon his mifdeeds."
" Let us leave him," faid Mr. Evans,
" to the unknown mercies of his Maker.
" It is not for us finite mortals to de-
" cide ; but as far as our views can
" extend, hope feems like prefumption.
<c Dreadful, my dear lady, is the fituation
" of that finner who confides in the in-
cc fidelity which deftroys his laft refuge ;
" nor can your charitable prayers benefit
" him who difdains the mercy you im-
plore. J>
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 337
CHAP. XLIV.
What we have we prize not to the worth
Whilft we enjoy it ; but being lack'd and loft,
Why then we rack the value 3 then we find
The virtue that pofieflion would not (how us
Whilft it was ours.
SHAKESPEARE*
SOON after the foregoing converfation,
lady Monteith received a letter from
her lord's folicitor, informing her,
that his lordfhip's meditated vengeance
againft Mr. Fitzofborne having been.
difappointed, he had determined to
purfue the legal means of redrefs which
were in his power. He had, therefore,
inftituted two fuits in the ecclefiafticai
and civil courts, which he intended to
follow up by an application to the
Houfe of Peers for a divorce. The
VOL. in, C learned
338 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
learned barrifter wifhed to know what
fleps the countefs would take in her
own defence, or if (he fufpe&ed that
the evidence would affect the legitimacy
of her fon.
Geraldine's anfwer was fubmiffive,
yet not altogether departing from the
dignity of her character. She had no
defence to make* She acquiefced in
the punifhment which the laws of her
country would inflict. She only hoped,
that her confeflion might prevent fome
of the horrors of a public investigation. *
Her ladyfhip added, that (he would
addrefs the earl himfelf on the fubject
of the birth of his fon.
Even in the laft fcenes of her exift-
cnce, the rural pafllon of my Heroine's
mind predominated. Though per-
fuaded that her deep defpair could re-
ceive no addition 3 though her imagina-
tion had long anticipated the courfe of
law
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 339
law which her lord would purfue, yet
the certainty of a legal procefs, and the
apprehenfion of general infamy, ante-*
dated the crifis of her diforder ; and an
excruciating pain in her fide announced
the formation of an abcefs, the rupture
of which muft be mortal. Her fuffer-
ings were extreme, but the faint (lum-
ber which pain brought on was broken
by more intolerable reflections. * c Not
rc a corner in the kingdom/' faid me,
" but muft now be acquainted with my
<c fall. The village dame> who never
" heard of my celebrity, will Ihudder
"at my difgrace, and warn herdaugh-
" ters to avoid my crimes :"
She now pondered upon the only
means of vindicating her character, and
fhe queftioned the folidity of thofe ar-
guments which had induced her to fup-
prefs the knowledge of every exculpa-
tory circumflance. She had heard tha
0^ a Fitzofborne
34O A TALE OF THE TIMS.
Fitzofborne had fled from England -, a
public difclofure would therefore have
a fufpicious appearance- But that very
flight, infuring in fome degree the earl's
perfonal fafety, pointed out this to be
the proper time for making an applica-
tion to him in behalf of his fon, and
endeavouring fome what to foften his re-
fentment. ImprefTed with too deep a
fenfe of her awful fituation, to deny the,
alienation of her affeclions previous to
her flight ; fearful of exafperating him
by faying any thing that might have an
air of recrimination ; and deterred from
entering at large upon her unhappy
ilory, no kfs by her own weaknefs,
than by a fear of urging him to follow
Fitzoiborne, me determined to confine
herfelf to what related to her unfortu-
nate child, and truft the partial vindi-
cation of her own conduct to the inte-
grity and difcretion of Mr. Powerf-
1 2 court,
- A TALE OF THE TIMES. 34!
court, who kindly undertook to be the
bearer of the following letter :
" To THE EARL OF MONTEITH.
c< It is only in fuch circumftances as
" thofe in which I wri f c hat I eould
"dare to intrude on lord Monteithy
" You will foon be releafed from yonr
" difgraced wife by an irreverfible fen-
" tence; and I would entreat your
" mercy to (lop your proceedings
" in the courts of law, and to fpare
" my yet remaining fenfe of fhame the
" horror of having my ftory bandied
<c about in the public papers, expofed
" to indecent raillery and mercilefs re-
* c proach. I am in the laft ftage of a
<e rapid decline, fully fenfible of my
*' offences, and fearing to add to their
" number. I declare upon the word
'" of an accountable being, who knows
" (he has not long to live, that lord
" Loch
342 A TALE OF THE TIMES. ">
" Loch Lomond is your fon, and en-
<f titled to be the heir of your honours.
ct Compare the time of our fatal jour-
" ney to London with the evidence
" which you, may collect of his ap-
" pearance at his birth, and your fuf-
" picions mun; be removed. And I
" befeech your juftice, do not wrong
<c an innocent babe from refentment to
" his mother.
<c I entreat your forgivenefsj at leaft
" do not follow me with your curfes.
" Reconciliation I do not expect. I
" wjll, if you require me, for the little
* c time I have to live, forbear the ufe
" of yow; name and arms. I reftore
" your family jewels, which I had left
u at Powerfcourt. On my knees I beg
" your mercy with my dying lips. I
t( lhall commend you and my children
" to Heaven. Once more to fee them
" would be the greateft comfort that I
" could
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 343
cf could enjoy. Perhaps, as I am pad
fc recovery, you will grant me thae
" blcffing.
" GERALDINE."
Lord Mo'nteith had been informed of
tfre countefs's departure from his caftle,
without at the fame time hearing of
triofe particulars which would have al-
lowed him to infer her innocence. The
rafhnefs of his natural character pre-
cluded reflection in circumftances lefa
agitating than thofe in which he was
now placed. Nor can it be wondered
at, that, inflead of going home to re-
ceive more punctual intelligence, he
immediately fetofF in purfuitofa faith-
lefs wife and a treacherous friend. He
took the direct road for London, for
the very reafon which mould have de-
cided him againft it; namely, becaule
Fitzolborne had ftated that he mould
purfue
344 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
purfue that route. Frantic with rage,
and only meditating how to compel his
adverfary to give him fatisfaclion for his
wrongs, he had reached the confines of
Yorkfhire, before repeated difappoint-
ments of hearing any tidings of the fu-
gitives taught him to reflect that they
had certainly taken another courfe. It
now occurred to him, that the family
eftate of the Fitzofbornes lay in the
northern extremity of Lancafhire. Ic
feemed probable that the neglected ma-
norial houfe might be the chofen refi-
dence of the guilty pair. He travelled
ibme miles weftward with this perfua-
iion, till an accident which difabled his
carriage from proceeding compelled
him to (lop at a fmall inn fome miles
diftant from the poft-town. His impa-
tience at hearing that the only vehicle
which this obfcure place afforded was
engaged, nearly affumed the form of
frenzy j
A TALE OF THE TIMES, 345
frenzy; and the landlord, whofe con-
cern at the gentleman's being fo paf-
fionate, was heightened by his appre-
henfions that he never might have an
earl call at his houfe again, determined
to try if his oratorical powers could
allay the ftorm of words j and, fince his
honor could not proceed, perfuade him
tt^ remain contented till his own carnage
could be repaired, or the poft-chaife
returned. With this view he endea-
voured to engage his attention; and
the Barber of Bagdad was not a better
flory-teller in his own opinion. He
began by lamenting how unlucky it
was that the chaife fhould have jufl:
drove away, not ten minutes before his
honor arrived, with a gentleman, who
came to his houfe with his wife the
night before. The poor lady was one
of the prettied creatures he had ever
feen 5 but me feemed to be very ill,' and
0.5 was
346 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
was either always crying or fitting in a
brown ftudy. The footman who was
left to take care of her whilft his maftef
went to make a vifit a little way off,
faid that fhe was offher head. A fudden
thought Ihot acrofs Monteith's mind.
Where is fhe?" " In that room."
He would inftantly fee her. Words
were vainj and the feeble refiftance
which the landlord made to prevent
him from ruining into the apartment
was foiled by a force to which paflion
gave Herculean vigour. Monteith
broke from his opponent, and beheld
his countefs.
The prefence of the wretched Geral-
dine could no longer footh the ftormy
pafiions of her lord. On the contrary,
it now irritated him to the mod ungo^-
verned frenzy. He faw (he was in
diftrefs; but could the moil atrocious
guilt affume compofure on fuch an oc-
cafion r
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 347
cafion? She attempted fomething like a
vindication of her conduct. But what
extenuation could her crimes admit?
They were as apparent as his own dif-
grace. Did (he not deny any know-
ledge of the adulterer, when me was
recent from his arms ? Why afk to lee
the children me had deferted, wilfully
deferted ? Her feeming agony excited
contempt, her entreaties infult j and as
(he flung herfelf at his feet, he fpurned
her from him with abhorrence. Utter-
ing a volley of imprecations againft her
delufive beauty, he left her lifelefs upon
the floor, and ruflied after Fitzofborne,
whofe life appeared to be too poor a fa-
crifice for his mighty revenge*
The efFufion of blood which attended
her fall fomewhat relieved lady Mon-
teith's recollection from the effects of
thofe infernal potions which her feducer
had adminifteredj and her real ftory
0.6 being
A TALE OF THE TIMES,
being now known, fhe was readily af-
fifted in her earned defire of proceeding
to Caernarvonfhire. Pomade, who had
.been placed as a guard over her during
IMS rhafter's abfence, abandoned his
charge, dreading to encounter the ath-
letic arm which had felled the landlord
to the ground $ and he flew after Fitz-
ofborne to apprise him of lord Mon-
teith's arrival. The abfence of the fe-
ducer proceeded from two motives:
Jie fuppofed that he left his victim in
"perfect fecurityj and he was defirous
of inducing his filter, who refided in
that neighbourhood, and was poflef-
fed of what the world calls a paflable
character, to receive the unfortunate
countefs, till, as he termed it, the affair
was fettled. He was, befide, anxious
to procure fome medical aid ; the effects
of his nefarious arts were much to be
dreaded, and returning reafon was to
&^^ him
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 349
him equally alarming. Pomade's in-
telligence transferred his fblicitude to
the care of his own life, which he de-
termined to preferve by any means not
oftenfibly inconfiftent with received opi-
nions of intrepidity and honour. A
chain of artifices preferved him from
the meditated deftrudlion : and after a
vain purfuit, Monteith arrived in Lon-
don.
Lady Arabella immediately haftened
to him ; but not with the pious defign
of foothing his anguilh, nor of pleading
in behalf of an unhappy woman. She
was not of a temper to palliate a fault to
which fhe herfelf hadnever been tempted;
and Geraldine had too ftrongly awaken-
ed her jealoufy and envy to allow her
to fuppofe that her criminality admitted
of any extenuation. By her malicious
comments the account which his lord-
fliip had received from his fervants in
Scotland
A TALE OP THE TIMES,
Scotland tended rather to, exafperate*
than ,to ameliorate his rage j and be-
caufe their letters did not criminate
their miftrefs, he accufed them of being
participators in her crime.
Difappointed, by Fitzolborne's leav-
ing the kingdom, in his intentions of
cither calling him out to combat, or of
confining him in prifon by the preflure
of legal damages, the earl's fury pointed
at the countefs with an afperity which
increafed with every real or fancied in-
fult to which her tarnimed honour had
expofed him ; and he purfued the pre-
fcribed means of " cafting her off a
prey to fortune," with an avidity and
acrimony proportioned to the violence
with which he had once loved her and
confided in her virtue. He had fent
for his children to London, from the
idea, that fhe might have the effrontery
to vifit them at Monteith j and his
own
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 35 t
own a&ive fufpicions, aided by Ara-
bella's malignity, foon taught him to
believe, that his unfortunate little ion
was the offspring of guilt. His memory
continually tortured him with inftances
of Fitzolborne's attention to the infant,
whofe ill health, during its firft months
of exiftence, had rendered it a yet more
tender object of Geraldine's maternal
care ; and the perfuafion that a fpurious
ifliie would inherit his lineal- honours,
formed the climax of his mifery. The
dying countefs, worn' by mental and
corporeal anguifh, was perhaps lefs an
object of pity. Inebriety was his
wretched refource; but even inebriety
was ineffectual. His burning paffions
kindled with the feverim draughts and
his fervants, who once idolized their
frank generous matter, now trembled
for their own fafety whenever they ap-
proached him.
Ll
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
In this ftate of mind he was encoun-
tered by Mr. Powerfcourt, the benevo-
lent advocate of his unhappy wife. The
proffered letter was rejected with difdain.
The jewels were dafhed upon the floor.
Every requeft was anfwered by a fallen
negative, and the reprefentadon of her
fufferings was treated as a falfe pretence,
invented to excite compaffion. The
cruel Arabella, who liftened to the nar-
rative of her prefent fituation with more
attention than her impafiioned brother
could command, coldly obferved, that
flie really thought dying was the bed
thing which the poor imprudent lady
could now do. Difappointed in his
hopes, and even refufed the fight of
the children, left he fhoukl revive the
remembrance of a mother whom lady
Arabella faid they muft forget, Mr.
Powerfcourt took leave with feelings of
the deepeft indignation againft the un-
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 353
juft, inhuman, felf-approving cruelty,
which denied forgivenefs to one lefs cri-
minal than themfelves, and withheld
from a dying penitent the only confo-
lation which could relieve her mortal
agonies.
On returning to his hotel, his atten-
tion was arrefted by an acquaintance,
who fblicited him to contribute to the
relief of a poor fellow who had known
better days. He had formerly been
his fervant, but was now out of place;
and the fudden departure of his laft
matter from England had deprived him
of a recommendatory character. Henry
turned to look at the object of this ex-
ordium, and inftanrfy recognized one
of Fitzofborne's attendants. The con-
fufion with which Pomade appeared to
be overwhelmed was too extraordinary
to efcape his fixed obfervation. I mall
not particularize what the reader's pene-
tration
354 A TALE OF THE TIME'S*
tration will eafrly anticipate. The pre-
cipitation with which Fitzofborne had
fled from England, joined to his na^
tural ingratitude,- and the embarraff-
ment of his circunnilances, had prevent-
ed him from rewarding the agent who
had principally aflifted his diabolical
defigns on lady Monteith. The pfeffurs
of poverty, and an accidental rencontre,
induced the fubakern villain to difcover
what he knew of that iniquitous tranf-
action, in hopes of obtaining temporary
fupport. Lord Monteith was foon ac-
quainted with, every particular which
fpecified the accumulated guilt of the
perfidious wretch who,, under the fair
guife of friendfhip, had completed the
deftrudlion of a happy family.
The obfervations by which Mr. Pow-
erfcourt iptended to have inforced this
unequivocal teftimony were now pre-
cluded by the vehemence of lord Mon-
teith's
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 35 J
teith's felf-accufation. His once-adored
wife was proved to be innocent in that
inftance which had appeared to fix
upon her the charge of deliberate per-
fidy. The final vkws of Fitzofborne
could only be obtained by bafe falfehood
and almoft murderous fraud. Her de-
licate fenfe of honour, fhrinking with
horror from, the imputation of crimes,
of which (he had rather been the victim
than the participator, overpowered her
feeble frame ; and the wronged innocent
(for fo the quick tranfition of lord
Monteith's pafilons induced him now to
think her) muft with her life atone for
a hufband's credulous confidence and
a traitor's temerity. She was now
dearer than ever to his heart ; and lady
Arabella, convinced that there was no
refitting a torrent, endeavoured to obli-
terate the remembrance of paft farcafms
by her lively commiferation for the
fweet
A TALE OF THE TIKTES.
fweet fufferer. Lord Monteith afked
for the rejected letter; bathed every
fentence with tears; called for the little
outcaft, whom he had renounced and
banifhed from his fight; and recollected
with horror, that he had fent it to a
diflant county till the law mould relieve
him from the fuppofititious incum-
brance* ^His daughters were now al-
ternately folded in his arms. Their
likenefs to their mother was recognized
with heart-rending anguifh. In fine,
the carriages were immediately ordered
for Caernarvonmire ; and the tedious
journey was fomewhat beguiled by the
hope, that a reconciliation to her lord,
and the prefence of her children, might
flop the progrefs of decay. The filence
of Henry was intended to fupprefs that
vain expectation, and to prepare the
unhappy huiband for the fcenes which
awaited him.
Compaffion
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 357
Compafllon for the children, who fuf-
fered much from the fatigue of rapid
travelling, induced Mr. Powerfcourt to
Hop two ftages fhort of their intended
deftinationi and he was urging lord
Monteith to try to obtain a few hours
repofe, when an exprefs arrived from
the manor- houfe to announce the in-
creafed danger of the countefs, and to
expedite his return. Frefh horfes were
immediately ordered, and the travellers
fet off with a rapidity which even the
fpeed of the earl's former journey could
not equal. His tortured memory con-
tinually recalled the occurrences of that
journey, and his heart ftemed fome-
what eafed of the pangs of ie If- reproach
by the invectives with which he loaded
the arch-hypocrite, who then acted the
part of friendfhip, that he might be
enabled with his fcorpion fangs to trans-
fix his bread with impunity. A ray
of hope would fometimes break in. Ge-
raldine
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
raldine had recovered from one dange-
rous attack; why not again? Henry
had indeed affirmed, that the vital or-
gans were irreparably injured; but it
was prefumptuous to affirm what hu-
man fkill could not afcertain. She
might live, and they might yet be happy.
Rafh, misjudging Monteith ! when hap-
pinefs was not only in thy power, but
abfolutely in thy pofTefiion, the common
blefling feemed unworthy prefervarion.
All thy folicitude, all the angirifh that
corrodes thy foul, cannot new reftore
the flighted good. Could the healing
art acquire miraculous energy fufficient
to renew in the lamented fufferer the
lovelinefs and the fprightly health which
once captivated thy foul,
" Not poppy, nor mandragora,
' Nor all the drowfy fyrups in the world,
*' Can ever medicine to a mind difeafed.
" O now for ever
w Farewell the tranquil mind ! farewell content."
The
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 359
The path of reconciliation is impeded
by infurmountable barriers; and reflec-
tion would foon convince even the uxo-
rious* hufband, that wounded honour
impofed the neceflity of reparation.
The morning broke before the tra-
vellers entered the gate of Powerfcourt.
The earl's attention was fcrefted by the
achievement fufpended under the archi-
trave, and a figh burft from his heart,
extorted by the remembrance of the
meek benevolence which it was defigned
to commemorate. Lights appeared at
feveral of the windows. He could dif-
cern the fervants gliding about when
the carriage Hopped; yet all was filent,
except the whifpering breeze. The
hofpitable doors, which ufed to fly open
at his approach, were now cautioufly
unclofed. The attendants, whom the
ntfife of the carriages had gathered in
the hall, were drefTed in the weeds of
woe,
I
360. A TALE OF THE TIMES.
woe, and their countenances were as
mournful as their garb.
To the quick interrogatory of, " Is
fhe alive ?" a faint affirmative was the
only reply ; and Mohteith, gafping for
breath, was rufhing forward, when the
venerable figure of Mr. Evans arrefted
his fteps, <c I am fummoned,'' faid
the good man, waving his hand. " Let
'< me perform my awful duty, and then
you fhall be admitted. The countefs
* c has fent to requeft my prayers. Join,
" fir, and recommend her parting fpirit
* to the Father of mercies."
<c Pray fpr us both/' raved Moh-
teiths u and if there be efficacy in
<* prayer, entreat that my burning brain
<c may be numbed by infenfibility. If
* c you have any mercy," continued he,
raifing his voice after Mr. Evans, who
had made a fign to the fervants to de-
tain him, " let me fee my wedded
love.
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 36 1
cc love. Do not you know, that it is
Cf my feverity which has broken her
f f heart, and my forgivenefs will -yet
cc reftore her ? Think you that I can
" be patient when one lofl moment
cc may plunge me into perpetual an-
<c guifh ?" Mr. Evans promifed that
he would immediately announce his ar-
rival; and he leaned againft one of the
pillars, panting with fufpence, expect-
ing his fearful fummons.
It was to the death- bed of withering
youth and faded beauty, to the couch on
which greatnefs, difrobed of its diftin-
guifhing ornaments, confefTed its de-
fcent from the common (lock of hu-
manity, that Mr. Evans approached,,
c< Is it my extreme weaknefs, or fupe-
" rior intelligence," faid the countefs
in a hollow voice, " that makes me
* f now attribute fuch powerful ef-
" ficacy to a good man's prayers ?"
VOL. in, R <c Afel-
362 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
"A fellow finner," replied Mtv
Evans, "recommends you to Heaven.' 1
" Your hand, fir ! I fhall not long be
Cf able to thank you. My fituation is
cc very awful. How my poor heart
" throbs with pain and terror ! Any
cc news from lord Monteith ?"
* f He forgives you."
<c And are my children well ?"
" They are waiting to be admitted."
<f I fear my fight is now too dim to fee
<c them. But I wouki blefs them, if I
" dare. Would it be prefumptuous
" in me to blefs them ?"
A loud groan at this inftant iffued
from the door. It was Monteith's voice,
and the dying countefs caught the well-
known found. The bed fhook with her
convulfive tremblings. <c 1 thought/'
faid me, <c that nothing mortal would
<c have affected me. But that voice oh
<c that I could proftrate myfelf be-
" fore him."
Cf My
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 363
Cf My wife !" exclaimed the earl, who
had by this time broke from thofe
who attempted to reftrain him, and ap-
proached the bed; when, Ihocked by
the emaciated face where beauty once
redded, he fhuddering drew back his
extended arms, " Infernal villain,
" who hath brought thee to this !
" Curfed traitor ! who firft feduced me
ct from thee ; plunged me in vice, then
<c dole my treafure -, and now laughs
" at my mifery ! may his guilty foul
" for ever writhe, in tortures fuch as
" I now endure ! Awake, awake, my
<c love ; my Geraldine !" (for, over-
powered by his appearance, me had
fainted.) " I forgive thee. Oh live, my
" love ! but I know all thy fad (lory. Do
ct live, do but fmile upon me. Once
" ipore blefs me with thy tender fmile.
" Nothing, nothing then (hall part
364 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
<c us/' The earl continued raving till
he was forced out of the apartment.
The laft moments of lady Monteith's
life were marked by humble confidence
and dignified compofure. She called
for her daughters, folded them in her
arms, and then placed them in her Lucy's.
ce Be you/' faid (he, <e their future
" mother, and transfer to them that
" love I once enjoyed. Wade not
" your precious tears upon my uncon-
ce fcious corpfe. My existence is mul-
cc tiplied in thefe helplefs orphans ; and
" they fhall flourifh under the care of
<c the filter of my foul. Infinite mercy
c< may perhaps permit my feparated {pi-
e< rir to \vitnefs your pious performance
<c of this intruded charge."
She again caught lady Arabella to
her bofom. " My eldeft darling," faid
{he, <c you will not forget me. Give
<f your
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 365
ec your aunt this ring, the pledge of
" reconciliation and peace. Keep this
<c miniature till James can underftand
" that it is his mother's likenefs. Ye
" guardian angels, watch over thefe
" innocents ! -All gracious Parent of
" the friendlefs, in mercy proteft my
" babes from my faults and my for*
fc rows !
" Watch/' faid (he, addrefling Henry
Powerfcourt, <c my unhappy lord. Dp
" not abandon him to his firft forrows.
4< Time will foftcn his defpair. Tell
him that his repentant wife blefTes his
" goodnefs, and dies in hopes of meet-
" ing him in a better world. I would
" have told him fo ; but the fight of
cc him awakes infupportable anguifh.
<c Urge him to comply with my laft
" requeft, and receive my children into
" your hofpitable dwelling. And you,
" my Chriftian monitor ! (looking at
R 3 " Mr.
366 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
-c Mr. Evans), early inftill into their
" minds thofe principles which repel
" temptation and fupport diftrefs. O
" that lord Monteith would feek con-
" folation at the healing fountain of
" falvation !"
Her once radiant eyes gradually af-
fumed a glaiTy dimnefs, yet, though
no longer able to diftinguifh objects,
they continued fixed on that part of
the room where her children flood.
Her clammy hands grafpedMrs. Powerf-
court's with convulfive eagernefs, and
the laft founds that quivered on her
lips were fupplications for mercy.
So terminated the ihort exiftence of
the lovely and amiable Geraldine, to
whom nature, art, and fortune feemed
prodigal of their favours ; the faithful
friend, the dutiful daughter, the ob-
fervant wife, the tender mother. One
fatal weaknefs, combining with the arts
of
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 367
of a bafe feducer, annihilates all this
excellence, blafts the fair promife of
many happy years, and drives her to
the refuge of a premature grave.
Does no folemn truth fpeak from her
early bier ? Does no warning voice re-
pel the flutter of the heart which throbs
for adulation, or arreft the career of
thofe who, madly purfuing fame or
pleafure, expofe domeftic happinefs, the
only " blifs of paradife which has fur-
vived the fall," to cafual attacks
of ignorance, the fubtile malignity of
fyftematic depravity, and the certain
ruin of indifference and neglect ? In
vain does perverfe human nature create
fictitious blefllngs, and wafte its reft-
lefs hours in the purfuit of vifionary
delights, difdaining the pure and peace-
ful comforts which God and nature al-
low to all, a guiltlefs confcience, focial
enjoyment, felf-poflefiion, and content.
R 4
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
CHAP. XLV.
Vain man ! 'tis Heaven's prerogative
To take, what firft it deign'd to give>
Thy tributary breath :
In awful expectation plac'd,
Await thy doom, nor impious hafte
To pluck from God's right hand his inftruments of
death.
WARTON.
MRS. POWERSCOURT, whofe restrained
forrow had forborne to interrupt the
parting foul, funk upon the lifelefs
corpfe of her friend, and prefTed the
yet- warm lips with a fervid kifs. Then
receiving thete rrified children into her
arms, " Ever dear and facred truft,"
ihe exclaimed, " living images of your
" angel mother : dearlofl companion !
" pleafing friend ! faithful partaker of all
" my youthful joys ! By all the anguilh
* c of this excruciating feparation, by all
tf the
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 369
Cf the endearing remembrances which
cc my impaffionedmemoryfhalleverpre-
" ferve, by all my hopes of meeting
." thy approving fpirit in a happier
" world, I will difcharge my truft to
<c thefe fweet innocents, and for their
" fakes fubdue the keen regret which
cf would make life appear a barren
" defert, bereft of thy endearing love-
C linefs,"
To the raving defpe ration of lord
Monteith no pen can do juftice. Un-
ufed to calamity, and indignant of felf-
reproach, his ftubborn heart refufed to
fubmit to the righteous but fevere pu*
nifhment -, and his galled confcience
ftarted from the terrifying accufation,
that he, (( like the bafe Judean, had
" flung a pearl away richer than all his
tribe."
He fought to filence the horrors of
remorfe by the mod extravagant affec-
R 5 ticn
370 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
tion to his lady's memory. Her fune-
ral was conduced in the higheft ftyle of
pageant decoration ; and he wearied
himfclf with examining defigns for a
monument, which he propofed to have
executed in Parian marble, and that its
magnificence fhould rival the proudeft
ilrudtures which forrow, tafte, or va-
nity have creeled over cc fallen mor-
tality." He teazed his children
with his frantic carefles -, vowed that he
only exifted for their fakes ; determined
never to be feparated from them ; and
traced, with mingled ecflafy and an-
guifh, the various refemblances which
they bore to their mother.
" My little Geraldine," he would
fay, <e is her perfect image. Juft fuch
" a fmile as that of my beloved, before
< I knew that accurfed Fitzolborne.
<c Lucy has her beautiful hair, and
<c Arabella her melodious voice. Poor
9 " James
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 371
cc James too but I have never feeti
ce him fince he was three months old.
<c They will all forget her, except Ara-
" bella. Yet the murderer ftill lives.
<c But may I perifh, Fitzo&orne, if I
<c do not purfue thee to the remoteft
" corners of the globe !"
While the heart glows with fenti-
ments of juft indignation, it is natural
to inquire the fate of the author of
thefe calamitous fcenes. The laft hours
of Fitzofborne's life were not fufficiently
fplendid to allure inexperience to defert
the plain path of redlitude, from .the
hope of acquiring, fame or fortune by
indirect means. He had indeed plucked
the forbidden fruit, but he had found
it, like the bitter apples of Sodom, dif-
tafteful and delufive, the origin of mifery
and regret.
Difdainfully reje&ed by the victim of
his artifices -, compelled ^to fly his na-
R, 6 tivc
37 2 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
live country or to languifh in hopelefs
captivity 5 abandoned even by the licen-
tious part of the world, who, though
they enthufiaftically applaud trium-
phant vice, are ever firft to fhun indi-
gent guilt j Fitzofborne was now left to
meditate on the abufe of diftinguifhed
talents, the wafte of perverted induftry,
and the folly, as well as the wicked-
nefs, of that knowledge which only
afpires to organize depravity.
Thefe infupportable reflections were,
however, foon interrupted -, and his
miferable exiftence brought to a period
by other means than the fword of an
injured hulband and betrayed friend.
Retributive juftice not only willed hi&
fall in that country where he had im-
bibed his peftilent notions ; it alfo de-
creed, that thofe very opinions mould
be the immediate occafion of his death.
It is well known that the mercilefs ty-
ranny
A TALE OF THE TIMES, 373
ranny which Robefpierre ere&ed on the
tomb of the murdered Louis fpared
neither friends nor enemies. Fitzof-
borne, as an Englishman and a gentle-
man, became an object of fufpicion. In
vain did he plead that he had difgraced
his anceftors, and abjured his country $,
in vain boaft his contempt of fuperftr-
tion and abhorrence of prefcribed forms 5.
in vain bend with mock adoration at the
idol fhrine of liberty, or with fervile
adulation load the new Romans with
the faKified epithets of magnanimous
and illuftrious : they, who fpared not
a Roland or a Condorcet, could not be
expected to regard fanguinary principles,
unlefs attefted by the repeated perpetra-
tion of fanguinary deeds.
In the gloom of the Abbaye prifon,
expofed to all the various wretchednefs
of want, difturbed by the groans of
fellow-fufferers, and furrounded by the
inflru-
374 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
inftruments of defpotifm, the wretched
Fitzolborne might have feen the refu-
tation of that falfe philofophy which,
founded upon the vifjonary perfectability
of the human fpecies, rejects the wife
reftrictions which Infinite Wifdom has
contrived as a barrier againft the ex-
treme atrocity of a fallible creature.
But Fitzolborne could neither commune
with his own heart, nor feek forgivenefs
at that throne of mercy which he
had often prefumptuoufly blafphemed.
Amongft the effects of thefe alarming
doctrines, it is not the lead lamentable
that they fleel the heart againft contri-
tion. The unhappy finner, whom paf-
fion betrays into guilt, trembles at the
recollection of thofe crimes which the
fyftematic villain juftifies. But the for-
rows of penitence lead to hope, while
the pangs of impiety end in defpair.
Shrinking
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
Shrinking with horror from the dif-
grace of a public execution, Fitzof-
borne applied to the unbeliever's laft
refource, and with his own hand anti-
cipated the ftroke of the guillotine. He
died amongft men brutalized by guilt*
or petrified by fuffering. He could not,
therefore, expect the poor confolation
of pity ; but his Jaft moments were un-
expectedly rendered more agonizing by
the intelligence (which the keeper of
the prifon communicated with all the
unfeeling cruelty of his profeflion) that
the Dictator, having received a very fa-
vourable account of his talents, had
not only determined to liberate him
from prifon, but alfo to advance him t6
fome confidential employment. Shud-
dering at the idea of that eternal deep,
the reality of which he yet wiflied to
belie ve; clinging to life with greater
earneftnefs, in proportion as the pofli-
biiity
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
bility of living diminifhed j curfing his
own impatience, which had irretrievably
deftroyed the fair profpects which he
might have realized ; flung by remorfe
and felf-accufation, without one ray of
hope -, Fitzofborne's terrible unlamented
exit appeared to anticipate the horrors
of futurity. But here let me drop
the awful veil -, and while juftice refufes
the commiferating tear, let human na-
ture, confcious of its own infirmities,
humbly folicit the protection of Omni-
potence againfl the magic of novelty,
the delufions of fophiftry, and the ar-
rogance of human Reafon, whenever,
proud of her own fupremacy, me pre-
fumes to pafs the interdicted bounds pre-
fcribed to her finite powers.
The hiftory of my remaining cha-
racters will be comprized in a few
pages. Mr. Powerfcourt prudently de-
termined to let the firft efferyefcence of
lord
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 377
lord Monteith's grief fubfide before he
requefted to be intruded with the care
of thofe children whofe fociety the un-
happy father fancied would alleviate his
affliction. But the cheek of infancy is
not always dimpled with fmiles. Its
little foibles require calm correction;
and though it is delightful " to teach
the young idea how to fhoot," its
wild luxuriance mud be tenderly re-
prefled. Calamity did not increafe the
number of the earl's virtues, and pa-
tience and application were ever want-
ed in the lift. He therefore foon found
the prattle of childhood too mild an
opiate to lull the tortures of corroding
reflection. Lady Arabella too, who,
on hearing that (kill in education was
the very higheft ton, had determined to
be governefs to her fweet little nieces
herfelf, perceived that verbs and prepo*
fitions
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
fitions were very dull reading, and that
the engagements of the fchool-room
were abfolutely incompatible wich mix-
ing in the world. In lefs than three
months after the death of their mo-
ther, the children were fixed at Pow-
erfcourt to the mutual fatisfadtion of all
parties.
Love is faid to be the only paffiort
which can conquer death. But friend-
fhip, as belonging to the fame family*
claims the like honour. Long after
the lamented death of lady Monteith,
the following fonnet flowed from her
Lucy's pen ;
To FRIENDSHIP.
O Friendfhip! folacer of grief ! whofe fmile
Can calm the terrors of life's rnthlefs ftorms*
Come, with thy daughter's memory, and be-
guile
My penfive hours. Recall the fairy forms
Of
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 379
Of early pleafures. Bid them trip along'
Gay as the fanguine hope which youth in-
fpires.
Renew my Geraldine's enchanting fong :
That fong which warbles now 'mid angel
choirs.
O be her peerlefs excellence difplay'd,
True to the likenefs in my bofom worn !
O'er weeping error caft that lenient fhade,
Which fcreens repentance from opprobrious
fcorn.
Gild with thy lamp the cold fepulchral gloom,
And twine thy rofes round the mouldering
tomb.
But it was not to the expfeflions of
vain regret or elegant fufceptibility
that this amiable woman appealed for
the atteftation of her inviolable affecYion.
Her exemplary difcharge of the awful
truft which fhe had undertaken, un-
queftionably confirmed the (incerity of
her regard. The opening graces of
the lovely children promife to reward
her
380 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
her pious care, but who that recollects
their mother's fate will dare to predict
the vent?
Though the neighbourhood round
Powerfcourt-houfe will long retain an
affe&ionate veneration for the memory
of their late benefadlor, yet they con-
fefs with gratitude, that the prefent re-
prefentative of that illuftrious houfe is
the true heir of the good fir William's
virtues. The exertions of an intelligent
cultivated mind fupply the deficiencies
of a lefs ample fortune -, and the defires
of Henry Powerfcourt to confer happi-
nefs are only limited by his power of
beftowing it.
Though happy in his union with a
woman, whofe tafte and character is
mod happily adapted to his own, he
has not entirely forgotten the attach-
ment of his early years; and he views
the adopted children of his once adored
Geral-
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 381
Geraldine with all the fondnefs of pa-
ternal atFedlion. He traces with ten-
der anxiety their refemblance to their
mother; and he fympathizes with poig-
nant fenfibiiity in all his Lucy's regrets
,2nd cares. Often as he wanders
through the (hades which derive a
greater beauty from the interefting re-
membrance of youthful pleafures, he
contemplates the perplexed maze of
pad events, and raifes his eyes in
grateful veneration of that Being who
kept him ftedfail in the path of duty,
and ultimately led him to tranquillity
and content.
Mr. Evans continues to enjoy a fe-
rene old age, dignified by the exalted
virtues which are comprized in the ge-
neral term of chriftian philanthropy.
He occafionally vifits at the manor-
houfe, and is gratified by the com-
pany of his children and their young
charge.
382 A TALE OF THE TIMES,
charge. But his time is generally fp.ent
at the re&ory, meditating on the per-
plexities of the world he is about to
leave, and the perpetuity of that to
which he is journeying. His refpe&fui
gratitude to his late patron is 'exem-
plified by the care he takes to preferve
among his parifhioners the remem-
brance of thofe mild virtues corifpicu-
ous in fir William's character, which
were ennobled by the fong of angels,
and are happily adapted to univerfal
practice, " Peace on earth and good-
<f will toward men."
Lord Monteith continues to drag a
miferable exiftence. His intemperate
habits have entirely obliterated all the
graces of his perfon and the amiable
qualities of his mind. He is now the
afTociate of boon companions, and the
dupe of (harpers; fought only by fer-
vile fycophants and ufurers, and avoid-
ed
.:,. ; A TALE OF THE TIMES. 383
ed by all who preferve any decent re-
fpect for chara&er. His health rapidly
declines. Prevented by legal reftric-
tions -from ultimately injuring his chil-
dren's property, he has been driven by
his thpughtlefs extravagance to the def-
perdte refource of life annuities, which
have been multiplied, till they fo nearly
reach the value of his rent-roll, that it
i now become a favourite fpeculation
whether his life or his fortune will hold
out the longeft.
Repeated matrimonial difappointments
have given lady Arabella Macdonald
fo'mething of a cynical caft of mind. Not
that it appears in her conduct, for fhe ftili
glitters in the firft circles, and is. always
the beft drefled and noifieft woman of
fafhion in the room. But fhe has been
heard toexprefs feveral mifanthropic fen-
timentSi and her diflike to the male part
. of the fpecies has arifen to fuch a degree
of
384 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
of acrimony, that fhe affirms (he will
never part with her liberty, cc which is
the zeft of life," to oblige any of thofe
odious mercenary creatures. There
are people who think that (he will per-
fevere in her refolution, not on account
of her having lately become a belle ejprit
of the firft clafs, but from the know-
ledge of fame private events which have
lately happened at the pharo table kept
by the right honourable lady vifcountefs
Fuzofborne, wife of a Britifh Jenator^
and lady Arabella's mod -particular
friend.
The author's intention of enforcing
fome moral truths by an appropriate
narrative is now complete. Whatever
difregard of applaufe fhe may affedl in
her adorned character, or whatever in-
difference (he may really feel for the fiat
of the felf-conftituted guardians of li-
terature, if they Ihould pervert their im-
portant
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 385
portant and highly- refponfible office by
exerting the influence which learning
and wit give them over the publia tafle
in recommending works injurious to
public morals, (he ftill recollects, that
found fenfe, accurate difcrimination,
and correct judgment, form a part of
that public by which her merits muft
be tried ; and (he cannot but feel
anxious that the rectitude of her in-
tenfion fhould be admitted by fuch a tri-
bunal.
If her apprehenfion of the dangerous
tendency of fome popular productions
fhould be deemed ill-founded, the real
friends of morality and religion will
ftill fay, "God fpeed!" to^heenthu-
fiaftic champion who fallies forth to
refift even the delving mole that exerts
its puny powers to undermine the facred
-edifice. Nor will her acrimonious cen-
fure of thofe falfe lights which lead the
VOL. in. s unwary
A TALE OF THE TIMES.
unwary aftray, induce the refle&ing
reader to fufpedt that fhe is hoftile t^>
the qaufe of real candour, true philo-
fophy, and judicious liberality. In
common with every well-wifher to the
happinefs and improvement of the world,
fhe deeply mourns the irreparable in-
juries which they have received from
the blafphemous pretenfions of thofe hy-
pocritical furies who have ufurped their
hallowed characters.
She feels it neceflary to add an apo-
logy to the lovers of propriety and de-
corum, for her frequent allufions to re-
ligious fubjedts, and her intermixture
of ferious truths with fictitious events.
It is not from any vain defire of throw-
ing her feeble gage in the riowded fields
of controverfy, much lefs from a want
of heartfelt reverence for facred themes,
that fhe adventured to make thefe di-
greffionsj but as the mod fafhionable,
and
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 387
and perhaps moft fuccefsful, way of
vending pernicious fcntiments has been
through the medium of books of enter-
tainment, me conceives it not only
allowable, but neceffary, to repel the
enemy's infidious attacks with fimilar
weapons.
One of the misfortunes under which
literature now labours is, that the title
of a work no longer announces its in-
tention : books of travels are converted
into vehicles of politics and fyftems of
legiflation. Female letter-writters teach
us the arcana of government, and
obliquely vindicate, or even recommend,
manners and adions at which female
delicacy mould blufh, and female ten-
dernefs mourn. Traits on education
fubvert every principle of filial reve-
rence : Writers on morality lay the axe
to the root of domeftic harmony : Com-
pilers of natural hiftory debafe their
s 2 pages
388 A TALE OF THE TIMES.
pages with defcriptions which modefty
cannot perufe : Philologifts difpute the
revealed will of God : Philofophers and
Antiquarians deny its hiftorical credibi-
lity : and Mathematicians define the
nonentity of Him in whom we live, and
move, and have our being. The Mufe
chaunts the yell of difcord, and, under
the pretence of univerfal citizenfhip,
founds the dirge of that amor patri<e
which her claffic predeceflbr fought to
infpire. And lad, though not lead in
its effect, the novel, calculated, by its
infinuating narrative and interefting de-
fcription to- fafcinate the imagination
without roufing the ftrongef energies of
the mind, is converted into an ofrenfive
weapon, directed againft our religion,
our morals, or our government, as the
humour of the writer may determine
his particular warfare. The egotifm of
infidelity, which guides the wandering
pen,
A TALE OF THE TIMES. 389
pen, may be the undefigned caufe of
r ome of thefe effe&s ; but repeated de-
viations from an oftenfible fubjedt can
only proceed from a fettled defign of
covertly attacking whatever fcience once
taught us to revere.
THE END,
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West, Jane
5779 A tale of the times
W18T3
1799
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