eldest-born! my idolised Philip, will die, and these eyes will no more behold him! Wretch that I am! What have I forfeited!"

Dreadful are the writhings of remorse! Need we any other Hell than the scourgings of our own conscience? Happy are those who, enduring such baptism of fire, are prepared for the future one of water (the symbol of cleansing), and the regenerating one of the Holy Spirit. But the anguished feelings of Lady T-were, alas! but momentary; a note from the Viscount then just arriving, seemed to have dissipated all her grief and motherly affection for her absent children in an instant, and to cause her to look with increased fondness on the present one, whom she did not, however, nurse herself, but hired a substitute to perform that sacred office.

As Lady T- still lived under the protection of her husband, in his house, and no open exposure had been made with regard to her liaison with Viscount Falconshaw, the world, whatever it might think, still countenanced her. She was too conspicuous a star of fashion, not to be invited every where, and as soon as ever she could with propriety accept such invitations, away she went, decorated with the most expensive ornaments; dazzling in beauty and gems. As she came into my room, the first evening of her going out, to show herself, and look upon her infant, I told her I should leave her residence next day; when, with that inconsistency I had ever seen about her, that mixture of angel and devil I had so clearly traced in all she said and did; she burst into tears, and implored me “not to forsake her child, as she knew it would perish without my care."

"Who is so proper, my lady, to guard over the welfare of this poor little one," answered I, in a voice of no gentle rebuke, “as the mother who bore it?" Then recollecting in a moment, how totally unfit she was to watch over a germ of immortal growth, so that it should expand into divine loveliness; to foster a seed planted by God himself in a small human form-its outward husk or covering-I turned away and sighed.

It seemed to me that the same thought had passed over her own mind at the same moment, for she uttered with a most pathetic cadence, "Too late! too late! Mother! am I worthy of the name? My precicus, perhaps dying little Philip! My forsaken, neglected Emily! And their poor, injured, too indulgent father! My God! take them all, I beseech thee, under thy paternal care, and"

She could not finish, for her voice was choked by emotion; I went and bolted the door, to prevent intrusion, and was resolved to try whether I could not persuade her to return immediately into the country, to the Hall, where Lord T— had given orders she should reside, until he had made up his mind what course to pursue with regard to her; for as yet it appeared to me he was unaware of the full extent of her turpitude; or, from the doating affection he still bore her, amounting almost to idolatry, shut his eyes wilfully to his own disgrace.

"It is impossible," sobbed out the weak-minded Lady T. “I have lost for ever the respect of him who was too good for me!even, supposing he could forgive me, every look of his would be a cutting reproach to me; every kind word from him would seem to

N. S.-VOL. I.

3 F

tell me of my own unworthiness.-I could not endure this life-I should destroy myself!-Vanity, not love, has undone me!-Mrs. Griffiths, you know not what effect flattery has upon a nature like mine! He, my injured Lord, never stooped to use it; yet I know that he alone adored me. This other being came, and largely drugged the cup-it intoxicated me; and, I became—what I am.

Much impassioned discourse passed at this time between us-[ argued with all my force; implored her not to insult the feelings of Lord T, by being seen in public receiving the attentions of the Viscount, when her husband was absent. That as yet, irreparable as was the wrong he had sustained, still the finger of public scorn from an unjust and cruel world, was not openly pointed at him; he might still be saved from that ignominy, which is the severest trial a man can endure, an open stain upon his wife's honor!-I thought I had prevailed; that I had awakened some better feelings in her mind; or rather the resolution to be guided by those angel-visitants, that so often hovered about herself, even in spite of all her errors, but were constantly chased away again, by the fiends, Frivolity and Vanity;Had Lady T been born a plain woman instead of being a firstrate Beauty, it is my opinion, that she would have been both amiable and virtuous. Had her husband, even, been less indulgent to her first follies, and insisted on her abandoning high play, of which she was so extravagantly fond, she might have remained a faithful wife and tender mother. I am not seeking to excuse immorality, I am only analysing the cause of it here. Physicians are consulted on every slight physical disease; change of air, of diet, and of nostrums are prescribed without end; but when the moral constitution is infected by some secret foe, is contaminating by slow or rapid degrees, all that before was healthful and delightful, where is the mental Physician to be found (that is, human one) to administer relief?— Every master of a family should be such at least to his own wife and children more especially, and as much as possible to his other inmates. Vice is a malady that comes on generally by gradual approaches, but by judicious treatment, might, I am assured, often be restrained, if not wholly eradicated.

In the Romish religion there can be no doubt that something of this nature was intended for the erring children of humanity, when it was made imperative, that all good Papists should confess their sinful thoughts and acts to their Priests. Beneficial would it be so to do, I cannot but think, if it were confined to confession ouly; if the arrogant human Physician, the Priest, had not taken upon himself, without the slightest authority for so doing, what God himself (the only true Physician), has the power of doing, absolving their fellow creatures from their faults, whatever may be their enormity; thus misleading the hapless culprit, or, to carry on the metaphor, the poor trusting patient, whose case, instead of being amended by such treatment, gets infinitely worse;-nay, he often purchases indulgences to commit other crimes with the greatest impunity. This is, I think, one of the plague-spots on Romanism.

That the last two sentences will be passed entirely over, by many

who have commenced reading this tale, I can have but little doubt ; if so, I humbly beg their pardon for the digression.

Lady T seemed deeply touched by my arguments; she had actually unclosed a superb diamond armlet from her rounded and alabaster arm, had removed a small bouquet of glittering gems from her equally spotless bosom, with the intent of sending away her carriage that evening, when a note was brought to her on a silver salver, which she hastily tore open, and then handed it to me, with an apologetic look, as she caught up the discarded ornaments, and hurried from the room. In another quarter of an hour, I heard the chariot whirl from the door. These were the lines scrawled upon the paper, for the person who had put them there, was too fashionable by far to write. from the Viscount.

It was

for the

"Put on all your charms this evening my adored EHeir-apparent, and more of the Royals will be there. They are all profound judges in female Beauty, and there is a new Star arisen in the Hemisphere of Fashion-appear, and eclipse her for ever!

A WORSHIPPER."

"And for such trash as this," I indignantly exclaimed, "is an honourable, a confiding, a doating husband to have the peace of his sacred home violated and destroyed!" And I thrust the poisonous missile into the fire, and immediately began my preparations for my departure, which I now determined should take place the next morning.

At what hour Lady T- returned I know not, but it must have been a very late one: I wished to see her before I went; so I sent her woman in to ask leave to do so, and was instantly admitted into her sleeping apartment.

Pale was that faultless face, which I now looked upon; and almost convulsed its features. "Oh that I had taken your advice, my kind good Mrs. Griffiths," she exclaimed, after sending away her woman, "I have been persuaded to play again, and at enormous stakes. I have lost at every throw; I am in debt this night to no less a sum

than 5000 guineas, and if I cannot pay it within three days, the odious man will apply for it, he says, to my Lord T-! and at such a juncture as this! It cannot, it shall not be done!-there is but one alternative and that shall be tried. For the love of Heaven, leave me not this day-to-morrow!-yes to-morrow you shall be free."

Reluctantly I consented; but there is that eloquence in intense agony, that the heart cannot resist it. The infant, too, pleaded strongly with me to remain a day or two longer, though it spoke not in words..it was very ill; and the nurse who had been hired to supply it with nourishment, evidently pined at the absence of her own child, whom she was defrauding of its natural right, for the sake of money. A new substitute was to be sought for, and approved of; all this business was left to me; and I set about my task immediately.

On my return home from making some necessary enquiries, I heard that the countess had, as soon as I left her, dispatched a note to her betrayer; that she had then dressed herself with especial care, in an elegant morning-dress, and was at that very moment closeted with him in her boudoir.

She soon came to me with a look of triumph, and said to me in a whisper-"I have gained my point, I knew he could not refuse me. He has given me, in a fit of gallantry, hearing of my losses at play last night, this blank cheque upon his banker, and it is well for me that he has, for I have not had a single remittance from my Lord, since I have been in London.”

"How could you expect it, Madam !" I answered with much severity. "I am only astonished that he suffers you, unmolested, to remain under the sanction of his roof."

"You do not know Lord T-" answered the culpable and ungrateful wife. "I know his nature well: never, I am assured, can he bring himself to visit upon the head of one he has so fondly loved, that punishment and obloquy she so justly merits. No proceedings will ever be taken against me, although that little one is none of his.” "And how have you repaid him for such intense affection, Madam?" said I, turning from her" from my very soul I pity and admire Lord Tas much as I detest and despise his heartless injurer."

"Say not heartless," observed this guilty but too fascinating woman, shewing me the cheque upon the London banker-" when I told him this morning that I must avail myself of his often proffered services; and apply to him as to a husband, for resources cut off through his means, and attentions to me, the man appeared in a persect ecstasy, so tearing a blank leaf from his pocket-book, he hastily signed his name to it, handed it to me, and requested I would fill in any sum I desired, as all he had on earth was mine-he is gone now into the country for a few days.

"Horrid! most revolting!" I exclaimed," and do you mean to avail yourself of this piece of senseless gallantry?"

"It is too late this evening," replied the lady with a look of determination.To-morrow morning, I will present it myself: perhaps you will have the goodness to accompany me, as I do not choose to trust my woman."

"No, Madam," said I with much warmth, "would I had never seen you! rapid are your strides now in vice; you are lost beyond redemption."

That evening the new nurse came, and I lingered on another day. Lady T filled in the cheque, and drove off alone to the banker's the next morning; her footman handed in the draft to the clerks. She was requested to alight, and walk into the private room of the chief partner of this most respectable bank. She told me on her return, with much levity in her manner, of the conversation that there passed. It was rather singular, so I set it down at the time amongst the rest of these details, but I cannot give it verbatim, for the reason assigned at the commencement of this tale, the loss of my key to the cypher in which it was originally written word for word, as she with much graphic skill portrayed it to

me.

"Be kind enough to be seated Madam," said the banker, himself handing her a chair and closing the door to prevent interruption."This is a cheque for a very large amount, my lady, and I have cause to complain a little of the want of Lord Falconshaw's general

courtesy towards our house. It is always a usual thing, Madam, -"and he paused and hesitated.

to

"I have nothing whatever to do with the customs of bankinghouses," said Lady T coldly, and perhaps a little haughtily, "I know nothing whatever of the rules and regulations of business; how should I, indeed? If Lord Falconshaw has not so much money here, or you, Sir, demur to pay this cheque, why there is an end of the matter; return it to me, and I will give it back to his Lordship."

"Why as to that, Madam," replied the Banker, fidgetting about upon his chair, and looking with wonderment on the extreme beauty of his visiter; "as to that, my lady, the credit of Lord Falconshaw is very good: we would cash bills for him to any amount; he is a man of honor, and has a large estate clear from incumbrance, but I am surprised, quite astonished, he did not inform our house this morning before he left town, that he intended to draw upon us for so serious a sum as this. Is it for the purchase of an estate, Madam, could you inform me, from your lord?"

"I knew not that I should be asked any questions," remarked the lady, smiling, and showing the dimples in her cheek.

The banker seemed to sit still more uneasily; he attempted some apology; looked at the cheque again, then again at the lady; and at length stammered out, "To own the truth, my lady, we ought to have been apprised of the circumstance, to have received due notice; we cannot, without very severe inconvenience to our house, which has as large an amount of capital in it as any house in London, we cannot, at the precise moment of its presentation, pay the enormous sum of £50,000 demanded by that draft. Are you in immediate want of the money, Madam?"

"When would it be convenient for you, Sir, to pay it in full ?" demanded the lady, with a sunny smile.

"The day after to-morrow, Madanı, we will endeavour to meet your wishes," said the banker, most politely bowing.

"Then the day after to-morrow let it be," gaily exclaimed the Countess, adjusting her splendid shawl, and partly discovering her fine form; "I will call here on that day, and receive the cash."

The gallant gentleman then handed his lovely guest himself to her carriage, through rows of staring and admiring clerks, and merchants at the counters, who all forgot to tell their gold and bank-notes, as the fair apparition passed to the door.

From another source I must supply to the reader what passed immediately after Lady T's departure from the banking-house. It was described to me a couple of years after, by the wife of that very same principal partner in that same bank, whom I attended in my vocation at Clapham Common. I will give it without circumlocution, to finish off this part of my narrative at once, without confusing it with new names and events.

No sooner had the carriage driven off, than the banker summoned to a private conference his first confidential clerk, a man who had got grey in the service of the firm, and who acted as its safety-valve in all emergencies.