Tour CORRESPONDENT S; Emilia F's Effay requires revifion, and is fomewhat too prolix, W. O.'s ftrictures are inadmiffible. The Anecdotes from Newcastle are too private and perfonal, R. F.'s Communications are not original." Received, Ode to Morning.-Sonnet to Hope.-Prayer to Venus.-The Frolic; a Poetical Tale,-Lines to Mifs R Clora's Advice. The Generous Tar; a SongVarious Enigmas, Rebufes, &c. Lady's Magazine; For OCTOBER, 1795. The UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY. A TALE. (Concluded from p. 400.) R. Benfon and his daughter MR treated the wounded ftranger with that kindness and attention which fuch an accident naturally calls forth from fufceptible hearts. Every convenience in their power they provided for him; as for a time it was not thought proper by his furgeon that he fhould be removed from their house, where he at least received every neceffary in the moft decent manner, though that house was not the dwelling of luxury. Their gueft, however, it appeared, was by no means deftitute of property, and carried that about him which would have made him welcome with perfons of a far more selfish dispofition. The hurt received by Mr. Seagrove (for fuch was the name of the wounded youth), it foon appeared, was not fo dangerous as had been at first apprehended in the fpace of a few weeks, the furgeon of the village, a man of confiderable knowledge in his profeffion, had effected a complete cure; and nothing feemed to remain but for Mr. Seagrove to make his acknowledgments of gratitude, and take his leave. But while the wounds he had re ceived by his fall were healing, the wanton god who pierces hearts, had been gradually inflicting a new one of a more tender na ture. He had not been able to wit nefs the unaffected good nature, fim plicity, filial affection, the unblemifhed virtue, and innocent graces of Henrietta Benson, without feeling admiration, efteem, and finally love. Her gentle voice, expreffive of the tendereft pity, foothed all his pains ; and, while he gazed on her, the pureft flame of youthful paffion enkindled in his foul. He could fcarcely observe the rapid progrefs of his cure without a kind of fince what restored him to health, regret, feemed to tend to feparate him from the object which alone could. render either health or life for the future defirable. He was But perhaps it may be time to give the reader fome information who Mr. Seagrove was. the fon of a gentleman of moderate fortune, and had made several voyages under the care and protection of his uncle, the captain of an East India fhip; and when the accident happened to him which detained him fo long at Mr. Benfon's house, he was on his way from London to vifit his father. His wound, however, was now 3 L 2 fufficiently refpected, in the company of her whom he fo tenderly loved. In the mean time Mr. Benfon perceived the increafing intimacy between this youthful ftranger and his daughter, and was not flow in taking the liberty to fpeak to him on the fubject. Mr. Seagrove, with little hesitation, vindicated himself by declaring the warmest affection and most honourable intentions to fufficiently healed: yet ftill he lingered. The charms and artlefs manners of Henrietta, the ftrong natural fenfe and goodness of heart of her father, chained him to the spot; and in this ruftic cottage he tafted pleasure which cumbrous wealth and pampered luxury know not of. Frequently he walked out with her to whom he had given his heart, and wondered that he had never before obferved the face of nature fo fmil-wards Henrietta. ing and delightfu!. Often would he fit with her on a bench in the garden, and relate to her the occurrences of his travels, which fhe would 'ferioufly incline to hear,' though it was not his hint to speak' much of antres vaft, or deferts wild; nor did he dwell on the cannibals who each other eat.' 6 His difcourfe was generally of a man the reverse of a cannibal,-of his friend; for the heart of Mr. Seagrove was equally fufceptible of friendlip as of love. He related with honeft pleafure and heartfelt gratitude the numerous acts of kindnefs and friendship he had experienced in the Eaft Indies from a Mr. Wanley, whom he depicted as poffeffed of every virtue, and the model of what a man ought to be, to reprefent human nature in pertection. He related a sketch alfo of his friend's adventures, who had, by the moft unufual favours of fortune, in a few years rifen from a very humble fation to honour and opulence, without having had recourfe to any of thofe difgraceful arts which in that country are but too common. To dwell on the prailes of this man in the company of her to whom his foul was devoted, feemed to be his fupreme pleasure; and frequently he told her that as he was now on his return home to enjoy what fortune had bellowed, in his native country, he hoped it might be poflible that he fhould have the pleasure of the fociety of him when he fo much You do not rightly apprehend me,' replied Mr. Benfon; I meant not to accufe you of the meaneft baseness to which a man can fink; I meant not any fufpicion that you could endeavour to repay my kindnefs to you by endeavouring to feduce my daughter; nor, if I had, fhould I, perhaps, have spoken to you on the fubject: for fuch is my opinion of Henrietta (pardon a fond father's partiality), that I think her armed too ftrong in virtue, to have been in any very great danger. But what I mean is this:-you are, I believe, of a family different in rank and wealth from mine; you have a father who will probably think both you and himself degraded by fuch an alliance. You know what barriers the customs of fociety have placed between the rich and the poor. I cannot confent that you fhould render your father unhappy by everleaping thefe bounds, and thus expofing him and yourself, it may be, to the contempt of thofe with whom you have ufed to affociate. Let me recommend to you, firft, to apply to your father; paint to him the good qualities of Henrietta, in all the glowing colours with which your paflion may supply you: and should I find that he is capable of rifing fuperior to the perhaps too general prejudices of life, I, at prefent, fee no reason why I fhould object. But till he is informed, and has given his confent, be affured I cannot give mine.' |