than those with whom he thought it the
greatest happiness of his life to have become acquainted.

Wonderful are the workings of love on a young heart: pleasure has the
same effect as pain, and permits as little rest: it was not in the
power of Natura to close his eyes for a long time after he went to
bed.--He recollected every thing the dear creature had said;--in what
manner she looked, when speaking such or such a thing;--how inchanting
she sang, and what a genteelness accompanied all she did:--when he
fell into a slumber, it was only to bring her more perfectly into his
mind; whatever had past in the few hours he had been with her,
returned, with additional graces on her part, and her idea had in
sleep all the effect her real presence could have had in waking.

With what care did he dress himself the next day:--what fears was he
not possessed of, lest all about him should not be exact:--never yet
had he consulted the great glass with such assiduity;--never till now
examined how far he had been indebted to nature for personal
endowments.

His impatience would have carried him to pay a morning visit, but he
feared that would be too great a freedom, and therefore restrained
himself till after dinner, though what he eat could scarce be called
so; the food his _mind_ languished for, being wanting, the body was
too complaisant to indulge itself.--After rising from table, not a
minute passed without looking on his watch, and at the same time
cursing the tedious seconds, which seemed to him increased from sixty
to six hundred.--The hour of five at length put an end to his
suspence, and he took his way to the dear, well-remembered mansion of
his adorable.

He found her at home, and in a careless, but most becoming
dishabillee; the other lady was still with her; and told him she had
tarried thus long with Miss Harriot, for so she called her, meerly to
participate of the pleasure of his good company. Harriot, in a gay
manner, accused her of envy, and both having a good share of wit, the
conversation might have been pleasing enough to a man less
prepossessed than Natura.

The tea equipage was set, and the ceremony of that being over, cards
were proposed; as they were three, Ombre was the game, at which they
played some hours, and Natura was asked to sup.--After what I have
said, I believe the reader has no occasion to be told that he complied
with a pleasure which was but too visible in his eyes.--The time
passed insensi