mission to her daughter, instead of
pretending to assume any authority. The consequence and conclusion of
all these insinuations was, that 'it would be advisable to send Miss
Melvyn to a boarding school.'

Sir Charles was soon prevailed with to comply with his lady's request;
and his daughter was acquainted with the determination which Lady Melvyn
assured her, 'was very contrary to her inclination, who should find a
great loss of so agreeable a friend, but that Sir Charles had declared
his intention in so peremptory a manner that she dared not contend.'

Miss Melvyn had before observed that marriage had made a great
alteration in Lady Melvyn's behaviour; but this was a stroke she did not
expect and a very mortifying one to her who had long laid aside all
childish amusements; had been taught to employ herself as rationally as
if she had arrived at a maturer age, and been indulged in the exercise
of a most benevolent disposition, having given such good proofs of the
propriety with which she employed both her time and money, that she had
been dispensed from all restraints; and now to commence a new infancy,
and be confined to the society of children, was a very afflicting
change; but it came from a hand she too much respected to make any
resistance, though she easily perceived that it was entirely at her
mother's instigation; and knew her father too well to believe he could
be peremptory on any occasion.

A very short time intervened between the declaration and execution of
this design, and Miss Melvyn was introduced to Mademoiselle d'Avaux by
her kind step-mother, who with some tears and many assurances of regret
left her there. Miss Melvyn had been at this school three months when
Louisa Mancel was brought thither, and though a separation from a father
she sincerely loved, and the fear of the arts Lady Melvyn might use to
alienate his affections from her, after having thus removed her from his
presence, greatly affected her spirits and she found no companions fit
to amuse her rational mind, yet she endeavoured to support her
mortifications with all the cheerfulness she could assume; and received
some satisfaction from the conversation of Mademoiselle d'Avaux, a woman
of tolerable understanding, and who was much pleased with Miss Melvyn's
behaviour.

Miss Mancel's dejected air prejudiced Miss Melvyn much in her favour,
the usual consequence of a similitude of mind or manners; and when by a
further knowledge of her, sh