e face of heaven grew fairer as I viewed it, and the clouds
seemed to flit away obedient to my wishes, to give my soul room to
expand. I was all soul, and (wild as it may appear) felt as if I could
have dissolved in the soft balmy gale that kissed my cheek, or have
glided below the horizon on the glowing, descending beams. A seraphic
satisfaction animated, without agitating my spirits; and my imagination
collected, in visions sublimely terrible, or soothingly beautiful, an
immense variety of the endless images, which nature affords, and fancy
combines, of the grand and fair. The lustre of these bright picturesque
sketches faded with the setting sun; but I was still alive to the calm
delight they had diffused through my heart.

"There may be advocates for matrimonial obedience, who, making a
distinction between the duty of a wife and of a human being, may blame my
conduct.--To them I write not--my feelings are not for them to analyze;
and may you, my child, never be able to ascertain, by heart-rending
experience, what your mother felt before the present emancipation of her
mind!

"I began to write a letter to my father, after closing one to my uncle;
not to ask advice, but to signify my determination; when I was
interrupted by the entrance of Mr. Venables. His manner was changed. His
views on my uncle's fortune made him averse to my quitting his house, or
he would, I am convinced, have been glad to have shaken off even the
slight restraint my presence imposed on him; the restraint of showing me
some respect. So far from having an affection for me, he really hated me,
because he was convinced that I must despise him.

"He told me, that, 'As I now had had time to cool and reflect, he did not
doubt but that my prudence, and nice sense of propriety, would lead me to
overlook what was passed.'

"'Reflection,' I replied, 'had only confirmed my purpose, and no power on
earth could divert me from it.'

"Endeavouring to assume a soothing voice and look, when he would
willingly have tortured me, to force me to feel his power, his
countenance had an infernal expression, when he desired me, 'Not to
expose myself to the servants, by obliging him to confine me in my
apartment; if then I would give my promise not to quit the house
precipitately, I should be free--and--.' I declared, interrupting him,
'that I would promise nothing. I had no measures to keep with him--I was
resolved, and would not condescend to subterfuge.'

"He m