that of medicine. I had three sisters, all equally
lovely, and endued, apparently, with the same amiable qualities. The
eldest married young, and went to live in the neighbourhood of Naples;
the second died; and the history of the third is closely interwoven with
mine. By husbanding his resources, and carefully attending to the
nature of the soil, my father had so improved the farms on his estate,
that their produce was increased threefold; and as he spent the greater
part of the income arising from it in still further improving it,
devoting only what was absolutely necessary for the education of his
sons, the produce went on increasing, to the surprise of all his
neighbours.

"The castle had been put in sufficient repair, to make a suitable
residence for the family, and thither, during the time my brother and I
could escape from our professional studies, we eagerly hastened to spend
it in the society of those to whom we were ardently attached. Our
greatest favourite, if we loved one more than the other, was our sister
Nina, for she was the youngest. She was the most fascinating and
lovely, though we confessed that if she had a fault, her disposition was
too yielding and confiding--guileless herself, she could not credit that
guile existed in others. Hers was one of those characters which, from
its very innocence, would be held more sacred in the eyes of an upright,
honourable man, though it exposes its possessor to be made the dupe of
the designing villain. One might have supposed that our remote and
quiet home would have been free from the accursed presence of such a
one. Never was a family more united or more happy. Our father was in
the enjoyment of vigorous health, and proud of his family, and the
success of his laudable projects. Our sainted mother rejoiced when he
did, and their children had a contented present, and could look forward
with confidence to the future. I have not described the castle in which
we lived. It was one of great antiquity, though, as it had been added
to, in subsequent years, the walls were mostly sound, and in good
repair. It stood on the summit of a rocky cliff, overlooking the sea,
though of no great height, so that the waves, during a wintry storm,
could dash up to the very base, and send showers of the sparkling spray
over the walls. There was a deep moat surrounding it, with a drawbridge
over it; and, besides the main part, which was of great extent, there
were walls wi