say,
gave him in her letter to me.

Lord bless me, my dear, this man is every thing! But his conversation
has ever been among the politest people of different nations.

Lord W---- wished himself able, from his gout, to take out Miss Jervois.

The bridegroom was called upon by Sir Charles: and he took out the good
girl, who danced very prettily. I fancied, that he chose to call out
Lord G---- rather than Mr. Beauchamp. He is the most delicate and
considerate of men.

Sir Charles was afterwards called upon by the bride herself: and she
danced then with a grace indeed! I was pleased that she could perform so
well at her own wedding.

Supper was not ready till twelve. Mr. Reeves's coach came about that
hour; but we got not away till two.

Perhaps the company would not have broke up so soon, had not the bride
been perverse, and refused to retire.

Was she not at home? she asked Lady L----, who was put upon urging her:
and should she leave her company?

She would make me retire with her. She took a very affectionate leave of
me.

Marriage, Lucy, is an awful rite. It is supposed to be a joyful
solemnity: but, on the woman's side, it can be only so when she is given
to the man she loves above all the men in the world; and, even to her,
the anniversary day, when doubt is turned into certainty, must be much
happier than the day itself.

What a victim must that woman look upon herself to be, who is compelled,
or even over-persuaded, to give her hand to a man who has no share in her
heart? Ought not a parent or guardian, in such a circumstance,
especially if the child has a delicate, an honest mind, to be chargable
with all the unhappy consequences that may follow from such a cruel
compulsion?

But this is not the case with Miss Grandison. Early she cast her eye on
an improper object. Her pride convinced her in time of the impropriety.
And this, as she owns, gave her an indifference to all men.

She hates not Lord G----. There is no man whom she prefers to him. And
in this respect, may perhaps, be upon a par with eight women out of
twelve, who marry, and yet make not bad wives.

As she played with her passion till she lost it, she may be happy, if she
will: and since she intended to be, some time or other, Lady G----, her
brother was kind in persuading her to shorten her days of coquetting and
teasing, and allow him to give her to Lord G---- before he went abroad.

LETTER XXI

MISS BYRON.--IN CONTINUATION
W