ressive and
painful to her. Pure and genuine feelings of uncorrupted nature, why are
ye ever subdued? what art or ornament can ever replace the fascinating
blush that mantles on the cheek of innocence!

Adrian found himself at the summit of his wishes. His dwelling was
thronged with joyous spirits like himself, who courted and flattered
him, always extolling in exaggerated terms his generosity and powers of
pleasing. Invitations came from far and near, and neighbouring families
vied with each other in giving costly entertainments to this charming
brother and sister, nor was Claribel ever left out of the party. Adrian
forgot not the injunctions of his patroness. He gave orders that no
object of charity should ever be turned without relief from the castle,
but absorbed in the pursuit of pleasure, he gave himself no leisure to
learn the nature of their wants, or to ascertain that that they were in
fact objects of charity.

Amongst other sources of festivity, games were instituted in which the
skill and activity of the rival youths were exerted, and on such
occasions the prize adjudged to the victor, was generally laid as a
trophy at the feet of the beautiful Amaranthe. This indeed was a trial
to poor mortal vanity. She soon grew so accustomed to the distinction
paid to her charms, that instead of oppresive it became necessary to
her. The brother and sister who fondly loved each other, who from their
infancy had shared all their little joys, and little griefs together,
were mutually delighted at the praises the other received. Amaranthe
loved to hear of the excellent qualities of the heart, and liberal
temper and vivacity of her brother, and Adrian's heart bounded with joy
and swelled with pride at the homage paid to the beauty of his sister.
But too soon these exquisite feelings, derived from the purest source of
affection human nature is capable of, were extinguished. Engaged in the
pursuit of their separate enjoyments, they ceased to feel an interest in
those of each other. Claribel was the quiet spectator of the
distinctions of her cousins. She served as a sort of cabinet to
Amaranthe, in which she deposited all the little histories of her
triumphs, and the flattery that had been amply bestowed upon her; and
Claribel would listen to the details with kind complacency, and
sometimes an idea would occur to her that the extravagant joy and
gratification they appeared to produce in her cousin, must be worth
sharing, but th