wounded pride, and delicate reserve, with which she withdrew from his familiarity, combined with her beauty, to make a more lasting impression on his mind. "This is the cottage," said he, leading his sister up to the door of William Clare, for he had made out the night before, not only Anna's residence, but much of her character, and the nature of her occupation. "But where are you leading me?" asked Julia. "I know nothing of these people, what can you possibly be going to do in this sweet cottage?" "Leave that to me," said her brother, leading her away from the beautiful scene on which she would gladly have staid to gaze; for the cottage of William Clare had long been the envy of the surrounding neighborhood. Though precisely on the same footing as the Newtons, with regard to property and rank in life, his house and garden had acquired, during the reign of Mrs. Clare, an air of taste and gentility, which his daughter was equally desirous to support. Perhaps the chief difference in the two habitations was, that the windows of one had been made to open out upon a green lawn; while those of the other terminated a little more than half the length in a broad seat, on which Mary used to sit and read to her father, when the children were asleep and all was quiet within and without. Each had their parlour of high and low degree, but the Clares trod always on a carpet, and Anna had her paintings, her guitar, her album, and her books, placed with studied negligence about the room, so as to give it a totally different character from even the best parlour of the Newtons. ling amongst the leaves around the window, looked up with no less astonishment than she had excited. Had there even been time to recur to the affront of the preceding day, it would all have been atoned for, by the kind and polite manner in which Frederick apologised for the intrusion, He said they were strangers in search of the picturesque; who had come to solicit the assistance of Miss Clare, to point out the beauties of the surrounding scenery, hoping that her taste would enable them to select some subject for a sketch, not altogether beyond the compass of moderate powers. "I am quite a learner," added Julia, "and if you can assist me, I shall be for ever indebted to you." By this time Anna had ushered them into her little sitting room; and taking up a large portfolio with just confidence enough to show her extreme devotion to the art, spread before them her own beautiful and highly finished drawings, of such simple and rural scenes, as the country around afforded; at the same time apologising for their want of interest, by saying that she had never been far from her native country, or seen any of the great and magnificent features of nature. For a few moments the woman gave place to the artist, and she went on with enthusiasm, "I sometimes think, that if heaven has a blessing in store for me, it must be, that I shall gaze on the blue sky of Italy!" But the eyes of Frederick Langley, fixed upon her earnest countenance, brought back every latent spark of womanly feeling, and not even the rapturous expressions of his sister, as she turned over the drawings, could again wean her from the consciousness that she was a genius, and a beauty, in the act of entertaining high born and fashionable guests. Anna was at this moment practising an air which had lately caught her fancy, and accompanying it with a low and simple voice, which, though altogether untutored in scientific rules, was sufficiently attractive from its natural sweetness, to arrest the attention of the curious intruders; who, having advanced to the open window, stood in delighted astonishment gazing upon the lovely "That painting is not mine," said Anna; songstress; while Anna, startled by a rust- | "yet I do paint a little, though I have practised for so short a time, that I am ashamed to exhibit my productions; but if you will pardon my presumption, and do not mind the litter of my room, perhaps I shall be able to amuse you for a few minutes, by allowing you to laugh at my barbarous attempts;" and saying this, she led the way to a small room lighted from above, where all " appliances and means" which her humble circumstances afforded, were spread around. "And you paint too," exclaimed Julia, looking up at a picture in which the artist had given to the subject of one of the drawings the vivid colouring of a masterly hand, and a warm imagination. Amongst the confusion of unfinished pictures, all denoting industry and talent, was a portrait of herself, which immediately caught the wandering eye of Frederick. "How provoking you are, Mary, I am sure you understand me." Better perhaps, than you understand yourself, thought her friend. "Well, Anna, I will try to understand, then, that Miss Julia Langley is the sweetest girl I ever saw-and her brother ?" "I am not quite so decided about him," said Anna, with some confusion; "but they are so fond of painting, of music, of poetry, and of every thing that is delightful." "Then I am sure they must be fond of you," thought Mary, as her eye dwelt upon the countenance of her friend, who leaned over the garden gate with her bonnet thrown back from her naturally sweet face, now more than usually animated. The company, the excitement, and the exercise of the morning, had given to her complexion a more vivid glow; and while the light breeze played idly with the "tendrils of her raven hair," the whole picture presented to the eye of the beholder, a perfect personification of health, and innocence, and joy. "Oh! that," said Anna, blushing, "I know not what to say for that, or how to apologise for having spent my time upon so worthless | a subject; except that it is always recommended to young artists to practise upon themselves, and in this instance, at least, I may escape the charge of vanity, for in looking at that portrait I always find an antidote." "If the picture offends your eye, I will take it home with me," said Frederick, laying violent hands upon the treasure; and a Mary gazed for a moment with delighted scene ensued of laughing, blushing, plead-admiration, for in her heart there was no ing, and palliating, which is not necessary to describe; while Julia, who, to say the worst of her, was only idle and superficial, neither envious nor spiteful, looked round with amazement at the perseverance of her new acquaintance, and began to speculate upon the amusement and benefit of cultivating her friendship, for a few weeks, during their stay in the country. A sketching excursion was soon proposed, and Anna did the honours of the country with so much vivacity, and good nature, that Frederick and his sister returned home, delighted with their new-made friend. "They have been with me all the morning," said Anna, as she passed the garden of James Newton on her way home, and saw Mary at the door. "Who have been with you?" "Miss Julia Langley and her brother-the sweetest girl you ever saw." "What-her brother?" taint of selfishness, or envy; but a cloud suddenly gathered upon her brow, for she thought of the dangerous gifts which heaven had bestowed upon this poor motherless creature; and her heart yearned towards her, with the tenderness of a sister, that she might watch over her, and be the means of assisting her to turn all these brilliant endowments to a good account. "Why do you look so grave," asked Anna, "now when I feel so happy?" for to her the trees were more rich in foliage, the fields more verdant, and the skies more heavenly blue, than she had ever seen them before. But Mary could not well explain herself. It was too soon to warn her of her danger, and to croak over those evils which we do but faintly apprehend, has seldom a good effect upon the young and ardent mind. They parted therefore without any further explanation, and it was many days before they met again. These days passed away with Mary, leaving nothing behind but the satisfaction of having gone through her usual routine of homely duties; while to Anna they were fraught with circumstances of deep interesthigh hopes, and brilliant dreams of coming pleasure; what they left behind she did not stay to inquire, for hers was not the heart to look back. amply remunerate the party for any expense or trouble they might incur on her account, she joyfully fell in with the proposal, and with a light and bounding heart, ran over the fields to tell Mary Newton the good tidings. with a somewhat altered manner, she observed, She had gone through the whole plan, and was expatiating upon some of its branches, before the unusual gravity of Mary's A tour was planned to the Highlands of ❘ countenance arrested her attention, and, Scotland; and Julia Langley, always delighted with new faces, and having formed a most romantic and ardent friendship for the beautiful young cottager, insisted that she should accompany them; and not all the indignation of her mother, nor the remonstrances of her sister, could change her purpose. "You are not going yourselves," said this amiable patroness of genius, "and therefore it can be of no consequence to you." "But Lord B-, Lady C, and Miss Manning," said her sister-"they have never been accustomed to associate with low persons; you will make yourself the jest of the whole world by these absurd fancies." "You are always so serious now, Mary, when I come to tell you any thing." "And that, I suppose, is the reason why you come so seldom." "Was I not here last Friday?-no, it was Monday-no, I cannot tell when it was." "It was the Sunday evening before last." "Surely not so long ago as that. Well, I have been too much engaged with sketching and other things, to know how the time passes away." "You have been in a sort of dream, I think, Anna, from which I hope the time has come "And disgrace your family," said her for you to rouse yourself." mother. "The party is of my forming," continued the immoveable young lady. "Lord B- | always does as I like; Lady C-agrees with her brother; and poor Miss Manning has not the spirit to complain; besides, have I not an undoubted right to take an artist in my train, if I think proper?" And thus, with a great deal of dispute, and many uncharitable remarks upon the unconscious object of this discussion, which might not otherwise have been called forth, the affair was at last decided to Julia's satisfaction; for she was the youngest in the family, and though not very young, could still coax and wheedle, and insist with so much pertinacity, as not unfrequently to carry her point against them all. It cannot be supposed that Anna's strength of mind was proof against this temptation. Pluming herself upon the professions of her amiable young friend, and encouraging the vain hope that her service as an artist would "You mean with regard to the Langleys. It is no dream, Mary, for I love them all; except the old people, and that proud and sanctimonious daughter of theirs." "Then excepting the young gentleman, which you are bound to do in common delicacy, there remains one of the ancient and honourable name of Langley, whom you love-Miss Julia." "Yes, I do love her, and will love her, and will go into Scotland with her too, and return to you, Mary, the happiest creature in existence; my brain and my portfolio filled with images of lakes, and rivers, and mountain scenery." "May I, as a friend, ask you one plain question?;" "Yes, a thousand." "Will you travel at your own expense ?" Anna's face was covered with confusion, and she replied with difficulty, "I cannot say exactly that I shall, but I hope to make some return." "Anna, my friend, my own dear friend, you are deceiving yourself. What return can you possibly make to this high family for the honour which they intend to confer upon you? It is the part of an independent mind to refuse, not with insult, but with gratitude, all offers of unnecessary kindness for which there is no probability of making any adequate return; more especially to the great, because the chance of being able to do any service to them is so much smaller. Indeed, there is nothing but the closest, and most intimate friendship, that can justify the giving, and receiving obligations, without any calculation as to the relative situation of the parties. Here, and here only, I would give and receive, without a debtor and creditor account." Anna said something about Miss Julia's friendship for herself, but Mary interrupted her with warmth "And have you, Anna Clare, lived to give the name of friendship to that which springs up between two young persons who have only strolled together for a few sunny hours by the side of woods and waterfalls? No, if you will turn away from the truth, you compel me forcibly, rudely, but I hope not unkindly, to place it before your eyes. Miss Julia Langley is a sweet tempered, flippant, light-hearted creature, at least so she appears to us; who is interested by your talents, and charmed by your beauty, but more especially delighted with your willingness to oblige and serve her; yet, in her wide world of fashion and of folly, you can act but a very trifling part, and will consequently be very lightly esteemed. For what have you to boast of, that she cannot find and possess, in far greater perfection, elsewhere, except, perhaps, your beanty? and when, I would ask, was beauty a bond of union betwixt two women? Here, in this remote village you are a wonder, and a genius. Your paintings delight and astonish us; but these people have been abroad, and have seen the works of great masters, and even their own money can procure them such as you would hardly dare to copy. Your music, though exactly such as I delight to listen to, and sweeter, far sweeter to me than the song of birds, or any thing that I can remember since my poor mother used to sing these children to sleep; what would it be to their ears, when compared even with the meanest performance of an Italian opera girl? Oh, Anna, if you wish to be loved, if you wish to be valued, you will stay with us!" "I will return to you, dear Mary, and we shall only be absent a few weeks." "And in those few weeks what may you not endure? you, who have never been accustomed to insult or neglect." "If I did not expect to be treated in all respects as an equal," said Anna, her indignation rising, "the finest scenery in the world should not tempt me to go beyond my native village." "Then deceive yourself no longer; for this never can be, it is not in the nature of things that it should be. I have not spoken to you much of late, but I have watched you with the anxiety of a sister, and, though no sister could love you better than I do, trust me, I am not blind to your follies. No, Anna, I have seen the change in your dress and manner. I have seen what you endeavoured to conceal from yourself. It was but last Sunday, after service, that I observed you stop to speak to old Eleanor in the church-yard, while all the time your eye was fixed upon the door at which you thought the Langleys would come out; and when you found they had gone the other way, you listened no more, and thought no more of old Eleanor or her rheumatism, but skipped over the stile, and flew round by the lane, where you were sure to see them; but finding yourself too far in advance, you stooped down to tie your sandal, though I am sure it did not need it; and then Lady Langley swept past you with such a look of scorn, as I would not have brought upon myself for the richest jewel in her possession. "And now, Anna, may I ask you to believe, that the pain I have given by my plain speaking, has not been from envy, or for sport; but merely, that you might see your conduct in its true light; for these things are beneath you, and I know you despise them as much as I do; but the notice of these people has turned your head. Let me entreat you to feel above them, as you really are: above them in all that is really excellent, though far below them in all which they esteem so." When Mary had finished speaking, her friend remained silent for a long time, and though they walked together through the fields to the cottage of William Clare, their conversation was on indifferent topics, for Mary wisely judged it would be safest to leave Anna to the influence of her own reflections. CHAPTER III. scenery, which dazzles and bewilders the mental vision of those who are just entering the theatre of life. How well soever Anna Clare might have been fortified and supported before she went to rest, by the sage admonitions of her friend, her noble resolutions vanished on the following morning, like mist before the summer sun; for the carriage of Sir Thomas Langley rolled up to the door, and a troop of young ladies, and fine gentlemen, rushed in to alarm, as they were pleased to say, "the beautiful enchantress in her fairy bower." Could the beautiful enchantress have known how little they had really thought of alarming, or pleasing, or doing any thing else, but kill time;-could she have known what weary, dissatisfied, and listless feelings they really brought with them to the fairy bower, she might have been better able to appreciate their many flattering expressions; which to them meant nothing, and cost nothing, but which were set down by Anna to refer to on some future day, when her vanity should tax her memory to contribute to its maintenance. Alas, that such a day should ever come! That flowers which were culled in the summer of youth and happiness, and thrown by with a prodigal hand, should come to be singled out, one by one, in search of exhausted sweetness, to revive the drooping spirit that has laid up no more substantial treasure for its hour of need. We may read, and think, and converse, about humble merit, and high-born insignificance, folly or depravity, until we actually believe we have attained to the true discernment of good and evil, and are ready, under all circumstances, to choose the one, and to refuse the other; yet so forcible are the impressions received through the medium of the senses, that we are often led to wonder at the fallacy of our own conclusions. There is something, for instance, so imposing in the first entrance of a well-bred person at your door; compared with that of the plain man Surely there is nothing upon earth that of homely merit, who stumbles over your demands our pity more than this. Not the staircase, sets down his hat upon your draw- foolish bird fluttering in the snares of the ings, and clenches your hand in a grasp of fowler; nor the flower that has burst into Herculean strength. There is a great deal, blushing beauty, on a morning of storms; too, in the soft tones of the well-modulated nor the child that has stolen to the brink of voice, with which well-bred persons address the precipice to play, can be more melanyou: their kind looks when they choose to choly objects of consideration, than an amiwear them; the rustling of their costly silks; able and lovely woman, who is drawing their perfumery and cambric handkerchiefs; from the fountains of vanity and love, her but above all, the ivory fingers with which only sources of happiness and hope. And they touch and seem to hallow whatever is yet who speaks of her danger? Those who worthy of their attention. These, and a stand aloof in unassailed security, and have thousand other trifles, too insignificant to never known the insatiable thirst of pamperfind a name, combine to form parts of that ❘ed vanity, nor fallen into the snare of earthly |