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rays of the sun. Here it is usual to unscrew and take in pieces the chaises in order to carry them on mules over the mountain, and to put them together on the other side; for the Savoy side of the mountain is much more difficult to pass than the other. But Sir Charles chose not to lose time; and, therefore, left the chaise to the care of the inn-keeper.

They were each carried on "a kind of horse with two poles, on which is secured a sort of elbow-chair.” A man before, another behind, carried this machine, running and skipping like wild goats from rock to rock, four miles of that ascent.

Sir Horace Walpole's veritable account is almost the same as this.

Bartlett.

Sir Charles now addressed his letters to Dr. Bartlett, Letters to Dr. with the full understanding that they were to be given to his sisters for perusal, including Miss Byron.

He writes from Bologna, June 14-25:

Having the honor of an invitation to a conversation visit, I went to the palace of Porretta in the morning. After sitting about half an hour with my friend Jeronymo, I was admitted to the presence of Lady Clementina. Her parents and the bishop were with her. "Clementina, chevalier," said her mother, was inquiring for you. She is desirous to recover her English. Are you willing, sir, to undertake your pupil again ?”

"Ah, chevalier," said the young lady, "those were happy times and I want to recover them. I want to be as happy as I was then."

"You have not been very well, madam; and is it not better to defer our lectures for some days, till you are quite established in your health?"

'Why, that is the thing. I know that I am not yet quite well, and I want to be so; and that is the reason that I would recover my English."

Interview with

"You will soon recover it, madam, when you begin. But at present the thought, the memory, it would require you to Clementina. exert would perplex you. I am afraid the study would rather retard than forward your recovery."

Her impaired memory.

A delicate compliment.

"Why, now, I did not expect this from you, sir. My mama has consented."

"I did, my dear, because I would deny you nothing that your heart was set upon; but the chevalier has given you such good reasons to suspend his lectures that I wish you would not be earnest in your request."

"But I can't help it, madam. I want to be happy."

"Well, madam, let us begin now. What English book have you at hand?”

"I don't know, but I will fetch one."

She slipt out, Camilla [the maid] after her; and the poor lady, forgetting her purpose, brought down some of her own work, the first thing that came to hand out of a drawer that she pulled out in her dressing-room, instead of looking in her bookcase. It is an unfinished piece of Noah's Ark and the rising deluge, the execution admirable. And coming to me, “I wonder where it has lain all this time. Are you a judge of women's work, chevalier?"

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She went to the table. "Come hither, and sit down by me." I did. “Madam,” to her mother, “my lord," to her brother, come and sit down by the chevalier and me." They did. She spread it on the table, and in an attentive posture, her elbow on the table, her head on one hand, pointing with the finger of the other, “Now tell me your opinion of this work."

I praised, as it deserved, the admirable finger of the workwoman. "Do you know, that's mine, sir? But tell me—everybody can praise-do you see no fault?"

"I think that is one," said I, and pointed to a disproportion that was pretty obvious.

"Why, so it is. I never knew you to be a flatterer."

Men who can find fault more gracefully," said the bishop, "than others praise, need not flatter."

"Why, that is true," said she. She sighed; "I was happy when I was about this work. And the drawing was my own too, after-after-I forget the painter. But you think it tolerable-do you?"

"I think it, upon the whole, very fine; if you could rectify that one fault, it would be a masterpiece."

“Well, I think I'll try, since you like it." She rolled it up. Camilla, let it be put on my toilette."

CHAPTER XIII.

THIS Clementina episode, which is spun out to great length, was to many of the coterie the most touching and admirable part of the work. The character of Clementina, and her sufferings (most of which I have omitted) caused by the unkindness or want of judgment of her keepers and guardians, caused buckets of tears to be shed by the readers of Richardson, while the anguish of suspense endured by the good people at home, I mean the people in the book who were interested in the fate of Harriet, was shared by all London.

The Clementina episode.

ignorance of

Italy.

As for me, I never cared very much about the Italian part of the book. Lady Mary is quite right when she Richardson's says Richardson is no more acquainted with Italy than he is with the Kingdom of Mancomingo. It is quite extraordinary that a man of Sir Charles's cultivation should be capable of traveling for eight years on the Continent, tarrying especially in the cities of Italy, to bring home. so little material with which to adorn his conversation. I do not remember his even mentioning the works of art, paintings, sculpture, which must have already existed in those towns; the St. Cecilia of Raphael must have been hanging in the cathedral of Bologna; to be sure, his religious convictions would have prevented his entering it. Apart from this, my interests are on the side of Harriet Byron, and I am always glad to get him safe home again, away from the entanglements of the Porretta family.

Miss Byron writes to Lady G. from Selby House, after ample comments on the Italian letters forwarded to her :

Miss Byron's letters from Selby House.

As to my health, I would fain be well. I am more sorry that I am not for the sake of my friends (who are incessantly grieving for me) than for my own. I have not, I think I have not, anything to reproach myself with, nor yet anybody to reproach To whom have I given cause of triumph over me by my ill usage or insolence to them? I yield to an event to which I ought to submit; and to a woman not less, but more worthy than myself; and who has a prior claim.

me.

I long to hear of the meeting of this noble pair. May it be propitious! May Sir Charles Grandison have the satisfaction and the merit with the family of being the means of restoring to reason (a greater restoration than to health) the woman, every faculty of whose soul ought in that case to be devoted to God and to him! Methinks I have at present but one wish; it is that I may live to see this lady, if she is to be the happy woman. . . But you see Sir Charles has been indisposed. No wonder. Visited by the marquis and marchioness, you see. Not a slight illness, therefore, you may believe. God preserve him, and restore Lady Clementina, and the worthy Jeronymo !

His kind remembrance of me! But, my dear, I think the doctor and you must forbear obliging me with any more of his letters. His goodness, his tenderness, his delicacy, his strict honor, but adds- Yet can any new instances add to a character so uniformly good? But the chief reason of my self-denial, if you were to take me at my word as to these communications, is that his affecting descriptions and narratives of Lady Clementina's reveries (poor, poor lady!) will break my heart. Yet you must send them to your ever obliged

Poor Harriet !

HARRIET BYRON.

Lady G. went down to Selby House, taking the good Visit of Lady G. Dr. Bartlett with her, to be with Miss Byron, and if

possible raise her spirits with her own lively ones. Hence comes this letter:

LADY G. TO LADY L.

Selby House, Monday, July 24th. Lord bless me, my dear, what shall we do! My brother in all probability by this time-But I cannot tell how to suppose it! Ah, the poor Harriet! The three letters from my brother,

which by the permission of Dr. Bartlett I enclose, will show you that the Italian affair is now at a crisis.

The three letters are inserted here, and then, thirty

pages on, Lady G. continues:

Well, my dear sister! and what did you say to the contents ?

abroad.

I wish I had been with you and Lord L. at the time you read News from them, that I might have mingled my tears with yours for the sweet Harriet! Why would my brother despatch these letters, without staying till at least he could have informed us of the result of the next day's meeting with Clementina ? What was the opportunity that he had to send away those letters, which he must be assured would keep us in strange suspense? Hang the opportunity that so officiously offered! But perhaps, in the tenderness of his nature, he thought that this despatch was necessary to prepare us for what was to follow, lest, were he to acquaint us with the event as decided, our emotion would be too great to be supported. We sisters to go over to attend LADY CLEMENTINA GRANDISON a twelvemonth hence ! Ah! the poor Harriet ! And will she give us leave? But surely it must not, cannot be ! And yet-Hush! hush! hush, Charlotte, and proceed to facts.

These three letters she is referring to, from Sir

Charles, narrate his arrival at Bologna and subsequent Sir Charles's interviews with the Porretta family, and especially with Bologna. Clementina, whose health was greatly improving, although when he first saw her "she was in her mother's arms on a couch, just come out of a fit, but not a strong one." The whole family were now prepared to surrender all their prejudices and render their conditions. The marquis, the marchioness, the bishop, the count, and Father Marescotti were all present at this interview at the palace. They entered and took their places.

"My dear," said the marquis, referring to his lady. After some little hesitation, "We have no hope, sir," said she, "of our child's perfect restoration, but from-" she stopt. "Our compliance with every wish of her heart," said the bishop.

Renewed offers of the Porretta family.

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