But that is such a blot in the poor girl's escutcheon, a thing not accidental, not surprised into, not owing to inattention, but to cool premeditation, after she had slept over and over upon it; that I think I could wish Mr. Adams a wife more unexceptionable.

'Tis true, Mr. Adams knows not this:-but that is one of my difficulties. If I acquaint him with it, I shall hurt the poor girl irreparably, and deprive her of a husband, to whom she may possibly make a good wife-for she is not very meanly descended-much better than myself, as the world would say, were a judgment to be made from my father's low estate when I was exalted.-I never, my dear, shall be ashamed of these retrospections!

She is genteel; has a very innocent look, a good face, is neat in her person, and not addicted to any excess that I know of. But, still, that one premeditated fault, is so sad a one, that though she might make a good wife for any middling man of business, yet she wants, methinks, that discretion, that purity, which I would always have in the wife of a good clergyman.

Then, she has not applied her thoughts to that sort of economy which the wife of a country clergyman ought to know something of: and has such a turn to dress and appearance; that I can see, if indulged, she would not be one that would help to remove the scandal which some severe remarkers are apt to throw upon the wives of parsons, as they call them.

The maiden, I believe, likes Mr. Adams not a little. She is very courteous to everybody, but most to him of anybody, and never has missed being present at our Sunday duties; and five or six times, Mrs. Jervis tells me, she has found her desirous to have Mr. Adams expound this text, and that difficulty; and the good man is taken with her piety: which, and her reformation, I hope, are sincere: but she is very sly, very subtle, as I have found in several instances, as foolish as she was in the affair I hint at.

So, sometimes, I say to myself, The girl may love Mr. Adams: Ay, but then I answer, So she did Mr. H

and on his own very bad terms too.-In short-but I won't be too censorious neither.

So I'll say no more than that I was perplexed; and yet should be very glad to have Polly well married; for, since that time, I have always had some diffidences about herbecause you know, miss, her fault was so enormous, and, as I have said, so premeditated. I wanted you to advise with. But this was the method I took.

I appointed Mr. Adams to drink a dish of tea with me in the afternoon. Polly attended, as she generally does; for I can't say I love men attendants in these womanly offices-a tea-kettle in a man's hand, that would, if there was no better employment for him, be fitter to hold a plough, or handle a flail, or a scythe, has such a look with it-This is like my low breeding, some would say, perhaps -but I cannot call things polite that I think unseemly; and, moreover, let me tell you, Lady Davers keeps me in countenance in this my notion; and who doubts her politeness?

Well, but Polly attended, as I said; and there were strange simperings, and bowing, and courtesying, between them; the honest gentleman seeming not to know how to let his mistress wait upon him; while she behaved with as much respect and officiousness, as if she could not do too much for him.

Very well, thought I; I have such an opinion of your veracity, Mr. Adams, that I daresay you have not, because you told me you have not, mentioned the matter to Polly: but, between her officiousness, and your mutual simperings and complaisance, I see you have found out a language between you, that is full as significant as plain English words. Polly, thought I, sees no difficulty in this text; nor need you, Mr. Adams, have much trouble to make her understand you, when you come to expound upon this subject.

I was forced, in short, to put on a statelier and more reserved appearance than usual, to make them avoid acts of complaisance for one another, that might not be proper

to be shown before me, from one who sat as my companion, to my servant.

When she withdrew, the modest gentleman hemmed, and looked on one side, and turned to the right and left, as if his seat was uneasy to him, and I saw knew not how to speak; so I began, in mere compassion to him, and said, Mr. Adams, I have been thinking of what you mentioned to me, as to Polly Barlow.

Hem! hem! said he; and pulled out his handkerchief, and wiped his mouth-Very well, madam;-I hope no offence, madam!

No, sir, none at all. But I am at a loss how to distinguish in this case; whether it may not be from a motive of too humble gratitude, that you don't think yourself above matching with Polly, as you may suppose her a favourite of mine; or whether it be your value for her person and qualities, that makes her more agreeable in your eyes, than any other person would be.

Madam-Madam, said the bashful gentleman hesitatingly -I do I must needs say-I can't but own-that-Mrs. Mary is a person-whom I think very agreeable; and no less modest and virtuous.

You know, sir, your own circumstances. To be sure you have a very pretty house and a good living, to carry a wife to and a gentleman of your prudence and discretion wants not any advice. But you have reaped no benefits by your living. It has been an expense to you rather, which you will not presently get up. Do you propose an early marriage, sir? Or were it not better, that you suspended your intentions of that sort for a year or two more?

Madam, if your ladyship choose not to part with

Nay, Mr. Adams, interrupted I, I say not anything for my own sake in this point; that is out of the question with me. I can very willingly part with Polly, were it to-morrow, for her good and yours.

Madam, I humbly beg pardon; but-but-delays—may breed dangers.

Oh! very well! thought I; I'll be further, if the artful girl has not let him know, by some means or other, that she has another humble servant.

And so, miss, it has proved-for dismissing my gentleman with assuring him that I had no objection at all to the matter, or to parting with Polly as soon as it suited with their conveniency-I sounded her, and asked if she thought Mr. Adams had any affection for her?

She said, he was a very good gentleman.

I know it, Polly; and are you not of opinion he loves you a little?

Dear ma'am, good your ladyship-love me!—I don't know what such a gentleman as Mr. Adams should see in me, to love me!

Oh! thought I, does the doubt lie on that side then?I see 'tis not of thine.

Well, but, Polly, if you have another sweetheart, you should do the fair thing. It would be wrong, if you encourage anybody else, if you thought of Mr. Adams.

Indeed, ma'am, I had a letter sent me-a letter that I received-from-from a young man in Bedford; but I never gave an answer to it.

Oh thought I, then thou wouldst not encourage two at once! This was as plain a declaration as I wanted, that she had thoughts of Mr. Adams.

But how came Mr. Adams, Polly, to know of this letter?

How came Mr. Adams to know of it, ma'am-repeated she-half surprised-Why, I don't know, I can't tell how it was but I dropped it near his desk-pulling out my handkerchief, I believe, maʼam; and he brought it after me; and gave it me again.

Well, thought I, thou'rt an intriguing slut, I doubt, Polly -Delays may breed dangers, quoth the poor gentleman !— Ah! girl girl! thought I, but did not say so, thou deservest to be blown up, and to have thy plot spoiled, that thou dost. -But if thy forwardness should expose thee afterwards to

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evils which thou mayest avoid, if thy scheme takes place, I should very much blame myself. And I see he loves theeso let the matter take its course; I will trouble myself no more about it. I only wish that thou wilt make Mr. Adams as good a wife as he deserves.

And so I dismissed her, telling her that whoever thought of being a clergyman's wife, should resolve to be as good as himself; to set an example to all her sex in the parish, and show how much his doctrines had weight with her; should be humble, circumspect, gentle in her temper and manners, frugal, not proud, nor vying in dress with the ladies of the laity; should resolve to sweeten his labours, and to be obliging in her deportment to poor as well as rich, that her husband got no discredit through her means, which would weaken his influence upon his auditors; and that she must be most of all obliging to him, and study his temper, that his mind might be more disengaged, in order to pursue his studies with the better effect.

And so much, my dear Miss Darnford, for your humble servant; and for Mr. Williams's and Mr. Adams's matrimonial prospects. And don't think me disrespectful, that I have mentioned my Polly's affair in the same letter with yours. For in high and low (I forget the Latin phraseI have not had a lesson a long, long while, from my dear tutor), love is in all the same!-But whether you'll like Mr. H——, as well as Polly does Mr. Adams, that's the question. But leaving that to your own decision, I conclude with one observation that although I thought ours was a house of as little intriguing as anybody's, since the dear master of it has left off that practice; yet I cannot see that any family can be clear of some of it long together, where there are men and women worth plotting for, as husbands and wives.

My best wishes and respects attend all your worthy neighbours. I hope, ere many months are past, to assure them, severally (to wit, Sir Simon, my lady, Mrs. Jones, Mr. Peters, and his lady, and niece, whose kind congratulations