Thy heart expanding at affection's voice,
How had it borne in native kindness warm,
To check the rapid fire of youthful choice,
And dread deceit beneath the loveliest form!
To thee were graces so benignly given,
A soul so tender, and a wit so rare;
A love of harmony, as if kind Heaven
Had bade thee for an early bliss prepare.
Long shall the heart which lov'd thy dawning grace,
The pensive mem'ry of each charm retain;
Thy winning manners studiously retrace,
And dwell anew on each harmonious strain.
Nor shall that heart to present scenes confine
Its views and wishes; but with worthier care,
Seek to preserve an innocence like thine,
And humbly hope thy happiness to share.
CHAP. IV.
To such how fair appears each grain of sand,
Or humblest weed as wrought by nature's hand!
A shell, or stone, he can with pleasure view.—
——See with what art each curious shell is made:
Here carved in fret-work, there with pearl inlaid!
What vivid th' enamel'd stones adorn,
Fair as the paintings of the purple morn!
S. Jenyns.
The arrival of the St. Aubyns in London opened a wide field for conjecture and conversation in the fashionable world. It was known, for St. Aubyn's haughty relations had not failed to publish it, that he had married a young woman far inferior to him in rank, and absolutely without fortune. It was also known that she was uncommonly beautiful; and great anxiety, mixed with no small share of ridicule, was excited by her expected debut; but the modest Ellen was in no haste to afford the starers and sneerers so rich a treat: she merely went to a few morning exhibitions, attended only by her Lord, for the first fortnight of her stay in town; and indeed St. Aubyn hoped, notwithstanding her present distance and displeasure, to induce his aunt, Lady Juliana Mordaunt, to chaperon Ellen to some of the public places, being fully sensible what an advantage it would be to her to be so supported: he therefore acquiesced in her wishes, till he could bring about this desirable arrangement, and allowed his wife to spend most of her evenings at home.