good; he thought at least that my situation allowed me to have such an establishment, which did not appear to her as improper for one of my rank, and, to compare it with others, it was but decent. Adrienne, with her sweet ingenuousness, often asked me if I thought such expences necessary to make me appear more amiable in her eyes. "I cannot (said fhe) be insensible to all the expences you are at to render me happy; but I fhould be so with you without them. You love me; that is sufficient to draw upon me the jealousy of all my young acquaintance. What pleasure then can it be to you, that you make me add to it by the superior elegance of my drefs? Leave to them advantages of which I am not envious;-frivolous tastes, whims, and vain superfluities may be their portion, love and happiness will be mine

This delicacy, which added to her charms, did not however correct me; and I replied that it was for myself that I followed the customs; that that which appeared to her as a luxury, was only a little more elegance; that taste was never expensive; and that in doing only what was proper, I fhould never go beyond just bounds. I deceived her. I deceived myself, or rather I bewildered myself. I knew that I went beyond the bounds of my present circumstances; but very soon my labours would have filled up the void, and in the mean time my wife would have had her enjoyments. Every one applauded the attentions which my love exerted for her happiness. "Could I do lefs for her could I do enough?" This was the publie voice, or at least that of my friend's. My father-in-law, alone, saw with chagrin this anticipated expence; this emulation of luxury, which was the ruin he said of the most solid fortunes. He spoke to me of it with peevishness; I replied with good humour, that this emulation fhould never cause me to do any foolish act; and that he might rely

.

on my prudence. I have since known the imprefsion that this respectful manner of parrying his counsels, has had on my father-in-law, and what bitter resentment of it has lodged at the bottom of his soul. The moment approached that was to make me a father; and this moment I expected with the most tumultuous emotions of joy and impatience. I waited for this day as the most fortunate and happy in my life; it turned out the most wretched :—it tore from me the mother and the child! I was overwhelmed by its weight into an abyfs of misery! I will not pretend to describe it, or how long it lasted-There are situations that are not to be described, and to know them they must be felt!

I was still overpowered by my lofses, when the father of my wife, with some other words of condolence, in formed me by his attorney, that the deed was drawn for me to sign, and to return to him my wife's portion; (this is or was the custom in France.) Indignant at such haste, I replied, that the money was ready, and the next day it was paid into his hands.. But the diamonds, the jewels which I had bought myself, and given to his daugh ter, the costly furniture in her dressing room, became also his spoil; he had the right of seizing them. However I represented to him, that after only eighteen months of marriage, it would be cruel to push the law to its rigour But he, with the eagerness of an, heir, made use of his right. I yielded. This harsh exertion made a noise; and then those that were envious of my former happiness, alas of such fhort durability! eager to punish me for it, under pretext of pitying me, made my ruin as public and notorious. as possible.

To be continued.

་

Extract of another letter from Sir J. F. Nov. 10. 1781.

I FIND myself to be a very blundering fellow, who, for want of memory, often leave undone the things that I ought to do. I fhall not just now mention my blunders in the opposite way; but to prevent an error of the first sort, I will, while it is fresh in my head, mention an important disquisition, that would probably be totally neglected, if I did not take the critical minute.

"I am reading the memoirs of Russia by general Manstein.

"The brave earl of Crawfurd made the campaign of 1738 along with the Russians.

"It had been concerted, that the earl fhould correspond with his Britannic majesty, but address his letters to the duke of Newcastle.

"Lord Crawfurd's accounts of the military business are extremely curious and distinctly accurate.

“I read a copy of them by favour of the late general Leslie, brother to lord Rothes, but under engagements of not taking a copy; because they might be intended for publication by the family of Crawfurd, from the circumstance of their doing great credit to their relation.

"The persons concerned in both the campaign, and the history, being all dead, the letters may be justly considered as a curious historical morsel, which may be irretrievably lost, if not soon exempted from its present precarious situation.

"I died several years ago, as I have often told you, and therefore mouldered away like other perishable creatures of

191 the vegetable structuce, upon the very spot where I first sprung up. But I hope that you, who are alive, and vigour ously flourishing, will have a just regard to the appearance of a baronet's ghost, that points out where a treasure may be found by a little careful digging.

"The publishing of these letters, while the facts and persons are yet pretty fresh in the heads of many, would do honour to the family of Lindsay Crawfurd, and be translated speedily into all the languages of Europe.

"Remember that I expect for this hint, a present of a copy of the letters, in Russian leather, to be laid upon my tomb when published.

"Every year of delay, however, will bring rust on the subject, and lefsen the celebrity of the publication.

"Remember the opinion that was giver to you, when but a stripling in literature, by my learned and excellent relation, lord Hailes, That it was in the free and undisguised correspondence of the great actors on the stage of history, that one ought to look for the true res gesta, and characters of men, and not in the hireling histories of paritzans, or negociators with booksellers for mutual advantage.'

"I have been trying, like you, to pick up some real Scot. tifh history, among the fables of the saints, and among others that of St Columba, which one may often do with success; as in many cases there was no secular temptation to prevaricate or disguise.

"In making this research, some very funny particulars have occurred, with which I am inclined at this moment to disturb your philosophical gravity.

"I will mention two miracles of St Columba, in onc of which he was agent, and in the other only the ob ject.

"A perverse female, hating her husband, would not partake of conjugal benevolence. The good natured saint

Jan. 30 changed her hatred into love; so that, says the author *. "Illa maritalis concubitus debita quæ prius reddere renuebat, nullo modo deinceps recusaret." Which benevolent miracle, no doubt, contributed much to the satisfaction and consolation of the parties concerned.

zdly, A horse, who probably had been much edified by observing the devout life of the saint, wept most bitterly at his death; nor is this without example, though Scotch horse do not commonly fhed tears now a days: for we have the authority of Virgil that Pallas's horse wept.

"Post bellator equus, positis insignibus Æthon

"It lachrymas, guttisque humectat grandibus ora.

"And why a Scotch horse may not weep for the death of a first rate preacher, as well as an Italian horse for the death of a fighter, no reason can be assigned.

it

"On the death of a king of the Scots, Columba, whò, (as appears, had a great sway in public affairs,) was very desirous of giving the preference to the younger son in opposition to Aidan, who was the eldest. But for this offence he

was severely cudgelled by an angel! Columba was Schismatic, not having kept Easter on the same day with infallible Rome. He died Dec. 9. anno 598.

"Accept of all this drollery with your usual good hu

mour."

I take it to be a great advantage that one can amuse one's self with an old idle story in these stormy times.

I look on myself as a ship that has got into a safe barbour, and sees a large fleet distressed in a burricane.

*Adamnanus.

Acknowledgements to correspondents deferred for want

of roo n.