Denbigh, that my father facrifices his daughter, I talk, however, as if this detefted alliance would ever take place. It never fhall; never, though I perisk in attempting to avoid it......

4

"Another week is paffed, and my father's intentions have been formally announced to me; I might rather have. faid, peremptorily declared. Tel eft notre plaifir,' was never uttered from the most defpotic throne with more inflexible harfhnefs. I was forbidden all reply; and ordered not to remonftrate, but to prepare to obey. I was told that Mr. Sawkins was then in the house, and that I must receive him as the man chofen for me by him who knew how to make himself obeyed. I know," faid my father, I know that you have prefumed to have other views for yourself. I know that artful people, calling themselves your friends, have had their views alfo on my fortune. To put an end at once and for ever to all

fuch

fuch projects, it is my intention to have your marriage with the perfon I have elected for you concluded within a month.' He perceived that I had collected courage to speak, and ftopped me, by abruptly faying, in an angry tone, Look'ye, Henrietta, I never fuffer contradiction. Your arguments will be vain; your oppofition fatal to yourself. I expect to hear, in the course of the day, that you have acquitted yourself in regard to your behaviour to my friend, as common fense and duty, or, if thofe have no influence, as my pofitive command directs." So faying, my father left the room; and Mr. Sawkins, with a cringeing bow, made his appearance. I had hardly a moment's time to recover my recollection, and to repeat. Yes, Denbigh, in that moment, I folemnly repeated a vow to Heaven, that never should my hand be given in marriage but to you. Having thus called upon all that is held facred to

witness

witness my unalterable refolution, I felt my courage renewed, and turned to meet the unwelcome candidate for my father's eftate, who feemed to be very little at his ease. The base spirit of a parasite was vifible on his countetnance, yet ftillthere lurked under it a fort of malignant expreffion, which, while I pofitively, and I own with very little attention to politeness, rejected his fuit, acquired infenfibly the afcendant, and I fhuddered while I remarked it. I cannot, Denbigh, repeat the particulars of our converfation; which I fhortened as much as poffible, and left him with a declaration couched in the strongest terms I could find, that my father might take away my life, but never fhould compel me to plight at the altar my faith. to a man of whom I knew little, and towards whom that little had only ferved to excite my diflike, nay, even my contempt. I then left the room, and hastened to my own, where I locked myself

in; breathlefs and half dead, trembling at the refolution I had executed, yet feeling the immediate and dreadful neceffity there would be for farther exertion. Oh, Denbigh! how did your unhappy Henrietta now regret the want of a mother, to whofe affectionate bofom fhe might have flown for protection and confolation! With what anguish did fhe dwell on those days for ever gone, when this lofs was fupplied by the best of wo men and of friends; and when he was

bade to confider you as the guardian of her youth, and the friend of her future life! Terrible was the contraft as fhe now looked around her: a father poffeffing unlimited power, and furrounded by flaves; in a remote house, of an ifland, many parts of which are liable to the attacks of favages driven to desperation, and thirfting for the blood

of any who refembled even in colour their hereditary oppreffors :-so that, to escape from the evil I dreaded by flight,

flight, which had at first ftruck me as poffible, now seemed to be only exchanging one mode of hideous and intolerable fufferings for another.

"Such was, Denbigh-alas! fuch is the fituation of your unhappy friend. It is vainly, very vainly, I have attempted to collect that fortitude which you fo often, as if you had forefeen how much I was to need it, have tried to

teach me; and with which in the firft. misfortune I had ever known, you never ceafed trying to arin me. You then, I remember, used to lead me into the air, to turn my mind to the contemplation of the beauties of nature, and to point out to me a thoufand proofs of the benignity of that Being in whofe hands I was; and who would not, you told me, afflict me beyond my ftrength. I wept, and my tears were not tears of despair. They relieved my bursting bofom, and I breathed more at liberty. Now, I try the fame means to obtain only the

power