66 young, and of the first connexions. Au reste, she pos"sessed an infinite vivacity, and an imagination heated by novel-reading, which made her fancy herself a heroine of romance, and led her into all sorts of eccentricities. She was married, but it was a match of convenance, and no couple could be more fashionably indifferent to, or independent of one another, than she and her husband. It was at this time that we happened to be thrown much together. She had never been in love-at least where the affections are concerned, and was perhaps made "without a heart, as many of the sex are; but her head more than supplied the deficiency. 66 66 66 66 "I was soon congratulated by my friends on the conquest I had made, and did my utmost to shew that I was not insensible to the partiality I could not help perceiving. I made every effort to be in love, expressed as much ardour as I could muster, and kept feeding "the flame with a constant supply of billets-doux and amatory verses. In short, I was in decent time duly "and regularly installed into what the Italians call 66 66 service, and soon became, in every sense of the word, a patito. "It required no Edipus to see where all this would "end. I am easily governed by women, and she gained 66 an ascendancy over me that I could not easily shake off. "I submitted to this thraldom long, for I hate scenes, and 66 66 am of an indolent disposition; but I was forced to snap "the knot rather rudely at last. Like all lovers, we had "several quarrels before we came to a final rupture. One was made up in a very odd way, and without any verbal explanation. She will remember it. Even during our intimacy I was not at all constant to this fair one, and she suspected as much. In order to detect my intrigues she "watched me, and earthed a lady into my lodgings, and 66 66 66 66 came herself, terrier-like, in the disguise of a carman. My valet, who did not see through the masquerade, let "her in; when, to the despair of Fletcher, she put off the 66 man, and put on the woman. Imagine the scene: it was worthy of Faublas! "Her after-conduct was unaccountable madness-a com"bination of spite and jealousy. It was perfectly agreed " and understood that we were to meet as strangers. 66 66 We were at a ball. She came up and asked me if she might waltz. I thought it perfectly indifferent whether she "waltzed or not, or with whom, and told her so, in different 66 terms, but with much coolness. After she had finished, a scene occurred, which was in the mouth of every one. "Soon after this she promised young "if he would call me out. 66 Yet can any one believe that she "should be so infatuated, after all this, as to call at my apartments? (certainly with no view of shooting herself.) 66 I was from home; but finding 'Vathek' on the table, she " wrote in the first page, 'Remember me!' "Yes! I had cause to remember her; and, in the irritability of the moment, wrote under the two words these "two stanzas : 66 Remember thee, remember thee! Till Lethe quench life's burning stream, And haunt thee like a feverish dream! 66 "I am accused of ingratitude to a certain personage. It "is pretended that, after his civilities, I should not have spoken of him disrespectfully. Those epigrams were "written long before my introduction to him; which was, "after all, entirely accidental, and unsought-for on my part. "I met him one evening at Colonel J 's. As the "party was a small one, he could not help observing me; " and as I made a considerable noise at that time, and was 66 one of the lions of the day, he sent General 66 to desire I would be presented to him. I would willingly have declined the honour, but could not with decency. "His request was in the nature of a command. He was very polite, for he is the politest man in Europe, and paid me some compliments that meant nothing. This was all the civility he ever shewed me, and it does not "burthen my conscience much. "that it has saved him from writing on the same subject: 66 66 " he would have done it much better. I told M— to get "it published in Paris: he has sent me a few printed copies; here is one for you. I have said that the Irish Emancipation, when granted, will not conciliate the "Catholics, but will be considered as a measure of ex 66 66 pediency, and the resort of fear. But you will have the "sentiment in the words of the original." THE IRISH AVATARA. True, the great of her bright and brief era are gone, The rainbow-like epoch when Freedom could pause, For the few little years out of centuries won, That betray'd not, and crush'd not, and wept not her cause. True, the chains of the Catholic clank o'er his rags, To her desolate shore, where the emigrant stands For a moment to pause ere he flies from his hearth: |