CHAPTER IV.

There is in human nature generally more of the fool than of the wise: and therefore those faculties by which the foolish part of men's minds is taken, are the most potent of all.... Bacon.

Ar a time when the modern Phryne was the favourite model of artists, particularly Romney and Tresham, she lived apparently by her needle, and with such an appearance of simplicity, as entirely to disarm the neighbours of all suspicion. Yet under a plain and almost a rustic garb, with looks of modest diffidence, and a voice of persuasive mildness, were concealed the complete knowledge of all the arts of pleasure, and every propensity to the indulgence of her passions.

Having once condescended, as an ingenuous writer expresses it, to become the living representative of the most voluptuous characters of the Grecian mythology, she made no scruple of giving to each libidinous figure all the force and attraction of the naked truth.

Thus, if she contributed in any way to the improvement of the fine arts, it certainly was at the expense of moral decency; and though the genius of her admirers might perhaps profit by her versatile powers, elegant form, and extraordinary accomplishments, their sentiments must have suffered by the exhibition.

It is indeed a question of serious import, how far the representation of meretricious objects, whatever may be their beauty and expression. can have a tendency to enrich science or to instruct the student. Perfection in the imitative arts is purchased at a dear rate, when the means of acquiring it are to be sought in the haunts of impurity. Besides the false taste which such a course is likely to produce in the artists themselves, the practice is necessarily most injurious to the unhappy beings whose personal

charms are made subservient to the desire of professional improvement. But much more in fact has been vaunted on the moral effect of these pursuits, than ever can be proved to have resulted from them, either to those who have distinguished themselves by the excellence of their works, or to the persons by whom they have been most admired and patronised. Lascivious beauty in a picture cannot possibly be painted, without correspondent ideas to those which it is intended to excite in the beholder, while the object who is chosen for a model on this occasion will naturally infer from the action and the effect produced, that vice is neither odious in itself, nor hurtful to society.

In the present instance, it is certain that the variety of characters sustained, and the captivating attitudes assumed to diffuse a bewitching allurement into the form and expression, suited to the personification of a Calypso, a Bacchante, or a Venus, were attended with pernicious consequences to a female, who, in her attempts to excel in this particular line, lost the sense of virtue, and became completely skilled in the arts of intrigue and duplicity.

Though naturally sensual, extravagant, and ambitious, she had so effectually obtained externally the command over her passions at this period, as to preserve an air of modesty, even while engaged most eagerly in voluptuous pursuits. She appeared, indeed, to be the child of nature, perfectly unconscious of the least design, and to her might have been applied in every respect the very striking and animated description of an intriguing female, drawn by the masterly pencil of the comic poet :

Coquet and coy at once her air,

Both study'd, though both seem neglected;
Careless she is, with artful care,

Affecting to seem unaffected.

With skill her eyes dart every glance,

Yet change so soon, you'd ne'er suspect'em,
For she'd persuade they wound by chance,
Though certain aim and art direct 'ein.

She likes herself, yet others hates,
For that which in herself she prizes;
And while she laughs at them, forgets

She is the thing that she despises....Congreve.

By this uncommon address, she contrived to draw into her lure one who was supposed to have been equally skilled in the mystery of deception with herself, and who, though he was enthusiastically devoted to the fine forms after the Grecian model, yet was as inconstant to each object of attraction, as the flitting insect, which, ranging in every direction where the loveliest odours are exhaled, settles upon none of the objects by which they are produced.

Strange, however, it is, that this honourable member of the house of Warwick, was for once completely deceived, and caught in his own toils. The bird-lime of Emma's eharms, heightened by the apparent simplicity of her manner, and certainly not rendered the less attractive by her peculiar neatness in dress, fixed the roving mind of Mr. Charles Greville so effectually that he left no artifice unessayed to gain possession of what he really imagined to be an uncropt flower, "blushing unseen, and wasting its sweetness in the desert air."

Too much practised in the ways of the world, and but too well acquainted with the avenues that lead to the female heart, this man of fashion, who prided himself as much on account of his amours as on his collection of pictures, and his exquisite taste in the fine arts, became perfectly enamoured of the lovely and innocent nymph who happened to cross his path. The inquiries which he made about her residence, gave him such complete satisfaction with respect to the virtue and industry of this young woman, as to convince him that he had discovered. an inestimable treasure, and consequently to inflame his desires. Chilling indifference, and peremptory repulses,.

by increasing the difficulties of his pursuit, rendered him more impatient and determined. Perseverance he knew would make his attentions at least respected, even though 'success should not ultimately attend his efforts. By degrees his constancy prevailed: confidence yielded to importunity, and with many promises of fidelity, the lover became rewarded for his assiduity and management. Quite overjoyed at his rare fortune, he next set about cultivating the talents of Emma, which his acuteness could not help discovering, nor his good taste from admiring. Being himself a connoisseur in every branch of polite science, and thoroughly a judge of music, he spared neither time nor expense in providing proper instructions for a person from whose improvement he anticipated new sources of gratification. These lessons could not be more freely imparted than they were gladly received and diligently regarded.

The progress of the pupil gave infinite delight to her honourable admirer; and such was the force of her natural genius, that she contrived every day to evince, as it were, some fresh excellence, by which means his affections became perfectly settled; and a heart, naturally volatile, continued to be bound in the soft enchantment, even when the novelty of personal charms had no longer any particular influence. But how successfully art maintained the dominion which beauty had acquired, will appear from a trifling incident that occurred not long after the formation of this connexion. Ambitious of displaying his conquest to the world of fashion, the lover conducted the lovely Emma, dressed out in a very elegant style, to Ranelagh, which was then the favourite theatre of gayety and gallantry. Here her form and agility attracted universal attention, and excited so much admiration, that for once she gave way to a natural impulse; and to incrcase the applause with which she had been flattered, she gave the company some delightful specimens of her unrivalled

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powers both in musical expression, and flexibility of ac tion. The consequence of all this was, as might be expected, that a convulsive sensation of astonishment and rapture ran through the whole assembly, whose plaudits proved so intoxicating to the object of them, that she redoubled her exertions, and called forth renewed peals of applause. But all these were so many poisoned arrows to the heart of Mr. Greville, who brought her thither rather to dazzle beholders by her beauty, than to gratify idlers by her accomplishments. He now perceived that she was not only fond of adulation, but that she actually courted it, and was quite in her element when surrounded by a host of dazzling admirers. This was a very dis'tressing thought to one who had in fact placed his affections on Emma, from the persuasion that her mind was not only uncontaminated by the folly of the gay world, but wholly ignorant of the art of gaining its admiration. Being now more than half suspicious of the deception which had in reality been practised upon him, he returned home in a pensive mood; and so completely overpowcred were his feelings, that he could not help expressing them, with strong emotions of concern, at the manifest. inclination which she had shown to "please fools rather than to respect his sentiments."

Any other woman than Emma would on such a reproach have thrown herself into hysterics, or recriminated in language of haughty indignation. But with that superiority of duplicity which always distinguished her, instead of having recourse to such ordinary expedients, she retired very coolly to her room, and after throwing off all her elegant attire, she put on her original cottage dress, in which she had at first made an impression on the heart of her protector: then returning to the place where he sat, she signified her intention of relieving him from all further uneasiness, by returning to that station where he