The Yorkshire Lead Mine.oranews Meathod of turning Lead to Gold.

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To the EDITOR of the

SIR,

HERE is no circumftance in life more diftreffing to a woman of the malleft delicacy, than the infidelity of a beloved husband. All acknowledge this, but, unhappily, there are few who know or feem to practife the proper methods to recall a wandering heart to the paths of virtue. A mind not totally depraved is eafily worked upon; but it is not to be worked upon by jealous tranfports, by peevish humours and complaints, by injurious reproaches, by a fullen neglect of every focial endearment. Ifhudder when I think how many valuable women, ornaments of their own fex, and patterns to ours, have been hurried into the fame criminal enormity, from a mistaken notion of retaliation and revenge-a revenge as impotent as it is abfurd, which fooner or later fails not to recoil with fatal violence on themfelves. The fex cannot be more effentially inftructed, than by a thorough difcuffion of fo important a point, on which the very being, not to fay happinefs, of the marriage ftate abfolutely depends. Moral reflections, however, if not enlivened by living examples, feldom avail. Take then the following ftory, as it happened fome years ago in this neighbourhood. My next fhall prefent a Lefon to the Gentlemen, if this meets with approbation, which, I think, you may with propriety entitle A Leffen to the Ladies, or Memoirs of Mr. Clifford.

Jack Clifford was a promifing youth of eighteen, when he was fent to the univerfity of Edinburgh to compleat his education. His father, a gentleman of confiderable landed property in Weftmoreland, having fixed him in the house of one Mrs. Tomkins, a worthy woman of character and education, who had been left deftitute at the death of her husband, an officer in the army; having befides fent proper ipies to watch the conduct of the youth, and controul his expences, returned to Clifford-hall after an agreeable itay in that northern metropolis of eight days. Mrs Tomkins had an only child, a girl

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of unaffected modefty, of exquifite beauty. Our young itudent, hourly accustomed to fee and converfe with her, attracted perhaps by a certain fimilarity of fentiment, was at length fo compleatly captivated that he knew no enjoyment but in her prefence; nor was his flame unrewarded in the tender heart of the innocent Marie. Neither had as yet uttered a word; but their eyes, thofe exp.efive mininers of love, had long converted. Clifford was diftracted. Had he been independent he would have inftantly thrown his fortune in her lap. But he had a father to obey, who knew not the refinements of love-who knew not indeed any love, but the love of money. At length he ventured to open his fituation to his mistress. Thefe who have loved need not be told the diftrefs of Maria, and thofe who have not, may pafs over the pages of this narrative. Grief has always fome alleviation, real or imaginary; and in a few months our lovers began to confider that fathers could not live for ever, that time would certainly, ere long, reward their conftancy. They continued their interviews--he protefted, the believed: in fhort, Maria could not help thinking that a thoufand vows were at leaft as valid as one contract. In this perfuafion they agreed not to think of the ceremony till a more convenient feafon, and flattered themfelves that as they lived like man and wife, their union was equally ftrong. Such had been their fituation for two months, when the vocation came on. Till now they never thought of parting. A day's abfence was death-how could they enfure to relinquith each other for months. But fathers will be abeyed, and Jack was obliged to hurry back to Clifford-hall. The old gentleman was not ignorant of his fon's connectionhe knew it, and was determined to leave no stone unturned to diffolve it. For this purpofe he welcomed him with uncommon affection, and engaged him on a vifit to his old neighbour Sir George Harcourt, whofe feat was about

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mounting horfe proceeded with winged fpeed to the partner of his heart, the partner o his affliction, the forlorn Maria. The family was prefentiy alarmed. Mr. Clifford guelled the truth, but, unwilling to have it known what length he had gone with his fon, affected as much furprife as they. The family continued their fearch over the neighbourhood, and he threwdly fet off poft for Scotland. The lovers were indulging themfelves in dalliance and carefles, with hardly a thought beyond the prefent moment, when the father arrived. Like moft young people they had grafped the fhadow and overlooked the fubftance. Their fituation was indced truly deplorable. They were even deftitute of money, that necefiary companion in every country, but thamefully fo in Britain, where poverty, however virtuous, is branded with infamy; and abilities, however exalted, if deftitute of fupport, are neglected or contemned.

twelve miles off. Clifford knew not what was in agitation till the morning of their departure. I have found a wife for you, faid the father; and I promife you Jack, you are not a little indebted to me for the poffeffion of fo much beauty, and so handsome an addition to your fortune. But you will fee her presently; and remember, Sir, I will take no refufal. In vain did the youth, with tears in his eyes, enumerate the particulars of his engagement to Maria; in vain did he declare that certain mifery, if not inftant death, would be the confequence of his marriage to another. Mr. Clifford had often heard of thefe fine fentiments, but he had never been able to inform himself of their meaning-the language of tears was equally unintelligible to him. Difobey me, Sir, at your peril, replied he; if you do, your miftrefs, your dear Maria, as you are pleased to call her, fhall pay for it: I have taken care that she shall no longer be an obstacle to my happiness. The young gentleman, diftracted at the favage obftinacy of his father, distracted about the fate of the only woman he had ever truly loved, remained speechlefs on the ground. At length recovering himself, he refolved, by a feeming compliance, to procure, if poffible, a fmall refpite. But his compliance had a very different effect. Hardly had they reached Sir George's, and taken their seats, when the intended match, ever uppermoft with the father, was brought upon the carpet, and every preliminary formally adjusted before night. The fon appearing thunderftruck and stupified, Mr. Clifford, who never failed to take time by the forelock, contrived to have the ceremony performed the third day after. Hardly were the fatal vows pronounced when the youth started as from a lethargy: He felt all the horrors of his fituation but determined, if poffible, to conceal them. He did fo, and fucceeded. The parents were now compleatly happy, and the young couple, if not happy in reality, had the addrefs to appear fo. Thus it was till night when the family and friends, giving a loofe to their joy, were quaffing bumpers in honour of the day, our bridegroom flipped to the table, and

Be that as it may, let us now purfue our ftory. Mr. Clifford's first step was to wait on Mrs. Tomkins. He did fo, and, without much ceremony, told her his bufinefs. The distracted mother rings for Maria.-Maria is not at home-he is gone to take an airing in the park. Thither they inftantly proceed, and find our lovers amouroufly feated on the grafs. Maria fhrieks. Imagine her fituation, reader: If thou canit not imagine it, it is in vain for me to defcribe it. Come, Mifs, faid the old gentleman, follow me--I give you my honour that no harm fhall come near you and you, Sir, if you will behave yourfelf as you ought, thall be a witnefs of what I propofe to do in behalf of the lady. A ray of hone dawned upon their benighted fouls. The lover tranfported, threw himself at his father's feet; but Maria, diffolved in tears, was ftill afraid to look her mother in the face. Why all this buftle, Sir, what would you have me do, cried the father? Would you have me recall your marriage, already the table-talk of every company? If you have the finallest regard for that lady, Sir, return to your duty, let not her incur the fufpicion of being an accomplice in your folly, and fuffer me to take charge of her future provition in

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another country. Clifford was glad to make any promife that might extricate him from his prefent dilemma, and thelter Marit from the ftern reproached of an offended mother. His love for her was now more tender, if potlible, than ever, and the minute approaches when he must leave the mitrefs of his heart, feemingly for ever, without the comfort of one tender adieu, without the comfort of breathing his parting raptures on her lips.

Nothing material paffed till they reacled Clifford-hall. It now became neceflary to contrive an handfome apology for the myfterious conduct of the bridegroom. The match, it feems, was not a match of choice on either fide. Mifs Harcourt had long tenderly loved a diftant relation of her own, a young gentleman of the army, who had been her companion at fchool, and had loved her with encreafing ardour from his infancy. Such was the facrifice Mifs Harcourt had made to her father's commands; fuch were the particulars Mr. Clifford propofed to urge in behalf of his fon. He wrote to Sir George acquainting him that the ftrange proceeding of the youth was owing to the fcandalous reports, fo induftrioufly infilled into him, of Mifs Harcourt's continued attachment to her former lover, as he could not, with any degree of delicacy, think of beftowing his heart upon one whofe affections were already devoted to another. Lame as this excufe may appear, it was accepted at Harcourt-abbey. The bride was conducted home, and a plaufible ftory contrived to fatisfy the world. The bridegroom made a very gallant apology to the lady for his unjust fufpicions; and, to clofe the farce, a fumptuous entertainment was provided to celebrate the joyful occafion. The bride had retired fome time when the bridegroom left the company. He approached the bridal bed, but approached not with the steps of a lover. He feated himself on a chair in thoughtful filence, leaning his head upon his hand. Thus he remained fome minutes when Mrs. Clifford, if I may be allowed as yet to call her fo, thus addreffed him., Alas! Sir, the fituation of your heart is now no longer a fe

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cret to me. I fee it, and am convinced my fuppofed correfpondence with a favoured rival is not the caufe of your di refs. Your affections are already engaged, and you confider me as the fatal bar to your happiness. But, dear Sir, inftead of heightening your forrows, tell me how I may poffibly alleviate them. Uncontrouled master of your actions, confider me not as your wife, confider me as a friend in whofe faithful bofom you may, without referve, pour forth all your forrows. Our young hufband feemed to rouse at these words as from a trance, and his eyes ftreaming with tears recounted the melancholy ftory of his guilty paffion. I feel, continued he, that my heart can never be yours, endued as you are with every charm to captivate the heart. Your friendship I accept as the greatest bleffing heaven can now beftow. Thus they conversed, and Clifford was charmed with the uncommon generofity of his bride. They appeared next day, as was concerted, completely happy in each other. Nothing can exceed the inward joy of all the friends on this occafion, of all but Mr. Clifford, who was not to be duped fo eafily. Sufpecting what might happen, the crafty father fecured a chink in an adjoining room, and had heard and feen every thing that paffed between his fon and daughter. He took no notice, however, he even affumed an air of fatisfaction, and frankly told his fon where Maria was now fettled. The youth, overjoyed at this intelligence, which he had defpaired of ever attaining, could not help fmiling at the credulity of his father; and we may believe it was not long before he wrote to her. In the mean while the tender affiduites of Mrs. Clifford feemed daily to increase, daily to gain upon her husband. Nay, there were certain intervals in which Clifford, wifhed he had known Mifs Harcourt fooner, but these were of fhort duration. He fpurned the thought from him as injurious to love, and again yielded up his foul to Maria. Some weeks had now elapfed fince he wrote to her. His impatience for an anfwer was intolerable. At length it comes-but, heavens, what an answer! She coldly tells him that the now thoroughly

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