RECEPTION BY HER AUNT AND COUSIN. O 



an inexpressible sweetness is spread over every fea- 

 ture : her mouth, especially, has the most gracious 

 smile you can imagine. The first glance assured me 

 that I should not be miserable with such a companion. 

 She introduced me to my aunt, who was sitting in a 

 parlour neatly furnished with white dimity, that over- 

 looked a delightful view of an extensive country. 

 She rose to receive me, and, with the tender salute 

 of a mother, bid me consider her house as my future 

 home. The thoughts of dependence brought tears 

 from my eyes : I could only stammer out my thanks 

 in broken accents. She seemed to perceive the cause 

 of my tears ; but, without making any remark, 

 changed the conversation to the occurrences of my 

 journey, and united with her daughter in every kind 

 attention that could have been paid to the most re- 

 spected visitor, rather than a poor dependent relation 

 who sought an asylum from their bounty. My aunt 

 is about fifty, and has been extremely handsome : 

 benignity and intelligence are marked in her coun- 

 tenance, and a certain dignity of manner that im- 

 presses respect mingled with love. Two such per- 

 sons I did not expect to find in a Welsh cottage ; for 

 the house deserves no better title, though it has 

 every convenience the wants of the family require. 

 I have a chamber to myself, and view from my 

 window a prospect that might supply Salvator Rosa 



