19® THE B£F, OR' Feb. 2, 



tafte, fenthncnt ! — It was long fince Louifa had heard thefe 

 founds. Amldfl the ignorance of the valley, it was luxury 

 to hear them : from Sir Edward, who was one of the moll 

 engaging figures I ever faw, they were doubly delightful. 

 In his countenance there was always an expreflion, animated 

 and interefting ; his ficknefs had overcome fomewhat of the 

 firfl, but greatly added to the power of the latter. 



Louila's was not lefs captivating — and Sir Edward had 

 not feen it fo long without emotion. During his illnefs, he 

 thought this emotion but gratitude ; and when it firft grew 

 warmer, he checked it, from the thought of her fituation, 

 and of the debt he owed her : but the ftruggle was too inef- 

 feftual to overcome, and of coniequence increafed his paf- 

 fion. There was but one way in which the pride of Sir 

 Edward allowed of its being gratified. He fometimes 

 thought of this as a bafe and unworthy one ; but he was 

 the fool of words which he had often defpifed, the; flave of 

 manners he often condemned. He at laft compro- 

 raifed matters with himfelf ; he refolvcd, if he could, to 

 think no more of Louifa ; at any rate, to think no more 

 of the ties of gratitude or the reftraints of virtue. 



Louifa, who trufted to both, now communicated to Sir 

 Edward an important fecret. It was at the clofe of a piece 

 of mufic which they had been playing in the abfence of her 

 father. She took up her lute, and touched a little wild 

 melancholy air, which fhe had compofed to the memory of 

 lier mother. " That," faid llie, nobody ever heard except 

 my father ; I play it fometimes when I am alone, and in 

 low fpirits. I don't know how I came to think of it now ; 

 yet I have reafon to be fad." Sir Edward prefled to know 

 the caufc ; after fome hefitation Ihe told it all. Her father 

 had fixed on the fon of a neighbour, rich in poflfeflions, but 

 rude in manners, for her hulband. Againll: this matcli (he 

 had always proteited, as ftrongly as a fenfe of duty, and the 

 mildaefs of her nature would allow ; but Venoni was oblli- 

 nately bent on the match, and ihe was wretched on the 



thoughts of it *• To marry w'here one cannot love, — to 



■marry fuch a man, Sir Edward !" — It was an opportunity 

 beyond his poweir of rcfiftance. Sir Edward prefled her 

 ^and, ittid it would be profanation to think of fuch a mar- 



