3(J« 



me if I suddenly draw him away from the survey of the 

 crowds of life to a few detached scenes. We will select 

 a single picture at random. The character is common. 

 Behold that beautiful female who is rallying a well- 

 dressed young man with so much gaiety and humour. 

 Did you ever see so lovely a countenance ? There is an 

 expression of vivacity in her fine dark eye which quite 

 captivates one ; and her smile, were it a little less bold, 

 would be bewitching. How gay and careless she seems ! 

 One would suppose she had a very light and happy heart. 

 Alas ! how appearances deceive ! This gaiety is all 

 feigned. It is her business to please, and beneath a fair 

 and painted outside she conceals an inquiet and forlorn 

 breast. When she was yet very young, an engaging but 

 dissolute young man took advantage of her simplicity, 

 and of the affection with which he had inspired her, to 

 betray her virtue. At first her infamy cost her many 

 tears ; but habit wore away this remorse, leaving only 

 a kind of indistinct regret, and, as she fondly loved her 

 betrayer, she experienced, at times, a mingled pleasure 

 even in this abandoned situation. But this was soon 

 over. Her lover, on pretence of a journey into the coun- 

 try ,>left her for ever. She soon afterwards heard of his 

 marriage, with an agonyof grief which few can adequately 

 conceive, and none describe. The calls of want, however, 

 soon subdued the more distracting ebullitions of anguish. 

 She had no choice left ; all the gates of virtue were shul 

 upon her, and though she really abhorred the course, she 

 was obliged to betake herself to vice for support. Her 

 next keeper possessed her person without her heart. 

 She has since passed through several hands, and has 

 found, by bitter experience, that the vicious, on whose 

 generosity she is thrown, are devoid of all feeling but 

 that of self- gratification, and that even the wages of pro- 

 stitution are reluctantly and grudgingly paid. She now 

 looks on all men as sharpers. She smiles but to entangle 

 and destroy, and while she simulates fondness, is intent 

 only on the extorting of that, at best poor pittance, which 

 her necessities loudly demand. Thoughtless as she may 

 seem, she is not without an idea of her forlorn and 



