 once concentered my affections—commanded my esteem—possessed my whole confidence —actuated, in short, my very being.—Ah, how noble, how affecting is the friendship grounded on the maternal and

filial tye; when unconscious of any weakness in her own heart, the mother dares present it as a pure and unflattering mirror to her child, and with that self-applause which even Heaven approves, contemplates the upright, the innocent soul it reflects!—Sacred and indelible becomes that precept which is expressed but by example.—Happy are those enabled to form such an attachment as inexperience strengthens on one hand, and knowledge on the other:—Neither the gusts of youthful passion, nor the nipping frosts of age, can destroy a plant rooted thus by mutual virtue;—it only gains vigor from time, and by the peculiar indulgence of the Almighty, our sublimest merit ripens into our most perfect pleasure.
Satisfied I had already acquired such an influence in my daughter's mind as should enable me to regulate her principles, I left it to time and circumstances to call them into action.—The great business of my life now seemed over;

and delivering my heart up to the flattering presages of maternal love, a thousand visions of almost forgotten grandeur and happiness floated before my eyes, and sometimes half-deluded them.
The fluctuating complaints of Lady Arundell at length settled into a consumption:—It was an hereditary disorder of the Sydneys; nor perhaps could all the solicitude of myself and my sweet Mary have availed toward her restoration, even if a cruel shock in which we were all equal sufferers, had not precipitated her fate.
Among the unconscious caprices which by turns actuated my unfortunate sister, was a passion for sitting in the open air.—Neither times, or seasons, had any influence over her; and she would insist on it alike in the snow of December, and the scorching sun of July.—To this self-will I had no doubt greatly contributed. From the moment of my return to England, I had vehemently opposed the severe controul to which she had heretofore

been subject, and habituated her attendants to yield to her in every instance which did not absolutely endanger her safety: fully determined not to render an existence wholly wretched no human being could now make happy. But as uninformed minds never know a medium, the people appointed to watch her, gradually suffered her to become sensible of her power, which soon grew into an unbounded indulgence. It was now the depth of winter, and she had sat in the keen air for hours, watching the snow, which fell in abundance.—The most violent shiverings ensued,
