 wanting to her happiness. These sacred pauses in life, which lovers only know, invigorate the soul as sleep does the body, and alone can enable us to sustain the past and com∣ing ills. Prepared by a mental calm for the happiest repose, sleep asserted a claim to those hours fear and fatigue had long possessed, and my Lord insisted on re∣maining above: the loveliness of the wea∣ther, though the autumn was far advanc∣ed, made this less dangerous, and Miss

Cecil and I at last consented to occupy the only miserable bed, which neverthe∣less afforded us that rest a palace had often denied. The next morning entirely re∣versed the scene, and destroyed at once our comfort and tranquillity; with the moon the weather changed, and the wind becoming entirely contrary, that deadly sickness incident to the element, seized alike on Miss Cecil and me, absorbing even the sense of danger. With an ex∣hausted sullenness we surveyed those roar∣ing surges, whose hollows fancy could not venture to fathom, and saw ourselves driven almost back to the shore of England, without strength or spirits even to lament our cruel destiny. My Lord, happily more used to the sea, resisted its influ∣ence, and exerted himself equally in com∣forting the sufferers and assisting the sai∣lors: happily too they were all well ac∣quainted with the coast; while the con∣trary wind, and enraged elements, con∣stituted in one sense our safety, as every other vessel taking shelter in the nearest port, waited in safety more favourable

weather. Tost about for near ten days, we at last made Havre-de-grace early in the morning, and more dead than alive I was conveyed to the first inn, and instantly put to bed.
Here my fatigues and apprehensions were very near producing a misfortune I from the first had dreaded. I had but too much reason to fear that the poor babe who had been the innocent cause of these calamities would never live to reward us for them, but urged into a premature ex∣istence, of all this mighty world would claim only a grave. The grief this gave me increased the danger; I knew the pas∣sionate desire of offspring which possessed my Lord. I had often flattered myself this wish, if indulged, would fill up that void in his life the promise had caused. What then should I suffer to see a disappointment added to the sacrifices and degradations I had already entailed upon him? It was at this crisis all the merit of Miss Cecil shone forth: to the delicate attentions of a friend she united the soft solicitude of a mother. She soothed my mind with the

most flattering hopes, and jealous lest in
