 lover. I had reason to believe this wish was accomplished ere I ventured to return home. Her parti∣ality for Sir Philip Sydney is indeed too apparent for me to think of uniting with her, were the friends of both willing to complete the match; but as I cannot help flattering myself the determination of Sir Philip will regulate that of the Walsing∣ham family, fain would I learn from your indulgence (if indeed you deign to inter∣est yourself in the fate of a man, born but to adore you) whether Sydney has any thing to hope from your sister. Accept in this explanation, my excuse for pre∣suming to hover near your secret; and do not imagine by uniting myself in it, I seek to intrude on engagements I shall readily yield to, whether I am permitted to understand them or not."
Charmed alike with the accents of that harmonious voice, and the passion it ge∣nerously avowed—prepared by the open∣ness of his recital to indulge my na∣tural

candor, I delivered myself wholly up to the impulse of my heart; and the implied acknowledgment of my affection, made when I condescended to explain your sentiments respecting Sir Philip, lighted up his fine eyes with new softness and gratitude. Insensibly led on to speak of Lord Leicester, I recollected at once the error I was committing; and not dar∣ing to violate the silence I had promised, I broke off abruptly, covered with blushes and confusion—a long pause ensued—I raised my eyes, anxious and irresolute, to his—chagrin had dimmed all their lustre—he saw the conflict in my mind, and recollecting the superiority of his own character, he conjured me "to consider well all I would say, and to believe that confidence would be only a weight upon his heart, which mine should ever re∣proach me with bestowing." His wound∣ed feelings gave a persuasive tremulation to his voice; that, and the delicacy of mind which made him above profiting by the error of mine—the right a lover in∣stantly acquires over the conduct of a

woman, who has once ventured to ac∣knowledge her partiality—alas, above all perhaps, the exquisite fear such ever feel, at appearing for one moment to distrust the object of their choice, all united to authorise, in my own judgment, that full confession the occasion won from me. The astonishing story of our birth, the secret of the Recess, its discovery by Lord Leicester, your subsequent marriage with him, the feint by which the Queen was influenced alike to remain silent on every point respecting us, all was fully re∣vealed—the veil of fiction fell at once, and presented me to him the being I was born. This interesting confidence ce∣mented our mutual passion
