 of a daughter of my own. She rejected my proposal. She refused to make any submission to her aunt, whom I would have prevailed upon to be reconciled to her. Let her suffer the consequences of her obstinacy and folly; I have done all that I ought to do, and am justified to the world.

His lordship forgot to add, that the submission which was expected from her was nothing more than the change of her religion, and the match she so obstinately refused, could not be effected without she purchased a fortune by an impious hypocrisy. Nevertheless the omission of these trifling circumstances gave such a colour to Henrietta's behaviour, that she was considered by all, who heard her uncle's account of it, as an unhappy young creature, who would ruin herself, and be the blot of a noble family.

As for our fair heroine, she foresaw that her uncle would justify his neglect of her at her expence. She had every thing against her; rank, fortune, power; that general prejudice which prevails against the unfortunate, and that as general servility which adopts the passions of the great. But these reflections filled her with no uneasy apprehensions; for there is this advantage in virtue, that it is sufficient for itself, and needs not the applause or support of others, its own consciousness is its best reward.

HEnrietta, before she went home, waited upon lady D—, to acquaint her that she had left Mrs. Autumn. She avoided mentioning that lady's peculiarities which had made it impossible to please her; but with great simplicity related the error she had been guilty of, and the suspicions she had incurred by it, which occasioned her dismission.

Lady D— diverted herself for some time with the extreme delicacy of her whimsical friend, and then told Henrietta, that having still a good opinion of her prudence and modesty, notwithstanding the reasons Mrs. Autumn had to suspect her, she would place her about a young lady, a relation of her own.
Henrietta thanked her in very respectful terms, and took her leave, after she had, at lady D—'s desire, left her a direction to her lodgings, that she might know where to send for her when it was necessary.
At her return, she found the faithful Mrs. Willis full of anxious impatience to hear the success of her visit to the earl. Henrietta, thro' respect to her uncle, concealed the greatest part of his discourse to her, but owned that she had no expectations from him.
Mrs. Willis shrugged up her shoulders:
Then it was as
