, even among her friends, with the most laboured correctness. Her understanding was always in full dress; not like that of the present times, easy, gay, and graceful; but more resembling the stiff ruffs, and stately finery of the days of Queen Elizabeth.
Mr. Seymour alone had some unpleasant

reflections. He saw that his brother, without the practice of duplicity, had obtained a fortune far superior, and a woman in every view more amiable, than all his own deep-laid schemes had acquired for himself. While he made these reflections, his heart sickened at the recollection of all the plots and counterplots of his head; and he lamented, that the labour of years had ensured to him a less degree of prosperity than seemed, unsolicited, to court the acceptance of his brother.
Mr. Charles Seymour felt nothing but joy at his brother's marriage, which he knew would give the whole family additional consequence, and considerably increase its influence. He determined, however, not to be outdone by his brother, but to take the first opportunity of marrying the daughter of a nabob, himself.
From the moment of his arrival at

Mr. Clifford's seat, he had endeavoured to insinuate himself into the favour of Julia, by paying her the most constant distinctions. He foresaw, that, as mistress of her uncle's house, which would happen on Charlotte's marriage, her importance in the fashionable world would be considerable; and, though her fortune was not sufficient to tempt him to any matrimonial designs upon her himself, he was sensible that, with her beauty and accomplishments, she could scarcely fail to marry advantageously; since he knew that, though love was much out of fashion, there still existed some young men of rank and fortune, who were addicted to that weakness; and some person, of such a temper, might probably abate a few thousands in his matrimonial expectations, in consideration of Julia's beauty. He therefore devoted his chief attention to that young lady; for Charlotte he considered as an acquisition

already made to his family. Mr. Charles Seymour's principles of action were as mechanical as those of a watch, constantly regulated by the bright noonday sun; but all machines are subject to imperfection, and Charles's movements of courtesy towards Julia, which had formerly gone too slow, now went somewhat too fast. She could not avoid being put in mind of his past rude neglect, which she would otherwise have forgotten, by his present obsequious attention. When he flew to meet her at her entrance into the room