live long and happy.  Did he not tell me, that he went to seek the mistress of his fate?—­And yet,” interrupted she, “he accompanied the information with words of such sweet import, with so much tenderness and gentleness, as will never be erased from my mind.  Ah foolish girl, wilt thou for ever delude thyself, wilt thou be for ever extracting comfort from despair?  No!  Long enough hast thou been misguided by the meteor of hope.  Long enough hast thou been cheated by the visions of youthful fancy.  There is now no remedy left.  Let me die.”

There were two passions that predominated in the breast of sir William Twyford.  The first was that of a humourist, and to this almost every other object was occasionally sacrificed.  But he had likewise a large fund of good nature.  He perceived, that in two successive instances, however unintentionally, his conduct had been the source of unhappiness to the most amiable of her sex.  The victory of lord Martin had put it more than ever in his power to harrass Delia.  She was incessantly importuned, now by her father, and now by her inamorato.  And her distress, if it had wanted any addition, was rendered compleat by the expected marriage of one, whose personal accomplishments had caught her unwary heart.  He lamented the undeserved misfortune of youth and beauty.  His heart bled for her.

Thus circumstanced, his active benevolence determined him not to lose a moment, in endeavouring to repair the mischief of which he had so unfortunately been the author.  He had never cordially approved of the intended union between his friend and Miss Frampton.  She was of the first order of coquettes, and it might have puzzled even an anatomist to determine, whether she had a heart.  Descartes informs us that the soul usually resides in the pineal gland, but the soul of this lady seemed to inhabit in her eyes.  She had been caught with the figure of Damon.  And had a figure more perfectly beautiful, if that had been possible, or an equipage more brilliant, presented itself, he did not doubt but that it would carry away the prize.

Miss Frampton was heiress to a fortune of fifty thousand pounds.  The father of Damon, whose soul, in union with some amiable qualities, which served him for a disguise, had the misfortune to be exceedingly mercenary at the bottom, had proposed the match to his son.  Damon, who had never in his life been guilty of an act of disobedience, received the recommendation of his father with a prejudice in its favour.  He waited upon the young lady and found her beautiful, high spirited, accomplished, and incensed by a thousand worshippers.  Her disposition was not indeed congenial to his own.  But he was prejudiced by filial duty, dazzled by her charms, and led on insensibly by the mildness and pliableness of his character.  In a word, every thing had been concluded, and the wedding was daily expected to take place.

CHAPTER VIII.