The shore is fill’d with a multitude of people.—­What sights will they gaze on to satisfy their curiosity!—­a curiosity that makes human nature shrink.

I have got three matronly women to go with the undertaker, that the body may be taken up with decency.

Darcey lives;—­but how does he live?—­Without sense; almost without motion.

God protect the good old steward!—­the worthy Jenkings!—­He is with you before this;—­he has told you everything.  I could not write by him:—­I thought I should never be able to touch a pen again.—­He had left Dover before the body was found.—­What conflicts did he escape!  But as it is, I fear his grey hairs will go down with sorrow to the grave.—­God support us all!

MOLESWORTH.

LETTER XXXII

Captain RISBY to the Honourable GEORGE MOLESWORTH.

Barford Abbey.

My heart bleeds afresh—­Her body found!  Good heaven!—­it must not,—­shall not come to the knowledge of the family.—­At present they submit with a degree of resignation.—­Who knows but a latent hope might remain?—­Instances have been known of many saved from wrecks;—­but her body is drove on shore.—­Not a glimmering;—­possibility is now out of the question.—­The family are determin’d to shut themselves out from the world;—­no company ever more to be admitted;—­never to go any where but to the church.—­Your letter was deliver’d me before them.—­I was ask’d tenderly for poor Lord Darcey.—­What could I answer?—­Near the same; not worse, on the whole.—­They flatter themselves he will recover;—­I encourage all their flattering hopes.

Mrs. Jenkings has never been home since Mr. Morgan fetch’d her;—­Mr. Jenkings too is constantly here;—­sometimes Edmund:—­except the unhappy parents, never was grief like theirs.

Mr. Jenkings has convinc’d me it was Miss Powis which I saw at ——.  Strange reverse of fortune since that hour!

When the family are retir’d I spend many melancholy hours with poor Edmund;—­and from him have learnt the reason why Mr. Powis conceal’d his marriage,—­which is now no secret.—­Even Edmund never knew it till Mr. and Mrs. Powis return’d to England,—­Take a short recital:—­it will help to pass away a gloomy moment.

When Mr. Powis left the University, he went for a few months to Ireland with the Lord-Lieutenant; and at his return intended to make the Grand Tour.—­In the mean time, Sir James and Lady Powis contract an intimacy with a young Lady of quality, in the bloom of life, but not of beauty.—­By what I can gather, Lady Mary Sutton is plain to a degree,—­with a mind—­But why speak of her mind?—­let that speak for itself.