[figure description] Page 003.[end figure description]

Marian li&longs;tened attentively to the affecting
recital of her mother's &longs;orrow, but every
&longs;yllable &longs;unk deep into the heart of Lydia. I
will daily think of your di&longs;tre&longs;&longs;es, my dear mother,
&longs;aid &longs;he, and they will &longs;erve as a &longs;hield to
my heart, and render it invulnerable to the attacks
of vanity or the illu&longs;ion of pa&longs;&longs;ion.

And is my father living? &longs;aid Marian.

I know not, replied her mother, but if he
he can never be any thing to you, he has
us all.

It was inhuman, my dear mother, to deprive us

[figure description] Page 004.[end figure description]

of that rank in life, we were born to fill, and
which I &longs;latter my&longs;elf we &longs;hould not have disgraced.

Fooli&longs;h Marian, &longs;aid the anxious mother, why
regret the lo&longs;s of &longs;uch a trifle; be virtuous, my
child, you will then elevate the mo&longs;t humiliating
&longs;tation, and ri&longs;e &longs;uperior to tho&longs;e who&longs;e only boa&longs;t
is wealth and titles, to render them the envy of the
blind mi&longs;guided multitude. Virtue alone is true
nobility; content is real happine&longs;s.

Lydia's heart re&longs;pon&longs;ive echoed her mother's
&longs;entiments—Marian &longs;ighed and was &longs;ilent.

The moon in maje&longs;tic &longs;plendor illumined the
&longs;ky, and darted her &longs;ilver beams through the ancient
elms that &longs;haded Dorcas's cottage. The &longs;i&longs;ters
were &longs;eated by the door, and in obedience to
their mother's command, were pouring forth their
thank&longs;giving to the giver of all ble&longs;&longs;ing in an
evening hymn. They had ju&longs;t fini&longs;hed when
a ru&longs;tling among the bu&longs;hes made them &longs;tart; a
beautiful pointer ran into the cottage, and in a
moment a &longs;ervant in livery appeared, and enquired
the way to Gwinfred-Hall. Dorcas directed
him which way to go. He &longs;aid he was weary, requested
a drop of water, and leave to re&longs;t. Lydia
went to fetch him &longs;ome cyder, Dorcas moved

[figure description] Page 005.[end figure description]

towards the door, and &longs;ilently admired the beauty
of the &longs;pangled .

The man &longs;eized the opportunity, and delivered
to the lovely un&longs;u&longs;pecting Marian a letter from
Sir George Lovemore.

Love and ambition had already taught her art,
&longs;he ha&longs;tily took the offered letter, and hid it in her
bo&longs;om. Alas! &longs;imple maid, you there fo&longs;tered a
&longs;erpent, who&longs;e &longs;ubtle poi&longs;on tainted your very
heart. The &longs;ervant having completed his errand
retired, and Marian found means to peru&longs;e her
letter; — it abounded with profe&longs;&longs;ions of love,
vows of everla&longs;ting fidelity, and encomiums on
her beauty. She read it with rapture, and though
&longs;o recently warned of the duplicity of men, believed
every &longs;yllable it contained. In conclu&longs;ion,
he &longs;olicited a private interview the next morning,
in the field adjoining her mother's cottage.
Marian pau&longs;ed at this reque&longs;t, he&longs;itated—read
the letter again and re&longs;olved to comply.

During &longs;upper &longs;he was thoughtful and ab&longs;ent,
and when the u&longs;ual hour of re&longs;t arrived, &longs;he retired
with an anxious perturbed mind; &longs;leep was
to her eyes, and &longs;everal times &longs;he
re&longs;olved to &longs;hew the letter to Lydia, and request
her to accompany her — But then Sir

[figure description] Page 006.[end figure description]

George had de&longs;ired her to come alone, he might
be offended and &longs;he might never &longs;ee him again.
Vanity al&longs;o pleaded, he might marry her, rai&longs;e
her to an exalted &longs;tation, and &longs;hould his views
be otherwi&longs;e than honorable, &longs;he certainly had resolution
to with&longs;tand his &longs;olicitations.

In this manner did &longs;he wear out the tedious
night, at five o'clock &longs;he &longs;tole &longs;oftly from the &longs;ide
of her innocent &longs;leeping &longs;i&longs;ter, and with as little
noi&longs;e as po&longs;&longs;ible opened the door that led into the
fields. Aurora had but faintly &longs;treaked the eastern
&longs;kies with mingled gold and purple, when the
ill-fated Marian met her lover.

He thanked her for her , told her
his whole happine&longs;s depended on her, and urged
her immediate &longs;light with him to London.

Marian he&longs;itated, her mother, her &longs;i&longs;ter, hung
heavy at her heart.

Sir George was an adept in the art of seduction,
he talked of gaiety, &longs;plendor and plea&longs;ure, &longs;wore
&longs;he was born to grace the fir&longs;t &longs;tation, declared it
was a crime to bury &longs;o much beauty and &longs;weetne&longs;s
in a de&longs;art.

[figure description] Page 007.[end figure description]

Marian's rea&longs;on was not convinced, but her
vanity was awakened and her &longs;en&longs;es dazzled,
what wonder then that her &longs;cruples were overcome
by Sir George's artful per&longs;ua&longs;ions. She
left the man&longs;ion of peace and innocence, and in a
chai&longs;e which he had prepared for the purpo&longs;e,
hurried as fa&longs;t as four hor&longs;es would carry her to
the feat of di&longs;&longs;ipation and folly.

Marian dropped a tear as &longs;he took a la&longs;t look at
the cottage, but Sir George ki&longs;&longs;ed it off, and the
reflection which had cau&longs;ed it to &longs;tart was in&longs;tantly
bani&longs;hed from her mind.

Lydia on awakening mi&longs;&longs;ed her &longs;i&longs;ter, and ha&longs;tily
ri&longs;ing, ran into her mother's apartment, vexed
that Marian &longs;hould have been the fir&longs;t to bid her
good morning. I am not u&longs;ed to be &longs;uch a suaggard,
my dear mother, &longs;aid &longs;he, but my &longs;i&longs;ter
has received your ble&longs;&longs;ing before me this morning.
I have not &longs;een your &longs;i&longs;ter, &longs;aid Dorcas, but as it
is a fine morning, &longs;he has, no doubt, rambled out
to enjoy its &longs;weets; go, my beloved Lydia and
&longs;eek her.

Lydia left her mother, and &longs;ought her &longs;i&longs;ter in
the fields and woods; echo a thou&longs;and times repeated
the name as &longs;he called her dear Marian; at
length fatigued and di&longs;pirited, &longs;he was returning

[figure description] Page 008.[end figure description]

home, when &longs;he met a &longs;hepherd, who early attended
his &longs;heep, that way, and demanded of him
whether he had &longs;een her &longs;i&longs;ter.

He had &longs;een her, he &longs;aw her enter the chai&longs;e
with Sir George, he &longs;aw them drive off.

Lydia heard the heart-rending tidings, &longs;he
would have wept, but tears refu&longs;ed their relief;
&longs;he &longs;ighed, rai&longs;ed her hands to heaven in an agony
of grief, and &longs;unk lifele&longs;s upon the ground.
The &longs;hepherd was frightened, nor did he u&longs;e any
method to re&longs;tore her, but ran backward and
forward, looking wildly round him, and calling
aloud for help. A young gentleman who had
been that morning out a &longs;hooting, heard the voice
of terror, and ha&longs;tened to the &longs;pot where the hapless
Lydia lay. Her charms were not of the dazzling
fort, but the more her features were examined
the more they intere&longs;ted the beholder. The
gentleman when he fir&longs;t rai&longs;ed her from the ground,
felt only for her as he would for any other woman
in di&longs;tre&longs;s; but when he looked attentively on her
face, and beheld her lovely though inanimate features,
he felt an irre&longs;i&longs;tible impul&longs;e to defend her
not only from her pre&longs;ent unea&longs;ine&longs;s, but to &longs;hield
her for ever from pain and affliction. He carried
her to a &longs;pring, and bathed her temples with water,
&longs;he opened her expre&longs;&longs;ive blue eyes, Oh! my unhappy
&longs;i&longs;ter, &longs;aid &longs;he, and freeing her&longs;elf from the

[figure description] Page 009.[end figure description]

arms of her deliverer, covered her face with her
hands, and gave free vent to her tears.

Have you lo&longs;t your &longs;i&longs;ter, my &longs;weet maid, &longs;aid
the &longs;tranger.

Alas! Sir, replied Lydia, I fear my poor Marian
is wor&longs;e than dead. A gentleman has found means
to en&longs;nare her innocent un&longs;u&longs;pecting heart, and
&longs;he has this morning left her only friends to tru&longs;t
the promi&longs;es of one &longs;he never &longs;aw till three days
&longs;ince. I know not how to return to my poor mother
with the&longs;e fatal tidings, I fear it will go near
to break an heart already oppre&longs;&longs;ed with woes almost
too heavy to be borne. “But God tempereth
the wind to the &longs;horn lamb,” continued &longs;he,
rai&longs;ing her eyes to heaven, and no doubt will inspire
her with fortitude to bear, wihout repining,
this heavie&longs;t of his trials.

The &longs;tranger reverenced her &longs;orrow, he took
her pa&longs;&longs;ive hand, drew it under his arm, and &longs;o
proceeded &longs;ilently along towards Dorcas's cottage;
he attempted not to interrupt her grief, but now
and then a tear &longs;tole down his manly cheeks, and a
re&longs;pon&longs;ive &longs;igh an&longs;wered hers.

When they arrived at the cottage Dorcas met
them at the door; Lydia flew towards her, folded
her arms round her neck, and dropping her

[figure description] Page 010.[end figure description]

head on her bo&longs;om, &longs;obbed aloud.

Oh! my beloved, &longs;aid Dorcas, tell me, has
any accident happened to your &longs;i&longs;ter?

She is gone, &longs;aid Lydia.

What, forever? cried the fond mother eagerly.

Oh! my dear mother, &longs;he is lo&longs;t to us; that gentleman
whom we met—

Enough, &longs;aid Dorcas, I fully under&longs;tand the
extent of my misfortune; my Marian is dishonored,
plunged in infamy; but I will not renounce
her, &longs;he is my child. Oh! heavens, none but
a parent can judge of the angui&longs;h that now harrows
up my &longs;oul. But, my &longs;weet Lydia, will
you for&longs;ake your mother in her old age, will you
leave her grey hairs to &longs;ink in &longs;orrow to the grave,
without a friend to chear her la&longs;t moments, without
the gentle hand of filial love to clo&longs;e her
dying eyes.

Oh! no, cried Lydia, dropping on her knees,
never, never; when I for&longs;ake my honor'd mother,
may heaven regardle&longs;s hear me when I pray, may
I be ca&longs;t out to &longs;ickne&longs;s, pain and poverty, without
a friend to pity or relieve me.

[figure description] Page 011.[end figure description]

Dorcas embraced her, and the &longs;tranger endeavoured
to di&longs;&longs;ipate the drops of humanity which
were gathering in her eyes. Lydia by degrees
became more compo&longs;ed, and informed her mother
of the obligations &longs;he was under to the gentleman
who had accompanied her home.

Oh! Sir, &longs;aid Dorcas, you are my friend and
benefactor, had I lo&longs;t my Lydia I had lo&longs;t my all;
but &longs;ay, by what name &longs;hall I remember you in
my prayers?

They call me Renfew, Earl of Landaff, &longs;aid
he.

Dorcas &longs;tarted and turned pale—the Earl
continued,

Your &longs;orrow has awakened in my brea&longs;t every
feeling of humanity, and if it is in my power
to be of any &longs;ervice to you, command me, and
I will exert it to the utmo&longs;t.

Alas! my dear Marian! &longs;aid Dorcas.

I under&longs;tand you, replied the Earl, and wi&longs;h
I could re&longs;tore her to you, but as that is not in my
power, teach me by &longs;ome other means to promote
your happine&longs;s.

[figure description] Page 012.[end figure description]

My Lord, &longs;aid Dorcas, there is but one way
to give the lea&longs;t &longs;atisfaction to this afflicted heart;
leave the cottage immediately, nor ever attempt
again to &longs;ee or conver&longs;e with Lydia.

And why this cruel re&longs;triction?

Time, my Lord, perhaps may inform you with
my rea&longs;ons for acting thus. At pre&longs;ent I cannot
alledge the true cau&longs;e, and will never &longs;toop to a
mean equivocation to excu&longs;e an action, which I
am &longs;en&longs;ible is perfectly right.

The Earl was piqued, he bowed and left the
cottage.

Lydia, &longs;aid Dorcas, if you love your mother,
you will avoid the Earl of Landaff.

He is generous and humane, &longs;aid Lydia,

Tru&longs;t not to appearances, replied her mother,
when you &longs;hall learn a tale which I could tell you,
you will then, like me, tremble at the name of
Renfew.

Peace, with the &longs;peed of a courier, now fled
from the man&longs;ion of Dorcas, affliction u&longs;urped
her place, and with &longs;olemn pace each night walled
with the &longs;olitary Lydia over tho&longs;e fields an

[figure description] Page 013.[end figure description]

meadows where &longs;he once had cheerfully tripped
with her beloved Marian.

In one of the&longs;e melancholy excur&longs;ions &longs;he was
acco&longs;ted by the Earl of Landaff; &longs;he would have
fled, but he prevented her, and in the mo&longs;t eloquent
language true love could in&longs;pire, told her
how dear &longs;he was to him, and how cruel he
thought her mother, in refu&longs;ing him the plea&longs;ure
of her conver&longs;ation.

My mother, replied Lydia, can be actuated by
no motive but a wi&longs;h to promote my happine&longs;s.
I e&longs;teem you, my Lord, I &longs;hall ever remember
you with gratitude, but my mother has forbid me
to hold any cover&longs;ation with you. Adieu, Sir,
I often think of you, but will never have any
intercour&longs;e with you.

Stay, my &longs;weet Lydia, &longs;aid the Earl, only &longs;ay
you do not hate me. I &longs;wear, dear maid, my designs
are honorable, and if you will put your&longs;elf
under my protection, a private marriage &longs;hall
convince you how &longs;incere my profe&longs;&longs;ions are.

My Lord, replied Lydia, though I acknowledge
my&longs;elf honored by this declaration, I mu&longs;t
decline accepting your offer; I know my rank
in life is far beneath what would be expected in
the bride of Landaff, but humble as I am, I will

[figure description] Page 014.[end figure description]

never become the wife of a man who would be
a&longs;hamed publicly to own me as &longs;uch; nor will I
ever clande&longs;tinely conver&longs;e with a per&longs;on whom
my mother has forbid me to &longs;ee. My &longs;i&longs;ter, I
fear, by her di&longs;obedience, has rendered her&longs;elf
mi&longs;erable, nor will I, by a like conduct, increa&longs;e
the affliction of my dear venerable parent.

Landaff expatiated on the many advantages
attending wealth and &longs;plendor; Lydia heard him
with &longs;ilent contempt. He told her his only wi&longs;h
was, to make her happy.

That is impo&longs;&longs;ible, my Lord, &longs;aid &longs;he, the heart of
Lydia never can know happine&longs;s while her mother
is in affliction, and her &longs;i&longs;ter, perhaps, a
mi&longs;erable wanderer, expo&longs;ed to all the wretchedness,
want and infamy can entail on a fallen
woman.

All farther per&longs;ua&longs;ion was of no effect, Lydia
continued firm in her re&longs;olution of not leaving
her mother, and fearful of again meeting the
importunate Earl, avoided for &longs;ome time her
favorite walk, confined her&longs;elf to the narrow
limits of their garden, and devoted her time
entirely to comfort and chear her afflicted parent.

The Earl finding no hope of &longs;ucce&longs;s in drawing
Lydia from her duty, and having too much

[figure description] Blank Page.[end figure description]

[figure description] Page 016.[end figure description]

riches and finery, to which &longs;he had hitherto been
unaccu&longs;tomed, to en&longs;nare and lead her an ea&longs;y
victim to be &longs;acrificed at the &longs;hrine of vice. To
this end he forbore taking any liberty during their
journey which might alarm her, treated her with
re&longs;pect and tender attention, and when they arrived
in London placed her in an elegant lodging,
with proper &longs;ervants to wait on her, and left her
to ruminate at lei&longs;ure on the change in her situation.

The female attendant who was immediately about
the per&longs;on of Marian, was a girl who had formerly
fallen a prey to the arts of Sir George, and
now only enjoyed his bounty for reducing other
haple&longs;s females to the horrid level with her&longs;elf.
She was wretched in the lo&longs;s of her own virtue,
and like the &longs;poiler of mankind, exulted in every
opportunity of robbing others of that ble&longs;&longs;ing herself
could no longer enjoy. She treated the innocent
Marian with the mo&longs;t profound re&longs;pect, led
her through a &longs;uit of &longs;uperb apartments and told
her; if &longs;he could think of any thing that
would add to the elegance or beauty of the furniture,
&longs;he need only mention her wi&longs;hes to have them
complied with. She next di&longs;played a variety of
elegant female apparel, toys, jewels, and other
things proper to catch the attention of inexperienced
youth, and kindle the glowing &longs;eeds of
vanity into a flame that might con&longs;ume her,

[figure description] Page 017.[end figure description]

at that time was without a favorite, and from the
prepo&longs;&longs;e&longs;&longs;ion he felt in his bo&longs;om towards our poor
wanderer, he determined to rai&longs;e her from the abject
&longs;tate to which &longs;he was reduced, to the
honorable &longs;tation of his mi&longs;tre&longs;s; he therefore
di&longs;patched his vi&longs;its as quick as po&longs;&longs;ible, and
repaired to the place of appointment.

Marian met him at the door of the apartment,
he gave her his hand, &longs;he rai&longs;ed it to her lips, and
attempted to &longs;peak, but words were refu&longs;ed, a gu&longs;h
of &longs;ilent tears more eloquently &longs;poke her &longs;oul's
meaning--the Major was moved, he made her
&longs;it, down, and placing him&longs;elf be&longs;ide her, began
to unfold the de&longs;igns he had formed in her favour.

Alas! Sir, &longs;aid Marian mournfully, I had hoped
you would have taken me from this life of &longs;hame,
indeed I am &longs;ick of what is termed plea&longs;ure, I
long to &longs;ink into peaceful ob&longs;curity, and having
ju&longs;t &longs;ufficient to &longs;upply the wants of nature, repent
my pa&longs;t mi&longs;deeds, and wait with patience the
appointed hour of re&longs;t. I know not why it is, but
I feel I never can return your genero&longs;ity in the
way you require, and therefore dare not hope for
farther favours.

Nay, my dear girl, &longs;aid the Major, this is
affectation; come &longs;hake off this gloom which your

[figure description] Page 018.[end figure description]

misfortunes have occa&longs;ioned to envelope your
mind---what, though I am an old man, I will
teach you to love me.

Oh! Sir, replied Marían, you have taught me
that already, there is nothing which I &longs;hould
think too hard to perform, to convince you of the
grateful affections of my heart. But I had hoped
this &longs;inking fragile frame never would have
known pollution more.

The Major endeavoured to calm the perturbation
of her &longs;pirits, and pre&longs;&longs;ed her to partake of
&longs;ome excellent champaigne which he had ordered
with the &longs;upper. Marian was thoughtful, eat,
little, and frequently turned her head to hide the
&longs;tarting tears.

Supper removed he renewed his &longs;olicitations,
&longs;he &longs;unk on her knees, and with uplifted hands
entreated him to grant her relief on other terms,
or &longs;uffer her to leave him, and again tempt the
mi&longs;eries of her hard de&longs;tiny. He was deaf to her
prayers, he attributed them to art--he rai&longs;ed her
from the ground, and proceeded to unwarrantable
liberties--&longs;he made a violent effort, and &longs;pringing
from his arms, cried, Oh! Dorcas, dear unhappy
mother, why did I leave you,--then ru&longs;hing
out of the room, ran precipitately into the &longs;treet.

[figure description] Page 019.[end figure description]

The exclamation which &longs;he made had thrown
the Major into a &longs;tupor of a&longs;toni&longs;hment, every
faculty was &longs;u&longs;pended, nor could he recover
&longs;ufficient recollection to endeavour to &longs;top her--
a thou&longs;and pa&longs;t occurrences ru&longs;hed upon his mind,
and he remained immoveable, his eyes rivetted
to the door through which &longs;he had pa&longs;&longs;ed.

At length recovering from his &longs;urpri&longs;e, he observed
a &longs;mall &longs;hagreen ca&longs;e which lay on the floor,
and during her &longs;truggles had dropped from Marian's
bo&longs;om. He took it up, with emotion opened
it, and the portrait of Dorcas met his eyes.
The ca&longs;e dropped from his unnerved hand, he
groaned and fell &longs;en&longs;ele&longs;s to the floor, the noi&longs;e
of his fall brought up a &longs;ervant of the hou&longs;e,
proper remedies were applied and &longs;oon re&longs;tored
him to a keen &longs;en&longs;e of his pa&longs;t guilt and treachery
to Dorcas, for Major Renfew was the perjured
hu&longs;band whom Dorcas had concealed under the
name of Melfont.

The fir&longs;t thought that &longs;truck him was the horrid
crime he had &longs;o nearly perpetrated; the next
was what was become of his poor ruined child---
His continual ravings for his Marian, his dear
lo&longs;t daughter, and the evident incoherence of his
di&longs;cour&longs;e led the &longs;ervants to believe he was fiezed
with a &longs;udden fit of in&longs;anity, and in that belief
conveyed him home.

[figure description] Page 024.[end figure description]

The horror that dwelt upon his mind, and the
violent agitation brought on a fever, and before
morning he was in&longs;en&longs;ible to all that pa&longs;&longs;ed
about him. Before rea&longs;on entirely for&longs;ook him,
he was vi&longs;ited by the Earl of Landaff, who was
his nephew, to him he unfolded the dreadful tale,
conjuring him to try every po&longs;&longs;ible method to
di&longs;cover the unhappy wanderer.

Oh! &longs;aid he in an agony, “&longs;he knelt and prayed,
my child entreated me, with &longs;treaming eyes, to
&longs;natch her from infamy, and I would not hear
her,----&longs;eek her Landaff, find her, &longs;ave her from
peri&longs;hing for want.” The remembrance was too
acute, and his &longs;en&longs;es, which were before wavering,
took their flight--but &longs;till his fancy was
haunted by the image of Dorcas and Marian, and
his agonies became dreadful, even to tho&longs;e who
attended him.

Every enquiry after the haple&longs;s Marian was
fruitle&longs;s, and the mi&longs;erable Renfew, when a turn
of his di&longs;order re&longs;tored him to rea&longs;on, found
that there was no hope of recovering the poor
wanderer—

The picture di&longs;covered to the Earl of Landaff
that Dorcas was the mother and Lydia the &longs;i&longs;ter
of the woman who had cau&longs;ed &longs;uch anxious emotions
in his uncle's bo&longs;om, but how Lydia and

[figure description] Page 025.[end figure description]

Marian &longs;hould be the daughters of Major Renfew
appeared to him an inexplicable riddle. His
uncle &longs;oon unravelled the my&longs;tery, and received
&longs;ome con&longs;olation from hearing that Dorcas was
living, and that he might hope to embrace one
innocent child, in his Lydia.

He determined to &longs;eek Dorcas in her &longs;olitude,
and acknowledge her to the world as his fir&longs;t and
only true affianced wife; but fearing to alarm her
by too abrupt an appearance, he addre&longs;&longs;ed her
fir&longs;t by letter.

TO DORCAS.

By what title &longs;hall I addre&longs;s you, dear injured
excellence, but by that which mu&longs;t
make me appear what I really am—the vile&longs;t,
the ba&longs;e&longs;t of mankind.—

Oh! Dorcas, cruel as my conduct was to
you, my puni&longs;hment, I tru&longs;t, has been equal to my
fault—alas! the crimes of the father have been
vi&longs;ited upon the child. Oh! my beloved, will
not your gentle heart break when I &longs;hall tell
you I have &longs;een our dear Marian—I have
&longs;een her a wretched nightly wanderer—I
heard her implore charity, I &longs;aw her

[figure description] Page 026.[end figure description]

overpowered with angui&longs;h of heart, and relieved her not,
but drove her from me, drove her again upon the
mercile&longs;s world, expo&longs;ed to all the mi&longs;eries of
want!—But my old tough heart will not bur&longs;t,
though it &longs;wells and throbs at the remembrance
of that dreadful evening.

My Dorcas, I will do you ju&longs;tice, I will declare
to the world your injuries and my own
per&longs;idy. Prepare my love, to meet your penitent
Renfew &longs;oon after the receipt of this, and bid
my &longs;weet, my innocent Lydia, prepare to receive
a father's ble&longs;&longs;ing.

Adieu. Many days &longs;hall not pa&longs;s e'er I hope
to hear you pronounce my pardon, and cla&longs;p
you to the heart of your repentant hu&longs;band,

From the day of Marian's elopement plea&longs;ure
had been a &longs;tranger to the heart of Dorcas, nor
could all the duteous tenderne&longs;s of Lydia dissipate
the anxiety &longs;he felt for the fate of Marian
from her maternal brea&longs;t. Nor did joy now
&longs;parkle in the eye of Lydia, the tear of &longs;orrow
had quenched their lu&longs;tre, and like a cankerworm
had fed upon her cheek, and &longs;tole from

[figure description] Page 027.[end figure description]

thence the blu&longs;hing ro&longs;e. Full oft &longs;he wept her
haple&longs;s &longs;i&longs;ter's fall, full oft &longs;he &longs;ighed and wi&longs;hed
to hear again of Landaff, but her tears fell only
on her pillow, when the &longs;able curtain of night
hid them from the prying eye of maternal affection,
and her &longs;ighs &longs;tole forth when no one was
nigh to hear them.

Next section