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Meriel is returned from the continent,
where &longs;he has been from a &longs;tate of infancy
immured in a gloomy convent. Mrs.
Howard did not think her own family a proper
place for the tuition of a girl. She was
right: her hu&longs;band is by no means a brilliant
example, and I think, it would be a fortunate
circum&longs;tance for young Howard was
any thing to happen that might &longs;eperate him
from his father. Meriel is not what is generally
termed a fine girl; &longs;he is rather below
the middle &longs;ize, and inclined to en bon
point; her face is not regularly pretty, but
&longs;he has a lovely pair of hazel eyes, through
which you may read every emotion of her
&longs;oul. She is fair, a fine glow of health animates
her face, and a &longs;mile of good humour
plays about her mouth; a luxuriant quantity
of che&longs;nut hair hangs in ringlets down

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her neck and &longs;hades a forehead that is ornamented
with the mo&longs;t beautiful eye-brows I
ever beheld. Yet &longs;he is not &longs;triking at fir&longs;t
&longs;ight, indeed, you would rather be tempted to
&longs;ay &longs;he was plain, but the moment &longs;he &longs;peaks
you mu&longs;t be charmed. I have heard women
&longs;ing who have fine voices; but I would rather
hear Meriel read a pathetic tale than
li&longs;ten to the fine&longs;t &longs;ingers in England. The
melody of her voice, is &longs;o &longs;oft that &longs;he makes
the meane&longs;t &longs;ubject intere&longs;ting; her countenance
intelligent, her mind fraught with
every gentle, generous virtue, but withall &longs;he
is the pure child of nature. I could not
have believed it po&longs;&longs;ible for a girl of &longs;ixteen
to be &longs;o artle&longs;s and innocent. An entire
&longs;tranger to deception, &longs;he &longs;eeks not to disguise
one emotion of her heart. She loves
neither her father nor her brother. I cannot
blame her, their &longs;ouls are not congenial
with her own. Yet does &longs;he &longs;trive by respect
and attention to attone for the deficiency.
I am &longs;o charmed with this dear girl,
who is a brilliant model of her mother's virtues;
with this difference, Mrs. Howard's
are pa&longs;&longs;ive virtues: Meriel's will prove active
ones. I am &longs;o captivated with her gentle
innocence that I find I can no longer remain
in the family: Lucetta aid me to fly from
infamy, from &longs;hame, from a black train of
evils that I &longs;ee ready to encompa&longs;s me. You

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&longs;tart, you do not under&longs;tand; nor can I at
pre&longs;ent a&longs;&longs;ume &longs;ufficient courage to explain
my meaning. Oh! my &longs;i&longs;ter, I am not worthy
of your affection, I cannot pur&longs;ue the subject.
Adieu, I will write again &longs;oon.