The beginnings of love may be selfish, may be tyrannical, may require that vanity and thirst of power shall have due tribute paid them; but, when love is perfected, not only is vanity cast away, power and pride laid down, but self, that idol of the unoccupied heart, is forgotten, or valued only as contributing to the happiness of the being beloved! We speak, of course, of that early sunbeam of life’s morning, _First Love_: the description here given can never be applicable to the mixed nature of the later awakened sentiment, with its thousand necessary alloys: the selfishness called into play by self-defence, the doubts of the future, taught by experience of the past; with all the calculating insinuations of interest hinting the wisdom of training the heart’s tendrils to cling to convenience. Let the plant be love, of course, says prudence; but why not place it in the comfortable south aspect of wealth and splendour? CHAPTER LII. … “Choicest flowers, of every hue, Spring forth where’er their fairy tread hath pass’d; And magic gardens bloom around regions Fitting for such loveliness! floating near Music’s sweetness vibrates, with hov’ring odour, Holding soft commune on the fields of air.” In answer to all Fitz-Ullin’s arguments and entreaties for an early day, Julia pleaded a due respect to her grandmother’s feelings. In compliment to these it was decided that the wedding should not take place for three months. But months flew past with the velocity of days, all nature glowed with tints never seen before; every bird sang a sweeter song than formerly; particularly a thrush which had its nest in a Portugal laurel, just behind the shady seat to which the lovers strolled every evening. The very climate was improved: it was never either too hot or too cold, that is, in the opinion of Julia and Fitz-Ullin. The rest of the world, we believe, found the changes of weather much such as they generally are in this, by all but lovers, sadly abused climate of ours. Previous to the expiration of the allotted three months, the Arandale family arrived at Lodore, together with the Marquis and Marchioness of H⸺, Lord and Lady Morven, shortly after, the Dowager Countess Fitz-Ullin, and lastly, Colonel Beaumont, now the accepted lover of Frances. The weddings of both the sisters were solemnized on the same day by Mr. Jackson, in the same church in which he had baptized both, and pronounced over the then unknown Edmund, that memorable benediction, with which he bestowed on him the temporary appellation of Montgomery; a name under which, as Mr. Jackson this day observed, our hero afterwards reaped so many laurels, that to have laid it aside for any title but that of Fitz-Ullin, would have been rather a resignation of glory, than an acquisition of splendour.