with all possible expedition after the battle, ordered his horse, and set off swearing at Ophelia, and still imputing his reception to her design, and not his own blunder: therein he did that young lady great injustice, as she was scrupulously tenacious of _such_ promises. Hamilton now proceeding to the dining room, found Miss Ophelia sitting alone, with breakfast apparatus and a book before her. She rose at his entrance, and made a very affable kind of a courtsey, which she accompanied by a no less affable smile. Hamilton asking what the book was, was told, it was a collection of spiritual hymns, they were to be that day sung at Tetbury, where her husband was to deliver a sermon. “I certainly have seen you, Madam?” She rather hung down her head. “Oh, I remember, Sir; once near the coast of Sussex, you and a very handsome young lady were alone in the wood, the same that I saw with you last night, and who my husband told me since you are now married to.” “And is the gentleman that I saw with you your husband?” “Oh, you know all about it, Sir, it is needless for me to disguise; but while the soul is filled with true faith, what can any acts of the body signify, let us not attend to the filthy rags of works; the more we strip ourselves of what heathens and unbelievers call morality and virtue, the more easily may we be covered by the splendid robes of imputed righteousness.” “Do you, Madam, also assist in preaching?” “Very rarely; I have sometimes held forth. I once delivered a discourse on the resemblance of human and divine love; it was allowed by many persons, even that had not yet received the effectual calling, that my description of human love was very natural and strong, and we had a good many converts that very day; for I assure you, that we have not a more powerful engine of conversion than engaging accounts of the passion of love, such sermons do thrill so through the heart.” “You will allow me to observe, Madam, that your language and remarks are far beyond what I should have expected from either an itinerant preacher or player, or the associate of my worthy acquaintance Mr. O’Rourke. You certainly have received a liberal education, and have moved in genteel circles.” “Mr. Hamilton,” she replied, “I know your character well, and also some circumstances in which you have been very particularly interested. Allow me to ask you one question: can you see in my features or countenance a resemblance to any person that you have known?” Our hero looked a few moments and started. “I certainly have seen a face very like yours, but you are not she.” “I am not; but to cut the matter short, my maiden name was Collings, Joanna Collings, the elder sister of Jenny Collings, your Jenny Collings, now the wife of a rich booby squire.” “I thought,” said our hero, “that lady was the wife of a clergyman.” “She is, but has proved herself totally unworthy of such a husband. My story, Sir, is short and simple; but were it told, full of warning instruction.” The