where her parents dwelt to enquire

after her.

"Tis going, I own, like the Knight of the Woeful Countenance, in queft of melancholy adventures-but I know not how it is, but I am never fo perfectly confcious of the existence of a foul within me, as when I am entangled in them.

The old mother came to the door, her looks told me the ftory before she open'd her mouth-She had loft her husband; he had died, the faid, of anguish, for the lofs of Maria's fenfes about a month before. She had feared at first, fhe added, that it would have plunder'd her poor girl

of

of what little understanding was left-but, on the contrary, it had brought her more to herfelf-ftill the could not reft-her poor daughter, fhe faid, crying, was wandering fomewhere about the road

-Why does my pulfe beat languid as I write this? and what made La Fleur, whofe heart feem'd only to be tuned to joy, to pafs the back of his hand twice across his eyes, as the woman ftood and told it? I beckon'd to the poftilion to turn back into the road.

When we had got within half a league of Moulines, at a little opening in the road leading to a thicket, I discovered

discovered poor Maria fitting under a poplar-fhe was fitting with her elbow in her lap, and her head leaning on one fide within her hand-a fmall brook ran at the foot of the tree.

I bid the poftilion go on with the chaife to Moulines and La Fleur to bespeak my fupper-and that I would walk after him.

She was drefs'd in white, and much as my friend defcribed her, except. that her hair hung loofe, which before was twisted within a filk net.-She had, fuperadded likewife to her jacket, a pale green ribband which fell across her shoulder to the waift; at the end

of

of which hung her pipe.-Her goat had been as faithlefs as her lover; and he had got a little dog in lieu of him, which she had kept tied by a ftring to her girdle; as I look'd at her dog, fhe drew him towards her with the ftring." Thou shalt not "leave me, Sylvio," faid fhe. I look'd in Maria's eyes, and faw fhe was thinking more of her father than of her lover or her little goat; for as the utter'd them the tears trickled down her cheeks.

I fat down close by her; and Maria let me wipe them away as they fell with my handkerchief.-I then fteep'd it in my own-and then in hers-and then in mine-and then

I wip'd

I wip'd hers again-and as I did it, I felt fuch undescribable emotions within me, as I am fure could not be accounted for from any combinations of matter and motion.

I am pofitive I have a foul; nor can all the books with which materalifts have pefter'd the world ever convince me of the contrary.

MARIA.