brat that would never thank me for it, when it no longer wanted my assistance."

My dear, you will certainly think differently when you are a mother yourself," uttered Agatha'; " and till then I cannot enter into any discussion with you on the subject, nor have we time; for some more of your brother's guests are arrived, and they will think it strange if I do not pay my respects to them."

Now it is certain that Lord Winstone not being far distant, had overheard every syllable of the conversation that had passed between Lady Lavinia and her lovely cousin; and the contrast in the sentiment of each was not very advantageous to his bride elect, while he felt the most glowing admiration for the wife of the so greatly envied Lord Montague; but his intimacy had gone too far with the daughter of the Marquis, for a man of honour to retract the proposals he had already made her; but unfortunately, she had given his lordship a necessary hint of her disposition, which otherwise he had never known, and he determined to be guided by it hereafter when the holy knot was tied, and to prevent, by a husband's authority, her ladyship's intended charitable plans towards his offspring and her own. It was many weeks before Lady Agatha was able to take her accustomed walks in the beautiful gardens and plantations that surrounded Violet Vale; so anxious and attentive was she to discharge her maternal duties to her infant; for although a careful nurse was provided, yet she steadily adhered to her former resolution of suckling it herself, at which Lord Montague expressed some slight objection, which was counterbalanced by the persuasive arguments and be

witching eloquence of his lovely wife; who tenderly reproaching him, while she yet held her sweet babe in her arms, exclaimed

"Oh my Lord, and can you indeed wish me to relinquish the sweetest task imaginable to a fond mother's heart? Look in the face of my smiling innocent, and tell me whether you think it does not deserve some sacrifices to be made for its helpless sake, some pleasures given up? For what would pleasures avail me, were I to behold my cherub droop and sicken for want of the nutriment which nature has so kindly provided for it in a mother's breast? And what mother must she be who, being supplied with the means, would deny it to her tender offspring? Oh my Montague, believe me not so cruel, or so unjust! in all other things command me, but in this allow me to govern myself."

"My best, my dearest love," uttered Lord Montague, gazing with unutterable fondness on his beauteous wife, and clasping both her and his infant son with fervour to his breast; "and think you I would teach you to neglect your child, or that I do not cherish it for thy sake as dearly as its own? I had other fearsfears for thee my gentle love; your health, more precious to me than life itself, might be injured by this duty to our sweet babe. I had no other motive in dissuading you from your purpose, save alone anxiety for thee."

Lady Agatha, however, in reply to her fond lord, found arguments sufficiently powerful to convince him that her health could never be impaired by a system so natural, and so delightfully sweet; and the young Or

Jando (for he was named after the Duke, at the particular request of Lord Montague) continued hourly to increase in strength and beauty. The freshness of the rose was in his healthy looks, and his exquisitely fine formed features were moulded like those of his beauteous mother, so that the boy might have been a subject for the statuary before he was six months old; being so lively and animated, he required less of his mother's attention than if he had been of a sickly constitution; and for whole hours would his Grace dandle him in his arms, from thence he would be handed to his father, then to the Marquis; and sometimes when the Marchioness condescended to pay her daughter-inJaw a morning visit with Lady Lavinia, they would each take the little pet in their arms, and bestow the highest encomiums on his improving growth and beauty.

"Well, I protest the boy will be an absolute giant," uttered her ladyship, returning him to the arms of his nurse; "his limbs are perfectly athletic already."

"Indeed he is quite a little monster," observed Lady Lavinia," and yet so prodigiously handsome, that I protest I almost envy Agatha for having so sweet a creature."

"That is a great compliment after you have called him a monster," uttered Agatha, and smiled; "but whatever he may be, it is not his personal qualifica tions that I shall ever be particularly anxious about, provided his mind reflects a mirror that I can always look at without blushing."

"Now that is so exactly like you," uttered Lady Lavinia, suppressing a sort of a half ironical smile, but not daring immediately to level it at her lovely sister