yrs. The hills and mountains teemed
with verdure, and the serpentine valleys were shaded by a friendly
foliage. All nature flourished, grew, and expanded, calling forth
ejaculations of gratitude and piety, and boldly declaring that a
celestial Being overshadows us with his providence.

[_Alida_ page 131 (chapter XVI):

while the gentle murmuring of the water-fall at the mill, with its
rumbling cadence over the dam, was heard at a little distance.]

As soon as the family were settled in the country, the parents of Alida
made preparation to call the children together in commemoration of their
father's birthday. When the time arrived for the celebration of this
festive scene, the morning arose with every beauty that could bid fair
for a cheerful day, and the company assembled at an early hour. Bonville
was among those who arrived from the village. He appeared in excellent
spirits, as if some new thought had entered his mind, which had given
him new hopes of success. He informed Alida, in the course of the
afternoon, that he had received intimation from a friend in England,
that Theodore was now living in London. After hazarding many conjectures
respecting him, he then ventured to add that he hoped he had not met
there any new object, to cause him to become forgetful of former
friends.

[The Story of an Unfortunate Young Lady (in _The Lady's
Miscellany_, 1811):

The morning of my unhappy existence arose with every beauty that
could bid fair for a cheerful day.]

Displeasure was manifest in the countenance of Alida, at this suspicion,
although she feared it might be true. Theodore had promised to be
faithful in a correspondence, and he certainly might have found
opportunities, since the happy change of affairs in the country, to make
some communications to his friends, if he had been so disposed. Again
she thought, as they had been separated by parental authority, that it
might have its influence to cause him to become altogether forgetful;
and her spirits now sunk under the idea of Theodore's inconstancy.
Bonville continued to speak of him with indifference, observing
attentively how Alida was affected. He inquired earnestly if she had
ever received any intelligence from him, during his absence, (as he
thought he might have written to her brother.) She answered him in the
negative. He expressed his surprise, and after giving many dark
intimations of his perfidy, he changed the subject.

[_Al