ead has been a
little turned. Being very pretty, and naturally genteel, she has been
much noticed and indulged; and being the housekeeper's niece, she has
held an equivocal station between a servant and a companion. She has
learnt something of fashions and notions among the young ladies, which
have effected quite a metamorphosis; insomuch that her finery at
church on Sundays has given mortal offence to her former intimates in
the village. This has occasioned the misrepresentations which have
awakened the implacable family pride of Dame Tibbets. But what is
worse, Phoebe, having a spice of coquetry in her disposition, showed
it on one or two occasions to her lover, which produced a downright
quarrel; and Jack, being very proud and fiery, has absolutely turned
his back upon her for several successive Sundays.

The poor girl is full of sorrow and repentance, and would fain make up
with her lover; but he feels his security, and stands aloof. In this
he is doubtless encouraged by his mother, who is continually reminding
him what he owes to his family; for this same family pride seems
doomed to be the eternal bane of lovers.

As I hate to see a pretty face in trouble, I have felt quite concerned
for the luckless Phoebe, ever since I heard her story. It is a sad
thing to be thwarted in love at any time, but particularly so at this
tender season of the year, when every living thing, even to the very
butterfly, is sporting with its mate; and the green fields, and the
budding groves, and the singing of the birds, and the sweet smell of
the flowers, are enough to turn the head of a love-sick girl. I am
told that the coolness of young Ready-Money lies very heavy at poor
Phoebe's heart. Instead of singing about the house as formerly, she
goes about pale and sighing, and is apt to break into tears when her
companions are full of merriment.

Mrs. Hannah, the vestal gentlewoman of my Lady Lillycraft, has had
long talks and walks with Phoebe, up and down the avenue of an
evening; and has endeavoured to squeeze some of her own verjuice into
the other's milky nature. She speaks with contempt and abhorrence of
the whole sex, and advises Phoebe to despise all the men as heartily
as she does. But Phoebe's loving temper is not to be curdled; she has
no such thing as hatred or contempt for mankind in her whole
composition. She has all the simple fondness of heart of poor, weak,
loving woman; and her only thoughts at present are how to conci