ks of
sorrow trickled down his cheeks. After this affecting pause, 'My dear
son,' said she, 'Oh! that I could have lived to see you so indeed! you
find me hastening to the goal of life.' Here the tender-hearted Aurelia,
being unable to contain herself longer, broke out into a violent passion
of grief, and wept aloud. The mother, waiting patiently till she had
thus given vent to her anguish, calmly entreated her to resign herself
submissively to the will of Heaven; then turning to Mr. Launcelot, 'I had
indulged,' said she, 'a fond hope of seeing you allied to my family.
This is no time for me to insist upon the ceremonies and forms of a vain
world. Aurelia looks upon you with the eyes of tender prepossession.'
No sooner had she pronounced these words than he threw himself on his
knees before the young lady, and pressing her hand to his lips, breathed
the softest expressions which the most delicate love could suggest. 'I
know,' resumed the mother, 'that your passion is mutually sincere, and I
should die satisfied if I thought your union would not be opposed; but
that violent man, my brother-in-law, who is Aurelia's sole guardian, will
thwart her wishes with every obstacle that brutal resentment and
implacable malice can contrive. Mr. Greaves, I have long admired your
virtues, and am confident that I can depend upon your honour. You shall
give me your word, that when I am gone you will take no steps in this
affair without the concurrence of your father, and endeavour, by all fair
and honourable means, to vanquish the prejudices, and obtain the consent
of her uncle; the rest we must leave to the dispensation of Providence.'

"The squire promised, in the most solemn and fervent manner, to obey all
her injunctions, as the last dictates of a parent whom he should never
cease to honour. Then she favoured them both with a great deal of
salutary advice touching their conduct before and after marriage, and
presented him with a ring as a memorial of her affection, at the same
time he pulled another off his finger, and made a tender of it as a
pledge of his love to Aurelia, whom her mother permitted to receive this
token. Finally, he took a last farewell of the good matron, and returned
to his father with the particulars of this interview.

"In two days Mrs. Darnel departed this life, and Aurelia was removed to
the house of a relation, where her grief had like to have proved fatal to
her constitution.

"In the meantime, t