, we must say their hollowness soon became
apparent to his mind; and he, instead of following the example of most
men in similar circumstances, and making himself the slave to the
pleasures and dissipations of the fashionable world, looked calmly on
the allurements of society, and preserved a perfect control over his
mind and morals. During the vortex of a London season, he added to the
list of his friends a merchant of considerable standing, and of very
large reputed wealth. In the house of this gentleman, who was pleased
with the young man's sterling qualities, apparent to the quick
perception of the man of business, he received a _carte blanche_; and
thence commenced the intimacy which formed the romance of his life.

Mr. Williamson, the gentleman of whom we have spoken, had an only
daughter, the mistress of his house, and the idol of his heart and of
all who knew her. She was beautiful in the extreme. Her disposition was
of the sweetest description, and fully justified the lavishment of the
fond parental affection with which she was blessed; while her amiability
was only equalled by her dutiful attention and consideration of the
smallest wish of her kind and doating parent. That such a being should
arrest the notice of a young man of the temperament of John Ferguson is
not to be wondered at, nor that his attention was rivetted on her the
first moment his eyes were gladdened with the seraphic vision. The first
feeling of admiration soon gave place to a sentiment of a warmer kind,
and it was not long ere young Ferguson was hopelessly entangled in the
meshes of Cupid's net, deeply immersed in the sea of love; which, for
his ardent nature, was of that turbulent kind that knew no control, nor
experienced any pleasure, except in the society of his fair enslaver.
This feeling was long kept a secret within his own bosom, and his time
glided happily by in the sweet countenance of this charming creature,
content in the privilege of loving, and fearful lest a disclosure of his
sentiment should break the spell.

Love is a strange emotion; its inexplicable workings operate with an
occult influence, irresistible and unaccountable; and while our hearts
receive a glow and pleasure at the mere contemplation of the object of
our love, our selfish gratification blinds us to all but our own extatic
delight, and eliminates from our minds all considerations not directly
tending to a consummation of our desires. At the same time our cowar