compassion shall fall for the fate of
Charlotte, while the name of La Rue shall be detested and despised. For
Charlotte, the soul melts with sympathy; for La Rue, it feels nothing
but horror and contempt. But perhaps your gay hearts would rather
follow the fortunate Mrs. Crayton through the scenes of pleasure and
dissipation in which she was engaged, than listen to the complaints
and miseries of Charlotte. I will for once oblige you; I will for once
follow her to midnight revels, balls, and scenes of gaiety, for in such
was she constantly engaged.

I have said her person was lovely; let us add that she was surrounded by
splendor and affluence, and he must know but little of the world who can
wonder, (however faulty such a woman's conduct,) at her being followed
by the men, and her company courted by the women: in short Mrs. Crayton
was the universal favourite: she set the fashions, she was toasted by
all the gentlemen, and copied by all the ladies.

Colonel Crayton was a domestic man. Could he be happy with such a woman?
impossible! Remonstrance was vain: he might as well have preached to the
winds, as endeavour to persuade her from any action, however ridiculous,
on which she had set her mind: in short, after a little ineffectual
struggle, he gave up the attempt, and left her to follow the bent of
her own inclinations: what those were, I think the reader must have seen
enough of her character to form a just idea. Among the number who paid
their devotions at her shrine, she singled one, a young Ensign of mean
birth, indifferent education, and weak intellects. How such a man came
into the army, we hardly know to account for, and how he afterwards rose
to posts of honour is likewise strange and wonderful. But fortune is
blind, and so are those too frequently who have the power of dispensing
her favours: else why do we see fools and knaves at the very top of the
wheel, while patient merit sinks to the extreme of the opposite abyss.
But we may form a thousand conjectures on this subject, and yet never
hit on the right. Let us therefore endeavour to deserve her smiles, and
whether we succeed or not, we shall feel more innate satisfaction, than
thousands of those who bask in the sunshine of her favour unworthily.
But to return to Mrs. Crayton: this young man, whom I shall distinguish
by the name of Corydon, was the reigning favourite of her heart. He
escorted her to the play, danced with her at every ball, and when
indispos