To our CORRESPONDENTS. E have been unavoidably obliged to poftpone the Occafional and the Index until next month. WE The following are at the fame time intended for infertion. The Cenfor, on Attachments. Theatrical Anecdote—and the other articles from the fame lady, to w we own our obligations. An Admirer of Real Merit. Philanthropos and Voredanus, in anfwer to the Queftion in our Maga of January. We shall endeavour to comply with Mifs Lovebook's request as m as poffible. Upon reconfideration of C. S's article, we muft decline its infert It is too long, and the fubject but aukwardly handled. He may hav returned, if agreeable. Gallicana we can difpenfe with. The printed letter he fent from old Magazine is obviously inconfiftent with our plan. Mr. May will think us unkind, but we have not forgot him, althou various and urgent temporary calls have interfered with our wishes. The Elegy on the Death of an Acquaintance, by J. B. Exon, is intend for our next, along with Petrarch to Laura. S. U. on Retirement. Phebe and Amintor. A Father's Letter to his Son, and Verfes to Anna, are too incorrect. We beg leave to afk C. N. of Lincolnfhire, whether expofing the ill-fpe fhop-bill of a poor ignorant woman' would not be cruel? Edward's Poetical articles are received. We have no occafion at prefent for the fervices of W. C. : Π ACCOUNT OF ances under the title of novels,"uni lefs, indeed, we difcover in them a tendency which we can approve, or find them holding forth an example "A SIMPLE STORY." which we can recommend. A NOVEL. [Written by Mrs. Inchbald, juft pub- די O this lady the public are in debted for the following dra matic pieces, which have all been famped with general approbation. "I'll Tell You What, Such Things Are, The Child of Nature, Appear ance is against Them, The Widow's Vow, The Married Man, and the Midnight Hour. Various reafons, of which, in the preface to the work before us, we have a tranfient hint, induced this lady to withdraw her pen from the ftage, a circum fance the more to be regretted he cause it occurs at a time when dramaric writers of merit are exceed ingly fcarce perhaps never more 10. And we can give no better reafon for reviewing The Simple Story" than that which Fielding affigns for hia being fo lavish in his praife of So phia, becaufe, fays he, we are not only in love with her ourselves, but with that our readers may be fo too." In a word, we have read this novel with impartiality and ats tention, and as we can honeftly pronounce upon its fuperior merits, fɑi we would wish to recommend then to the notice of our readerslaur Leve 1 Throughout the whole our au thorefs manifefts an accurate know ledge of the human heart. She traces the working of a paffion with juftice and minutenefs, places it in' every fetting if we may use the ex preffion, and exhibits its luftre and its dimnels, its brilliancy and its specks, pregilely as we may observe in real life. But as few can observe, fo there are still fewer who can des feribe as variety of feelings darifing from the tume paffion, and operated pon by the varieties of accident. Genius, however, is industrious, Mrs. Inchbald determined not to be idle, and the has now prefented the world with the produce of Her lei-time, place, and perfon. In all fure hours in the form of a Hovel, this Mis: Inchbald excells; and the entitled A Simple Stor refult of the whole is, as may natus. but feldom that we notice perform-rally be fuppofed, an inftructive as I 2 well 1 ་་ well as an entertaining narrative. And here, by the bye, we would beg leave to fay to fuch of our rea ders as have felt an itch for novel writing, that they are exceedingly much to blame in ftoring their memories with the incidents and characters of other writers, fince an examination of their own heart, and an obfervation of the actions of others in real life, will not only them with is new and futerefting, but convince them that the human heart is an exhaustless fund, from whence the novelift, and mopoet, the philofopher, and the moralift, may always draw fums that have never been claimed before. : But this is a digreffion-we proceed now to give a brief outline of the f Simple Story"-preparatory to our giving an extract from it. Mr. Milner, a member of the church of Rome, on his death-bed affigns the guardianship of his daughter, an only child, to Mr. Dorriforth, a clergyman of the fame perfuafion, a man of ftern virtue, amiable manners, and form friendship. Dorriforth, after Mr. M.Iner's death, commenced the duties of a guardian, with many anxious fears, which were but little removed by finding that his ward, mifs Milner, with many good qualities, had a portion of levity and giddin fs in her character, which he forfaw would create him much uneasiness, and perhaps be of ferious difadvantage to the young lady. Her eduation had not been of the most proper kind, for it was merely fashionable, and it appears to be our authorefs' plan to evince in the whole of this lady's conduct, the misfortunes hich drife from an improper education. 518 519 of 2 At this time Dorriforth was about thirty years of age, and miss Milner eighteen. In his first interview de behaved with great epropriety and fubmiffion, but he foon difcovered a thoughtless levity in her manners which perplexed him. Soon afte her arrival at her guardian's in Lo don, lord Frederic Lawnly, a your nobleman of gay and licentious mar ners appeared among her fuitor Dorriforth detefted his character am difapproved of his addreffes, althoug he eagerly withed to fee mifs Mi ner married, that the painful dut of guardian might end. Lord Fre de ic perceived that Dorriforth dif approved of his add effes, and h treated him with contempt, as onc who like many other guardians, have finifter purposes in their refufals. In the mean time fir Edward Ash ton made overtures to Dorriforth in behalf of his paffion for mifs Milner, which he greatly approved. He endeavoured to recommend fir Edward, but could not learn of mits Milner that he had any regard either for him or lord Frederic. Some very interefting fcenes pafs on this fubject between Dorriforth, mifs Milner, and a mifs Woodley, a mu tual friend. 1 Dorriförth removes mifs Milner from London to her country refi dence, where he had hopes that the vifits of lord Frederic would be dif continued; but his lordship foon appeared, and Dorriforth, thinking that, mifs Milner diffembled with him, and trifled with lord Frederic, infifted that the fhould either refufe to fce him, or become his wife, With fome difficulty, in a fublequent converfation, he obtained her permiffion to tell lord Frederic that he would fee him, no more, Not withstanding this, lord Frederic watched an opportunity to addrefs her while in her carriage with Dorriforth, whom he infulted to his face; and, when the carriage flopt, lord Frederic feized mifs Milner's band, and began to devour it with kifles, when Dorriforth, with an inftantaneous impulfe, ruflied foward, and ftruck him a blow in the face. The reflections of Dorriforth on this Funguarded Account of A Simple Story. 61 unguarded action are well defcribed. and foon after obtained a dispensaA challenge is the confequence, tion, which releafed him from his which Dorriforth refolves to accept. monaftic vows. After much emThis coming to the ears of mifs Mil-barraffment, arifing from the apner, the requests him not to fight parent mystery and contradiction in with lord Frederic; but finding that all that mils Milner fays or does, every argument and entreaty are in lord Elmwood difcovers her affecvain, drops on her knees and con- tions, and is completely happy, befeffes her love for lord Frederic. → ing himself attached to her. A mu• Dorriforth was struck with this con- tual declaration having taken place, tradiction to her former fentiments, preparations are made for the mar and determines to give every la riage; but now the perverûty of tisfaction to lord Frederic, by in- mils Milner's temper difcovers itforming him of mifs Milner's affec- felf in a series of thoughtless and improper actions, which at length arrive to a degree of provocation which lord Elmwood can no longer bear, and prepares to go to Italy, and leave her for ever. The impropriety of her conduct ftares her in the face, and unable to fupport tion. tracted betwixt pride and compunetion-but just as lord Elmwood is about to depart, the evidences her thorough repentance in fuch a manner, that their hands are inftantly joined, and fhe becomes the happieft of women. At this period the second volume ends, and as our authoress here pauses, and omits a period of seventeen years, in order to introduce her character in advanced hfe, we shall alfo ftop here, referving the remainder of our sketch for our next Ma But this young lady was till a diffembier, and had no fooner retired with her friend mifs Woodley, than the confeffed that all she had faid of lord Frederic was a falfehood; and begs her to fly and prevent Dorriforth, from informing lord Fredericher confcious reflections, he is dif of what he intended.-If mifs Wood ley is thecked at this behaviour, the is ruck with the deepest horror on heating mifs Milner declare that her paffion is for her guardian! Mifs Woodley is a lay of ftrick Roman Catholic principles, and knowing Dorriforth to be in orders, which renders it impoffible for him to marry, confidered this affection in the worst pollible light, and it is with great difficulty he is prevented from difclufiog the fecret. Dorriforth has met lord Frederic, and receives a flight wound in the arm:gazine. In this detail, which must he returns to the family, where the meeting is exceffively embaraffing on the part of mifs Milner.-Dorriforth, in a ferious converfation with her, obtains a declaration of her diffembling behaviour, which he reprobates with feverity, although he knows not the cause of her myterious conduct.-Miss Milner and mifs Woodley contrive a journey to Bath, where the former hopes to get rid of her paffion for her guardian. While there, lord Elmwood, a near relation of Dorriforth's, dies, and Dorriforth fucceeds to his title and estate, neceffarily be imperfect, we have omitted a variety of circumftances which are highly interesting, and have in particular faid nothing of the character of Sandford, an old prieft, of ftrict but four morality, with a tender heart, a warm friend to lord Elmwood, but rather a foe to mifs Milner's conduct. This character is drawn with critical justnefs, and well preferved throughout the whole work. (To be concluded in our next ) Where the live crimson, thro' the na- Soft fhooting, o'er the face diffufes bloom, Breathing delight; and under flowing jet, breath; The look refiftless, piercing to the foul, And by the foul inform'd; when dreft in love They fit high fmiling in the confcious eye. T THOMPSON. tion? Would ye take a pencil and tinge the rofe afresh? Is it not as prepollerous to paint yourselves ? Surely it is. Why will ye too forfake your native eafe for affectation ; and di guide your elegant forms beneath every abfurdity fashion fhall dictate? Fye, recollect yourfelves, and throw away with dfdain the poifonous drugs with which ye tpoil your complexions, and run your conftitutions. Be again what ye always were (till the curft deceits of art allured ye to endeavour to add modefty, it creates pity and disgust inftead of pleafure. Would ye with, my amiable readers, to fecure the affection and cleem of the deferving of our fex, believe me, modesty is an infallible mean. The delicate blush of modefty captivates the heart fooner than all the fparkling of the mott brilliant pair of eyes; the timid to what could never receive an addition), more beauteous than the fabled Hourigand blooming as the is nothing that improves beauty more vernal morning of fpring. There than modely; indeed modeity may HE above quotation was wrote be juflly terined the mother of beau in praife of his fair country-ty; for beauty always pleafes; and women, by the much admired au- though we fee ever fo fine a com thor of the Seafons and it is a complexion,uniels it is accompanied with pliment they certainly deferve. Englifh women have been generally al. lowed to be the most amiable of that fex upon earth and amongst the bleffings I have eafon to be grate ful for, beftowed upon me by the great author of existence, I must reckon, in an eminent degree, the happiness of being born in a clime renowned for producing fo many or-apprehenfions of this virtue engage naments of creation. Were the heathen poets to come amongst us they would fee their idolized Venus' multiplied; or, would imagine this ifle was peopled by the Graces. Then why, my amiable countrywemen, fince ye are by nature to bountiful will ye be ever courting art to pave your way to admiration, when ye can never fail to acquire it with out? Why will ye, who furpafs your whole fex in loveliness, imitate the manners of others? Ye who ought justly to give laws to the females of every other nation. Why will ye be everfeeking the deftructive aid of cosmetics to render thofe complexions beautiful, which receive tom nature a bloom beyond defcrip 7. our regard more than all the wiles invention can practife: the leering eye, and inviting look, may influ ence our fenfes for a moment; but the charms of modesty engage the foul. Modefty conceals under her veil charms which still improve, and break ever now upon our delighted minds; they cloy not in age; but retain their fweets till the laft moments of exifience. The arts of the froward woman may catch us at first, but the power is of fhort duration? like a whifp of firaw, which, when lighted produces a great blaze, but decays quickly, ere it has fearce caught our notice. The 'ftodied grace, the affected smile, the glanc ing eye, the enticing attitude, may as hile |