"Your husband refused six months ago," interrupted Mrs. Nesbitt, "should be the object of so much gallantry to that very husband? husband? That is your question, my dear. And my answer is, no: not in the least. Nay, never lift up those beautiful blue eyes in such astonishment. What man, with one grain of understanding, would have made Lady Charlotte his wife? And what man, who has his five senses, but must admire her ?"

"Was it then only Mr. Willoughby's understanding that chose me?" said Isabella mournfully.

"Look in the glass, my love," replied the obliging Mrs. Nesbitt, "and answer yourself, even though you do look pale."

"Ah! madam," said Isabella, blushing, "I have heard such flattery before, from lips even more persuasive than yours; but what avail charms,

the influence of which is so fleeting?"

"The influence will not be fleeting, if you know how to make use of it,”— returned Mrs. Nesbitt.

"Oh, teach me," cried Isabella, "that most valuable of secrets, and take my everlasting blessing with you!"

66

Why, my little novice in the ways of the world, and in the ways of the lords of it," said Mrs. Nesbitt, "can

it be necessary that you should come to me, though I were as wise as Ethan and Heman, and Chalcol or Darda, or even Solomon himself, for what any woman who has been married four months could tell you ?-Is there indeed so little of the female in that dear heart, unhackneyed as it is, as not to tell you the weapons with which you ought to fight such a warfare as this ?"

"I am afraid," said Isabella consciously, "that there may have arisen

some such thoughts as those to which you allude; but I endeavoured to repress them. Would not the weapons be unholy ones?-could I expect a fortunate issue from their use?"

Why not?" said Mrs. Nesbitt. "Will not the end sanctify the means? If you mean no harm, can you do any

"I don't know," said Isabella.

"You don't know!" replied Mrs. Nesbitt. "Why then, my dear, I must tell you, that your boasted education has left you ignorant of the science of life."

"But, my dear madam," said Isabella, "I do not perfectly understand you. What would you have me do?"

"Out-dress, out-shine, out-talk Lady Charlotte," replied Mrs. Nesbitt. "Let Mr. Willoughby see that in the eyes of others you are her superior ; - let him hear you talked of for the ele

gance of the parties you give, — of the charm that you throw over every society into which you enter;-let him see that others can fall in love with you, and he will fall in love too."

"I thought," said Isabella, with great simplicity, "that he had already fallen in love with me."

Nothing like it, my dear," returned Mrs. Nesbitt. "He knew that there was no occasion to be at that trouble; -he negociated with mamma; he did not woo the daughter."

"But he has known me since," said Isabella meekly.

"Yes, my dear," returned Mrs. Nesbitt; "he knows you to be one of those excellently good wives who can see nothing wrong in whatever their husbands do, and therefore do not fear to do whatever they chuse."

"I do not know that Mr. Willoughby does any thing that is wrong,

said Isabella; "and I am quite sure that he does not mean any thing that If he find other people more amusing than I am, that is my fault perhaps, not his."

is so.

"It is your fault, my dear," replied Mrs. Nesbitt, "but it is a fault that you may easily amend.- Mr. Willoughby with all his faults".

"With all his faults!" interrupted Isabella, "I was told before I married that Mr. Willoughby had no faults, and I know not that he has any now; he is indulgence itself, and I have not a complaint to make, except- but I know you will laugh at me- - except that he leaves me too much at liberty to please myself."

"I do, indeed, believe," returned Mrs. Nesbitt," it is a fault of which not another wife in the liberties of London and Westminster would complain except yourself."