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If left to herself, in the present period of her life, Mrs Charlton had certainly not been the friend of her choice The delicacy of her mind, and the refinement of her ideas, had now rendered her fastidious, and she would have looked out for elegancies and talents to which Mrs Charlton had no pretensions: but those who live in the country have little power of selection; confined to a small circle, they must be content hat it offers; and however they may idolize extraordinary ard it as essential to friendship, for in their circumscribed rotation, whatever e

Such had been the situation to which Mrs Charlton and Mrs Harrel owed the friendship of Cecilia Greatly their superior in understanding and intelligence, had the candidates for her favour been more numerous, the election had not fallen upon either of them But she became known to both before discrihtened mind discerned their deficiencies, they had already an interest in her affections, which h sometimes, perhaps, conscious she should not have chosen them from ed them for none

Mrs Harrel, however, too weak for siht, and by the ti but shew and dissipation Cecilia, shocked and surprised, first grieved frory contempt But her fondness for Mrs Charlton had never known abatement, as the kindness which had excited it had never known allay She had loved her first frothened and confirmed by confidential intercourse, was now as sincere and affectionate as if it had originated from sympathetic admiration Her loss, therefore, was felt with the ut anyit, she considered it as irreparable, and mourned it with bitterness

When the first surprize of this cruel stroke was somewhat lessened, she sent an express to Mr Monckton with the news, and entreated to see hied his counsel what step she ought herself to take in consequence of this event Her own house was still unprepared for her; she had of late neglected to hasten the work it It was necessary, however, to change her abode ier in the house of Mrs Charlton, but of her grand-daughters and co- heiresses, each of whom she disliked, and upon neither of whom she had any claim