love and freindship-第13部分

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I　am　now　going　to　intrust　you　my　dear　Charlotte　with　a　secret　which　has　long　disturbed　the　tranquility　of　my　days；　and　which　is　of　a　kind　to　require　the　most　inviolable　Secrecy　from　you。　　Last　Monday　se'night　Matilda　and　I　accompanied　Lady　Lesley　to　a　Rout　at　the　Honourable　Mrs　Kickabout's；　we　were　escorted　by　Mr　Fitzgerald　who　is　a　very　amiable　young　Man　in　the　main；　tho'　perhaps　a　little　singular　in　his　TasteHe　is　in　love　with　Matilda。　　We　had　scarcely　paid　our　Compliments　to　the　Lady　of　the　House　and　curtseyed　to　half　a　score　different　people　when　my　Attention　was　attracted　by　the　appearance　of　a　Young　Man　the　most　lovely　of　his　Sex；　who　at　that　moment　entered　the　Room　with　another　Gentleman　and　Lady。　　From　the　first　moment　I　beheld　him；　I　was　certain　that　on　him　depended　the　future　Happiness　of　my　Life。　　Imagine　my　surprise　when　he　was　introduced　to　me　by　the　name　of　ClevelandI　instantly　recognised　him　as　the　Brother　of　Mrs　Marlowe；　and　the　acquaintance　of　my　Charlotte　at　Bristol。　　Mr　and　Mrs　M。　were　the　gentleman　and　Lady　who　accompanied　him。　　（You　do　not　think　Mrs　Marlowe　handsome？）　　The　elegant　address　of　Mr　Cleveland；　his　polished　Manners　and　Delightful　Bow；　at　once　confirmed　my　attachment。　　He　did　not　speak；　but　I　can　imagine　everything　he　would　have　said；　had　he　opened　his　Mouth。　　I　can　picture　to　myself　the　cultivated　Understanding；　the　Noble　sentiments；　and　elegant　Language　which　would　have　shone　so　conspicuous　in　the　conversation　of　Mr　Cleveland。　　The　approach　of　Sir　James　Gower　（one　of　my　too　numerous　admirers）　prevented　the　Discovery　of　any　such　Powers；　by　putting　an　end　to　a　Conversation　we　had　never　commenced；　and　by　attracting　my　attention　to　himself。　　But　oh！　how　inferior　are　the　accomplishments　of　Sir　James　to　those　of　his　so　greatly　envied　Rival！　Sir　James　is　one　of　the　most　frequent　of　our　Visitors；　and　is　almost　always　of　our　Parties。　　We　have　since　often　met　Mr　and　Mrs　Marlowe　but　no　Clevelandhe　is　always　engaged　some　where　else。　　Mrs　Marlowe　fatigues　me　to　Death　every　time　I　see　her　by　her　tiresome　Conversations　about　you　and　Eloisa。　　She　is　so　stupid！　　I　live　in　the　hope　of　seeing　her　irrisistable　Brother　to　night；　as　we　are　going　to　Lady　Flambeaus；　who　is　I　know　intimate　with　the　Marlowes。　　Our　party　will　be　Lady　Lesley；　Matilda；　Fitzgerald；　Sir　James　Gower；　and　myself。　　We　see　little　of　Sir　George；　who　is　almost　always　at　the　gaming…table。　　Ah！　my　poor　Fortune　where　art　thou　by　this　time？　We　see　more　of　Lady　L。　who　always　makes　her　appearance　（highly　rouged）　at　Dinner…time。　　Alas！　what　Delightful　Jewels　will　she　be　decked　in　this　evening　at　Lady　Flambeau's！　Yet　I　wonder　how　she　can　herself　delight　in　wearing　them；　surely　she　must　be　sensible　of　the　ridiculous　impropriety　of　loading　her　little　diminutive　figure　with　such　superfluous　ornaments；　is　it　possible　that　she　can　not　know　how　greatly　superior　an　elegant　simplicity　is　to　the　most　studied　apparel？　　Would　she　but　Present　them　to　Matilda　and　me；　how　greatly　should　we　be　obliged　to　her；　How　becoming　would　Diamonds　be　on　our　fine　majestic　figures！　　And　how　surprising　it　is　that　such　an　Idea　should　never　have　occurred　to　HER。　　I　am　sure　if　I　have　reflected　in　this　manner　once；　I　have　fifty　times。　　Whenever　I　see　Lady　Lesley　dressed　in　them　such　reflections　immediately　come　across　me。　　My　own　Mother's　Jewels　too！　　　But　I　will　say　no　more　on　so　melancholy　a　subject　let　me　entertain　you　with　something　more　pleasingMatilda　had　a　letter　this　morning　from　Lesley；　by　which　we　have　the　pleasure　of　finding　that　he　is　at　Naples　has　turned　Roman…Catholic；　obtained　one　of　the　Pope's　Bulls　for　annulling　his　1st　Marriage　and　has　since　actually　married　a　Neapolitan　Lady　of　great　Rank　and　Fortune。　　He　tells　us　moreover　that　much　the　same　sort　of　affair　has　befallen　his　first　wife　the　worthless　Louisa　who　is　likewise　at　Naples　had　turned　Roman…catholic；　and　is　soon　to　be　married　to　a　Neapolitan　Nobleman　of　great　and　Distinguished　merit。　　He　says；　that　they　are　at　present　very　good　Freinds；　have　quite　forgiven　all　past　errors　and　intend　in　future　to　be　very　good　Neighbours。　　He　invites　Matilda　and　me　to　pay　him　a　visit　to　Italy　and　to　bring　him　his　little　Louisa　whom　both　her　Mother；　Step…mother；　and　himself　are　equally　desirous　of　beholding。　　As　to　our　accepting　his　invitation；　it　is　at　Present　very　uncertain；　Lady　Lesley　advises　us　to　go　without　loss　of　time；　Fitzgerald　offers　to　escort　us　there；　but　Matilda　has　some　doubts　of　the　Propriety　of　such　a　schemeshe　owns　it　would　be　very　agreable。　I　am　certain　she　likes　the　Fellow。　　My　Father　desires　us　not　to　be　in　a　hurry；　as　perhaps　if　we　wait　a　few　months　both　he　and　Lady　Lesley　will　do　themselves　the　pleasure　of　attending　us。　Lady　Lesley　says　no；　that　nothing　will　ever　tempt　her　to　forego　the　Amusements　of　Brighthelmstone　for　a　Journey　to　Italy　merely　to　see　our　Brother。　　〃No　（says　the　disagreable　Woman）　I　have　once　in　my　life　been　fool　enough　to　travel　I　dont　know　how　many　hundred　Miles　to　see　two　of　the　Family；　and　I　found　it　did　not　answer；　so　Deuce　take　me；　if　ever　I　am　so　foolish　again。〃So　says　her　Ladyship；　but　Sir　George　still　Perseveres　in　saying　that　perhaps　in　a　month　or　two；　they　may　accompany　us。　Adeiu　my　Dear　Charlotte　Yrs　faithful　Margaret　Lesley。


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THE　HISTORY　OF　ENGLAND

FROM　THE　REIGN　OF　HENRY　THE　4TH　TO　THE　DEATH　OF　CHARLES　THE　1ST

BY　A　PARTIAL；　PREJUDICED；　AND　IGNORANT　HISTORIAN。

*

To　Miss　Austen；　eldest　daughter　of　the　Rev。　George　Austen；　this　work　is　inscribed　with　all　due　respect　by　THE　AUTHOR。


N。B。　There　will　be　very　few　Dates　in　this　History。



THE　HISTORY　OF　ENGLAND


HENRY　the　4th

Henry　the　4th　ascended　the　throne　of　England　much　to　his　own　satisfaction　in　the　year　1399；　after　having　prevailed　on　his　cousin　and　predecessor　Richard　the　2nd；　to　resign　it　to　him；　and　to　retire　for　the　rest　of　his　life　to　Pomfret　Castle；　where　he　happened　to　be　murdered。　It　is　to　be　supposed　that　Henry　was　married；　since　he　had　certainly　four　sons；　but　it　is　not　in　my　power　to　inform　the　Reader　who　was　his　wife。　Be　this　as　it　may；　he　did　not　live　for　ever；　but　falling　ill；　his　son　the　Prince　of　Wales　came　and　took　away　the　crown；　whereupon　the　King　made　a　long　speech；　for　which　I　must　refer　the　Reader　to　Shakespear's　Plays；　and　the　Prince　made　a　still　longer。　　Things　being　thus　settled　between　them　the　King　died；　and　was　succeeded　by　his　son　Henry　who　had　previously　beat　Sir　William　Gascoigne。


HENRY　the　5th

This　Prince　after　he　succeeded　to　the　throne　grew　quite　reformed　and　amiable；　forsaking　all　his　dissipated　companions；　and　never　thrashing　Sir　William　again。　　During　his　reign；　Lord　Cobham　was　burnt　alive；　but　I　forget　what　for。　　His　Majesty　then　turned　his　thoughts　to　France；　where　he　went　and　fought　the　famous　Battle　of　Agincourt。　　He　afterwards　married　the　King's　daughter　Catherine；　a　very　agreable　woman　by　Shakespear's　account。　　In　spite　of　all　this　however　he　died；　and　was　succeeded　by　his　son　Henry。


HENRY　the　6th

I　cannot　say　much　for　this　Monarch's　sense。　　Nor　would　I　if　I　could；　for　he　was　a　Lancastrian。　　I　suppose　you　know　all　about　the　Wars　between　him　and　the　Duke　of　York　who　was　of　the　right　side；　if　you　do　not；　you　had　better　read　some　other　History；　for　I　shall　not　be　very　diffuse　in　this；　meaning　by　it　only　to　vent　my　spleen　AGAINST；　and　shew　my　Hatred　TO　all　those　people　whose　parties　or　principles　do　not　suit　with　mine；　and　not　to　give　information。　　This　King　married　Margaret　of　Anjou；　a　Woman　whose　distresses　and　misfortunes　were　so　great　as　almost　to　make　me　who　hate　her；　pity　her。　　It　was　in　this　reign　that　Joan　of　Arc　lived　and　made　such　a　ROW　among　the　English。　　They　should　not　have　burnt　her　but　they　did。　　There　were　several　Battles　between　the　Yorkists　and　Lancastrians；　in　which　the　former　（as　they　ought）　usually　conquered。　　At　length　they　were　entirely　overcome；　The　King　was　murderedThe　Queen　was　sent　homeand　Edward　the　4th　ascended　the　Throne。


EDWARD　the　4th

This　Monarch　was　famous　only　for　his　Beauty　and　his　Courage；　of　which　the　Picture　we　have　here　given　of　him；　and　his　undaunted　Behaviour　in　marrying　one　Woman　while　he　was　engaged　to　another；　are　sufficient　proofs。　　His　Wife　was　Elizabeth　Woodville；　a　Widow　who；　poor　Woman！　　was　afterwards　confined　in　a　Convent　by　that　Monster　of　Iniquity　and　Avarice　Henry　the　7th。　　One　of　Edward's　Mistresses　was　Jane　Shore；　who　has　had　a　play　written　about　her；　but　it　is　a　tragedy　and　therefore　not　worth　reading。　　Having　performed　all　these　noble　actions；　his　Majesty　died；　and　was　succeeded　by　his　son。


EDWARD　the　5th

This　unfortunate　Prince　lived　so　little　a　while　that　nobody　had　him　to　draw　his　picture。　　He　was　murdered　by　his　Uncle's　Contrivance；　whose　name　was　Richard　the　3rd。


RICHARD　the　3rd

The　Character　of　this　Prince　has　been　in　general　very　severely　treated　by　Historians；　but　as　he　was　a　YORK；　I　am　rather　inclined　to　suppose　him　a　very　respectable　Man。　　It　has　indeed　been　confidently　asserted　that　he　killed　his　two　Nephews　and　his　Wife；　but　it　has　also　been　declared　that　he　did　not　kill　his　two　Nephews；　which　I　am　inclined　to　beleive　true；　and　if　this　is　the　case；　it　may　also　be　affirmed　that　he　did　not　kill　his　Wife；　for　if　Perkin　Warbeck　was　really　the　Duke　of　York；　wh