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He then read aloud from the letter, "Look not like thy unfortunate  mother!" "Sweet soul, with what bitterness of spirit hast thou written!-Come hither, Evelina: Gracious Heaven! (looking earnestly at me) never was likeness more striking!-the eyes-the face-the form-Oh, my child, my child!" Imagine, Sir,-for I can never describe my feelings, when I saw him sink upon his knees before me! "Oh, dear resemblance of thy murdered mother!-Oh, all that remains of the most injured of women! behold thy father at thy feet!-bending thus lowly to implore you would not hate him.-Oh, then, thou representative of my departed wife, speak to me in her name, and say that the remorse which tears my soul tortures me not in vain!"

"Oh, rise, rise, my beloved father," cried I, attempting to assist  him; "I cannot bear to see you thus; reverse not the law of nature; rise yourself, and bless your kneeling daughter!"

"May Heaven bless thee, my child!-"cried he, "for I dare not." He  then rose; and, embracing me most affectionately, added, "I see, I see that thou art all kindness, softness, and tenderness; I need not have feared thee, thou art all the fondest father could wish, and I will try to frame my mind to less painful sensations at thy sight. Perhaps the time may come, when I may know the comfort of such a daughter;-at present I am only fit to be alone: dreadful as are my reflections, they ought merely to torment myself.-Adieu, my child;-be not angry,-I cannot stay with thee;-Oh, Evelina! thy countenance is a dagger to my heart!-just so thy mother looked,-just so-"

Tears and sighs seemed to choak him;-and, waving his hand, he would  have left me;-but, clinging to him, "Oh, Sir," cried I, "will you so soon abandon me?-am I again an orphan!-Oh, my dear, my long-lost father, leave me not, I beseech you! take pity on your child, and rob her not of the parent she so fondly hoped would cherish her!"

"You know not what you ask," cried he; "the emotions which now rend  my soul are more than my reason can endure; suffer me then, to leave you;-impute it not to unkindness, but think of me as well as thou canst. Lord Orville has behaved nobly;-I believe he will make thee happy." Then, again embracing me, "God bless thee, my dear child," cried he, "God bless thee, my Evelina!-endeavour to love,-at least not to hate me,-and to make me an interest in thy filial bosom, by thinking of me as thy father."

I could not speak; I kissed his hands on my knees: and then, with  yet more emotion, he again blessed me, and hurried out of the room,-leaving me almost drowned in tears.

Oh, Sir, all goodness as you are, how much will you feel for your  Evelina, during a scene of such agitation! I pray Heaven to accept the tribute of his remorse, and restore him to tranquillity!

When I was sufficiently composed to return to the parlour, I  found Lord Orville waiting for me with the utmost anxiety:-and then a new scene of emotion, though of a far different nature, awaited me; for I learned by Mr.  Macartney, that this noblest of men had insisted the so-long supposed Miss Belmont should be considered, indeed, as my sister, and as the co-heiress of my father; though not in law, in justice, he says, she ought ever to be treated as the daughter of Sir John Belmont.

Oh! Lord Orville!-it shall be the sole study of my happy life,  to express, better than by words, the sense I have of your exalted benevolence and greatness of mind!

.

EVELINA IN CONTINUATION.  Clifton, Oct. 12th.

THIS morning, early, I received the following  Sir Clement Willoughby:

"To Miss Anville.

"I HAVE this moment received intelligence that preparations           are actually making for your marriage with Lord Orville.

"Imagine not that I write with the imbecile idea of           rendering those         preparations abortive. No, I am not so mad. My sole view is         to explain the motive of my conduct in a particular instance,         and to obviate the accusation of treachery which may be laid         to my charge.

"My unguarded behaviour, when I last saw you, has, probably,           already         acquainted you, that the  then saw you reading was         written by myself. For your further satisfaction, let me have         the honour of informing you, that the  had designed         for Lord Orville, had fallen into my hands.

"However I may have been urged on by a passion the most           violent that         ever warmed the heart of man, I can by no means calmly submit         to be stigmatized for an action seemingly so dishonourable;         and it is for this reason that I trouble you with this         justification.

"Lord Orville,-the happy Orville, whom you are so ready to         bless,-had made me believe he loved you not;-nay, that he         held you in contempt.

"Such were my thoughts of his sentiments of you, when I got         possession of the  meant to send him. I pretend         not to vindicate either the means I used to obtain it, or         the action of breaking the seal; but I was impelled, by an         impetuous curiosity, to discover the terms upon which you         wrote to him.

"The letter, however, was wholly unintelligible to me,           and the         perusal of it only added to my perplexity.