Part 46 (1/2)

The beauty and mildness of the present season, the copious showers, that caused the earth to abound with teeming verdure; all of which drew the contemplative genius insensibly to consider the benevolent purposes, for which all these varieties are called forth in such abundance, to excite the grat.i.tude of man, and furnish a perpetual source of pleasure and delight. ”And can we,” said Alida, ”who are conscious of deriving our existence from a Being of such infinite goodness and power, properly entertain other prospects than those of happiness, when we experience so many blessings daily, to excite our thankfulness.”

[_NY Weekly_: Contemplation:

.... To consider the benevolent purposes for which he called forth this variety and mult.i.tude of being, that comes under our cognizance, must be a perpetual source of comfort. A rational creature, that is conscious of deriving its existence from a being of infinite goodness and power, cannot properly entertain any prospect but of happiness.]

Mr. More expatiated on the pleasure there must be in pa.s.sing a tranquil life with a beloved object, turning his insidious eyes towards Alida as he spoke; he seemed to say, that she was the being, with whom he could be able to realize all the exalted ideas he entertained of such a life; and to point out beauties, and furnish amus.e.m.e.nt, to a refined taste like hers, would be to him one of the highest pleasures he could possibly experience. When he declared to her his esteem and affection, with his native sincerity, he seemed to be convinced, at the same time, that she was favourably disposed towards him.

[_Children of the Abbey_:

to point out beauties to a refined and cultivated taste like hers would be to him the greatest pleasure he could possibly experience.

Seated sometimes on the brow of a shrubby hill, as they viewed the scattered hamlets beneath, he would expatiate on the pleasure he conceived there must be in pa.s.sing a tranquil life with one lovely and beloved object: his insidious eyes, turned towards Amanda, at these minutes seemed to say, she was the being who could realize all the ideas he entertained of such a life....]

On the contrary, she was evidently much embarra.s.sed at this declaration.

She remained silent, and looked upon him with a degree of pity mingled with regret; then casting down her eyes, she appeared greatly confused.

She could not make any returns in his favour, and the amiable Alida felt extremely sorry to give pain or uneasiness to the friend and school companion of an only brother. She had received him with complacency on that account, which had served to increase his ill-fated partiality. She felt that she could not give one word of encouragement, yet she did not wish to drive him to despair.

[_NY Weekly_: The Fatal Mistake:

.... That amiable Almena received me with the sweetest complacency, as the friend of her brother.... Edward's penetration soon discovered the ill hid partiality....

.... neither should she wish to throw me into despair....]

The band of music now began to play in the garden. They commenced with the celebrated air of the Star-Spangled Banner, and continued playing different pieces for the s.p.a.ce of several hours.

As soon as the music ceased, they left the garden to return home, and all the people now apparently thronged out of the gates with as much avidity as they had entered them some hours before. When they arrived at the dwelling of Alida, they found that the time had whiled away, and that the evening had progressed to a late hour.

On his way home the mind of Mr. More was absorbed in the following reflections. ”When I told her my affection, the blush was diffused over her cheek--and the tear of sensibility started in her eye. She evinced her regard by silent expressions, which she has shown repeatedly in many proofs of interested friends.h.i.+p, accompanied by the softness of her winning manners, and the engaging mildness of her disposition. Bonville is her declared admirer--but he may not be a favoured one. Should he meet with her approbation at any future time, would not his own fate be wretched, and the universe would become a blank deprived of the society of Alida, shaded over with the deepest tints of darkness and melancholy.”

CHAPTER XXIII.

O let me view, in annual succession, my children, friends, and relatives. Those that in friends.h.i.+p's bonds are linked together by ties of dear remembrance.

The scene was highly animated, and the days were delightfully pleasant, when Alida returned with her parents to the country. The showers of April had cleared the atmosphere and revived the earth with a lively gaiety. The ice in the bay and river had melted away, and the steamboat had again began its course. The rumbling water-fall was again heard at the mill, the pensive stream stole its way through the forest, reflecting from its lucid bosom the light cloud which dwelt in the air--floating on the gentlest zephyrs. The hills and mountains teemed with verdure, and the serpentine valleys were shaded by a friendly foliage. All nature flourished, grew, and expanded, calling forth e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.ns of grat.i.tude and piety, and boldly declaring that a celestial Being overshadows us with his providence.

[_Alida_ page 131 (chapter XVI):

while the gentle murmuring of the water-fall at the mill, with its rumbling cadence over the dam, was heard at a little distance.]

As soon as the family were settled in the country, the parents of Alida made preparation to call the children together in commemoration of their father's birthday. When the time arrived for the celebration of this festive scene, the morning arose with every beauty that could bid fair for a cheerful day, and the company a.s.sembled at an early hour. Bonville was among those who arrived from the village. He appeared in excellent spirits, as if some new thought had entered his mind, which had given him new hopes of success. He informed Alida, in the course of the afternoon, that he had received intimation from a friend in England, that Theodore was now living in London. After hazarding many conjectures respecting him, he then ventured to add that he hoped he had not met there any new object, to cause him to become forgetful of former friends.

[The Story of an Unfortunate Young Lady (in _The Lady's Miscellany_, 1811):

The morning of my unhappy existence arose with every beauty that could bid fair for a cheerful day.]

Displeasure was manifest in the countenance of Alida, at this suspicion, although she feared it might be true. Theodore had promised to be faithful in a correspondence, and he certainly might have found opportunities, since the happy change of affairs in the country, to make some communications to his friends, if he had been so disposed. Again she thought, as they had been separated by parental authority, that it might have its influence to cause him to become altogether forgetful; and her spirits now sunk under the idea of Theodore's inconstancy.