The National Register.
London, England, 1820-03-05 00:00:00

SELF-COMMAND,
A TALE.

From Gold and Northouzes London Magazine.,
A young lEaglisliman, whom I shall melt Sir Enslnce,
of au high spirit, and adventurous disposition, during the
period of a short stay in Rime, eat invited to an asJene.
bly at the Doke of T.'a. Amid the matley ;troupe of
which such continental assemblies are usually composed,
it was his fortune to distingnish a young lady of interest-
ing appearances who seemed to lake no share it) the hila-
tity of the meeting The insire of a thee pair of dark
blue eyes ire isdiatlng a countenance where the lily sued the
rose were vying for precileacy, appeared ;initially dim-
med by sorrow, unit gave an exsiession of deep-tooted
au %arty.
Pity for her situation induced the Englishman to pay
her pus tirailar atleistiun ; bat his kind endeavours. Ilion:0i
repaid by an occasional smile, at eitiril of little ;avail, for
as the eveuing advanced, her dejection became 4ratioally
MOIC perceptible, till it o'ei waste' ed the necessity nt
concemlinent, and induced het to leave the room. A stn red
at such misery in one so lovely and sue ) Sir Ellstat'e,
dismissing from his thoughts the etiquette of society, de-
termined, after a short millet vat, to withdraw himself
from the boisterous inerdisitait of the party, and volun-
teer his assistance in alleviating sorrows of the tifilicted
lady. With these benevolent hue onions, lie strolled pen-
sively is beautiful lawn, situated at the back nt the
with the vague hope of meeting Wane one, from
whom he might obtain satisfactory intelligence. The mann
was iii all the pure elnUtilt 'sot's, of an Italian sky,
its he commenced his rauileles; and a few light breezes that
a tempered gently among the surrounding ace:odes, gave a
solemn sadness to the !Vette that affected the depressed spirits
of the Eli rlisleman wills the deepest melanclialy.
lie lard nut proeeeded far when he perceived a female
figure, clad in drag mourning, sin% ly advancing from a
recess to the place where be had stationed himself; her eyes
'sere filled with Warr. and the light of the moon, which shone
full on her face, disclosed the features of the strauger who
trial so much interested his feelings. After a short struggle
be tween her sense of duly, and the urgency of her situation,
she informed Sir Eustace, that she was the daughter of one
of the must Orionis f l.ea in,ltome, mitt had been
affianced at tie early age of s' steels to the military com-
mandant of that city, a ho had been appointed to Ida °Mend
rapacity by the isitlaeoce 4.1 f the republican general of
France. On the restoration of the Boarhois he oesigited
his mainland ; and having rendered himself obnoxious to
the leading characters of Italy, was ordered to depart from
the Papal territories, on pain of perpr tuafimpriunninent.—
His wife, nicantinw, was &queued lit Home by the polish
intrigues of the mother, wh ,with she (Iowa:111.ot the soli- '
in-law, lust all respect far his character, and pity for his
exile. " And thus." eselaimed the lady, " the cruel am-
bition of a parent Mortar ever debarred me the pleasure of
my husband's aociety.ffe is condemned to wander a wretch-
ed outcast from his adopted country, and lam prevented
the satisfaction ofailministering to his wants and :illeviat ing
his sorrows. Generous Englishman !" she continued, turn-
ing on Sir Eustace her tine eyes, streaming aith sensibility,
" by the ties of stature, that tie both hold sacred; by the
common 1 lof society, that binds its to each other, .1
implore, I entreat ysuu to aid ill my escape; My ioreeigele is
already impaired by grief, and if ;MI refirae to emancipate
Inc from this worse than slavery, I a victim to my
sorroa." air Lustace threw himself at her feet, aail sazed
at her with eyes expressive ..f the deepest adneiration ;
" Dearest Lady ," he exclaimed " my houomis homed)) w ard
inviolably pledged to your service—a fruitless appeal was
never vet made to the heart or feelings stun Englishman
Your heedless(' ton."—his voice rendered, as he continued—
' yourtimbanei, Lady, shall-find. that there is yet one friend
left whit knows how to appreciate virtue, and devote him-
self to le:r service."
'They then .111,tily arranged their plan, that the lady
should return to the Duke's the next day at roar o'clock; in
order that Sir Enst ,ce might meet •her wish a carriage and
four stationed at ,a triflaag distance n still the city when they
should pi ueced a itie all possible expedition to Lyons, is here
her husband RC that time was residing.
'The parties 'wean 411 oo gly met, in pursuance of their helms
lion ; and had all admit ably contrived their plan, that i t
proved eminently successful. On the es eri)iig of the third
day they art Meet at Floi race ; 11.1141 4011 catering the market-
place, were astonished at fioding themselves sun trended by
a troop of cavalry, who forcile,y arrested their pi ogress,
and desired tome their passports.
The Englishman hail part expected this appre hen-
Sion ; and aware of the comiacquelieri that micat ensue
if he travelled ait hoot Snell err I ifieate, had taken care in
provide himself a ills n passions originally intended fur
himself and brother, in whose place he had cafe-fully
'substituted the name of Laura S. a hich was lite appel,ii.
lion of his travelling companion. Alter a careful esami-
station of the testimnui.sls, the fugitives carte wires e to
proceed; but dreading a discovery (for the 'light of the
lady must by this time have been generally ear libeled
1111-.1%111(0111e), they deb maim el 50 Journey 1111411101 the
131041 I.lllfrelplesiteil 1,4411,44 e of the A pcliviimes, %bleb,
1,101101 repitlewitli 1144,4141, %veil' 4.41 them leuta appiehen-
tioll wrest. But they toile imagined Cie dancer and
delay of such proCes slings. The time. i.bich HCCllliiii-
lated 111 lieilv) 111..... es nit the sllnumals of the precipices,
and roll. d dower their bat sen stars with the viuleuee of
avalauches, greatly retarded their tourney ; kW' C 01114.114-
•ly during the melte they Maid the lit lii•ile of the
basiditti eni pile 't icnf hit pass, 4nd lb. 100441 of wolves
echoing bum the mate distant gnat is of the mama
Rios.
On such occasions, when the postillinas were unable to
• find shelter for the night, they simile' muse sloes ly onwards
in a moms ntary expectation of betag da,lied headlong