Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-01-05


tance-Gabriella.'
1t is just about three years since We
first net. l remember it well, for. even
then it was 10 me a circumstance of i'm
portance. / was introduced to her in q
private concert room, just as her car
riage was announced; she had been
standing near the door way, and / was
the last person she bowed to as she left
the room. l remembered it was neal the
end Of the season. She was the fashion
in London, but l had never admired her.
| had heard her talked of as beautiful,
but had never thought her SO. She
was striking, but it was an air of fashion
more han either beauty or grace in her
appearance. | liked her reception of
me; l had always allowed her to be a
fine woman, and found something ex-
tremely agreeable in her countenance
when she spoke, and extreme good ma
ture in hergeneraI manner. She rather
interested me than otherwise, though she
had only just stayed to receive my bow
and observe TO me that she was going
as she went out.
HShe had quilted town for the country
before / could see her again, and not
long after | followed her thither. l for
get now who It was that invited me. |
think it was some connexion of the fam
lily, whose employment it was to furnish
the table with guests, and The guests with
society. GabrieIla's husband was Of a
rude description Of men; he was seldom
10 be seen in the house but at dinner,
and at dinner he liked to have plenty Of
people to talk to, and to listen TO him.
Ii this could be called society, at table
they had his society, but otherwise these
general chance kind of guests were but
little attended to. | should scarcely have
avaIled myself, however, Of this manner
of admittance TO hospitality, had l not
been rather forced into calling on them
on my accidentally meeting some of the
party in the neighborhood.
Agatha said, I'll scarcely know why
l repeat these details, for it is uneasy
for me to recall the memory of our first
acquaintance!
IF you had known her you woulc
have pardoned the madness of my love
had you known Gabrielle, you would
have wept for the cruelty of her caprice!
Her spirit of coquctry was indeed un-
tanned, untameable. She pursued her
victim with unwearied skill; flung with
captivating ingenuity her whole heart in
to his service; wound her graceful tolls
around his existence, and urged on with
irresistible ambition. How l tried to
leave her, how l tried to escape from
the influence other destinations, it seems
of little purpose now to tell. l did NOT
leave her, and Gabriella's smiles return
ed She could weep too, and at times
have seen a starting tear bedew her
cheek. But why should l instruct you
in all the arts and all the expedients of
her most rcprehensib!e c%oquetry; it was
as restless as extravagant. She had prob
ably never loved her husband, and esteem
was what she could bestow on none.-
She was incapable of friendship; her
heart had been framed to sentiments; she
had no steadincss in her nature to perse-
we're in her affections. Her husband was
little calculated 10 excite either, and to
Gabrielle he was particularly unsuited.
They seldom met, but no appearance Of
unharmony subsisted between them
| have known her consult him on a mat
ter of duty, and him leave to her the
choice of the inscriptions on his dog-col-
lars. He never interfered with her, but
he was sometimes glad TO have her look
well when she sat at the head Of his Ia
bic.
'Her appearance had never been the
lure which attracted me; and her appear
NICE was then, in my opinion, by, much
her least qualification. Yet she possess
ed 4 large share of the essentials which
constitute beauty: her outline o. feature
was good, and her complexion Must once
have been brilliant. At times it was still
beautiful, for Gabrielle was no longer
quite what is called a very young wo-
man when | knew her.
'She had the address to turn this want
of admiration to her person on my part,
into absolute attraction. Her charm
consisted in her undertaking amiabiliiy
of manner; in her apparent forbearance
Of dispositions; in her constant propriety
Of temper; in her implicit obedience to
the caprices Of her admirer, and her
seeming readiness Of obedience 10 any
exertion Of authority, from the man whom
she had received as a husband. i love to
dwell on this part Of her character; l
would cling to the thought that she might
once have deserved better; that she was
not all that she appeared to me when we
last met and parted-a heart!ess, prac-
tIsed, unblushing, and unprincipled CO.
qdette!