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my own; if I know my own heart, this idea sprung not from vanity, but love; it was however erroneous; and severely, oh! Heaven only knows how severely, have I been punished for ever entertaining it.

"When I quitted you to visit the convent of St. Sebastiano, it was my fixed purpose never to return; you shall at least be freed from the sight of a being, who I am convinced is odious to you : I shall be henceforth dead to the world, for to the gloomy duties of a monastic life will I devote my future days; make what use of my doing so you please; a rumour of my death will never be contradicted; and should you lead to the altar another and a happier bride, never shall her felicity be disturbed by the unfortunate Corinna.

"You will, I know, think more highly of this sacrifice than it merits. Believe, me Fernando, in the solitude of a cloister,. I shall be less miserable than in your splendid palace; I shall at least

have the comfort, in parting with you for ever, to reflect that you must at last be sensible how much, how tenderly you were beloved; I shall also know that the future happiness of your life will be my gift; and that the sacrifice which I have proved myself capable of making will entitle me to your gratitude; and oh may that sacrifice be the means of bestowing upon you that felicity which Is for ever lost to

"CORINNA."

"Generous, but extraordinary woman (cried Alberto, returning the letter), but proceed, father."

"You may suppose, my son (continued the friar), how much this letter astonished me. I lost no time in endeavouring to discover the retreat of Corinna, but in vain; all that I could learn was, that she had privately quitted the convent of St. Sebastiano; but whither she had bent her steps, none knew. I returned to Rome, and sought to lose the remembrance both of Corinna and

Lauretta in business, but in vain. The causes of disgust, which I had received, had ceased, but the reign of ambition was over, and its illusive splendours could not restore peace to my heart.

"I had given out that my wife was no more, but I was not yet wicked enough to think, without a pang, of giving my hand to another. The torments of my mind at length impaired my health, and by the advice of my physician, I returned to my villa.

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"I will not, my son, repeat to you the false and sophistical arguments which I used to persuade myself that my wife had herself exonerated me from the nuptial vow. I forgot, or rather I endeavoured to forget, that no human power can sunder those whom Heaven has joined; in short, I determined to espouse Lauretta.

"My honourable proposals were received with equal modesty and gratitude. Lauretta became mine, and now said I to myself, at last I am happy. I ac

knowledge the truth of that reproving glance, my son, I was indeed mistaken. Oh! who was ever otherwise, that thought happiness compatible with guilt.

"In one year after our marriage, Laus retta brought me a son, and the following year another; doatingly fond of my wife and children. I looked forward to those honours for my boys, which I despised for myself, but Heaven had decreed otherwise; both my children died within one month of each other.

"Lauretta yet remained, and in endeavouring to console her, I lost a part of my own affliction. Time in some degree calmed our sorrows, and for five years after the death of my children, I might, but for the visitations of conscience, have been happy.

"In the fifth year, I lost Lauretta, that being whom I adored, and for

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whose sake I had plunged into criines, was suddenly snatched from me, without indisposition: one hour,

any previous indisposition

saw her blooming in health and beauty, the next beheld her a lifeless corpse."

The friar's voice faultered, and his eyes filled with tears. After a few mo ments pause, he continued-"This event plunged me into affliction, but it produced a salutary effect upon my mind. I reviewed my conduct, and I acknowledged the justice of that un-' erring arm which tore from me the object of my sinful passion. The world now became hateful to me; I resigned my estates to my nearest of kin, and assumed the monastic habit.

"Slowly did peace again revisit my troubled soul; but penitence and prayer have at length, I trust, atoned for my sins; and I look forward in the humble hope of pardon. Some years after I had assumed the cowl, the confessor of a neighbouring convent being ill, I was sent for to supply his place among the penitents, who poured forth the secrets of their hearts at the foot of the confessional; one well-remembered voice

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