The select and respectable acquaintance that had before attached themselves to Mrs. De Brooke, began by degrees to drop their visits, and often to her courteous rencontre gave but an ungracious return. Amongst those whose slights were the most apparent and surprising to her were Mr. and Mrs. Blake, with whom coldness, indifference, almost disdain, had assumed the place of that excessive cordiality, attention, and respect which had so lately marked their behaviour towards the family of De Brooke.
To what might a change so sudden be attributed, if not to the unjust obloquy thrown upon this deserving family, arising from the unmerited neglect of them by the Ardens, a circumstance well calculated to fix the observation of the curious, and to provoke the aspersions of censure and envy? It was their unfortunate presentation at Bath, their fastidious disdain, which had blasted the blooming hopes of the delighted parents, anxious for the prosperity of their lovely and beloved children, at the moment when they were anticipating their introduction into those circles of which they were born to be the pride and the ornament.
Not the eldest only could the General have advantageously placed in the bands of matri-
