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threatening the old gentleman； forced the latter to send
them to school。
Meanwhile； as we have said； whatever individual
differences there might be between them all； Miss Crawley's
dear nephews and nieces were unanimous in loving her
and sending her tokens of affection。 Thus Mrs。 Bute sent
guinea…fowls； and some remarkably fine cauliflowers； and
a pretty purse or pincushion worked by her darling girls；
who begged to keep a LITTLE place in the recollection of
their dear aunt； while Mr。 Pitt sent peaches and grapes
and venison from the Hall。 The Southampton coach used
to carry these tokens of affection to Miss Crawley at
Brighton： it used sometimes to convey Mr。 Pitt thither
too： for his differences with Sir Pitt caused Mr。 Crawley
to absent himself a good deal from home now： and
besides； he had an attraction at Brighton in the person of
the Lady Jane Sheepshanks； whose engagement to Mr。
Crawley has been formerly mentioned in this history。
Her Ladyship and her sisters lived at Brighton with their
mamma； the Countess Southdown； that strong…minded
woman so favourably known in the serious world。
A few words ought to be said regarding her Ladyship
and her noble family； who are bound by ties of present
and future relationship to the house of Crawley。
Respecting the chief of the Southdown family； Clement
William； fourth Earl of Southdown； little need be told；
except that his Lordship came into Parliament （as Lord
Wolsey） under the auspices of Mr。 Wilberforce； and for
a time was a credit to his political sponsor； and decidedly
a serious young man。 But words cannot describe the
feelings of his admirable mother； when she learned； very
shortly after her noble husband's demise； that her son
was a member of several worldly clubs； had lost largely
at play at Wattier's and the Cocoa Tree； that he had
raised money on post…obits； and encumbered the family
estate； that he drove four…in…hand； and patronised the
ring； and that he actually had an opera…box； where he
entertained the most dangerous bachelor company。 His
name was only mentioned with groans in the dowager's
circle。
The Lady Emily was her brother's senior by many
years； and took considerable rank in the serious world as
author of some of the delightful tracts before mentioned；
and of many hymns and spiritual pieces。 A mature
spinster； and having but faint ideas of marriage； her love for
the blacks occupied almost all her feelings。 It is to her； I
believe； we owe that beautiful poem
Lead us to some sunny isle；
Yonder in the western deep；
Where the skies for ever smile；
And the blacks for ever weep； &c。
She had correspondences with clerical gentlemen in
most of our East and West India possessions； and was
secretly attached to the Reverend Silas Hornblower； who
was tattooed in the South Sea Islands。
As for the Lady Jane； on whom； as it has been said； Mr。
Pitt Crawley's affection had been placed； she was gentle；
blushing； silent； and timid。 In spite of his falling away；
she wept for her brother； and was quite ashamed of
loving him still。 Even yet she used to send him little hurried
smuggled notes； and pop them into the post in private。
The one dreadful secret which weighed upon her life was；
that she and the old housekeeper had been to pay
Southdown a furtive visit at his chambers in the Albany； and
found himO the naughty dear abandoned wretch！
smoking a cigar with a bottle of Curacao before him。 She
admired her sister； she adored her mother； she thought
Mr。 Crawley the most delightful and accomplished of
men； after Southdown； that fallen angel： and her mamma
and sister； who were ladies of the most superior sort；
managed everything for her； and regarded her with that
amiable pity； of which your really superior woman always
has such a share to give away。 Her mamma ordered her
dresses； her books； her bonnets； and her ideas for her。
She was made to take pony…riding； or piano…exercise； or
any other sort of bodily medicament； according as my
Lady Southdown saw meet； and her ladyship would have
kept her daughter in pinafores up to her present age of
six…and…twenty； but that they were thrown off when Lady
Jane was presented to Queen Charlotte。
When these ladies first came to their house at Brighton；
it was to them alone that Mr。 Crawley paid his personal
visits； contenting himself by leaving a card at his aunt's
house； and making a modest inquiry of Mr。 Bowls or his
assistant footman； with respect to the health of the
invalid。 When he met Miss Briggs coming home from the
library with a cargo of novels under her arm； Mr。 Crawley
blushed in a manner quite unusual to him； as he
stepped forward and shook Miss Crawley's companion by
the hand。 He introduced Miss Briggs to the lady with
whom he happened to be walking； the Lady Jane
Sheepshanks； saying； 〃Lady Jane； permit me to introduce to
you my aunt's kindest friend and most affectionate
companion； Miss Briggs； whom you know under another title；
as authoress of the delightful 'Lyrics of the Heart；' of
which you are so fond。〃 Lady Jane blushed too as she
held out a kind little hand to Miss Briggs； and said
something very civil and incoherent about mamma； and
proposing to call on Miss Crawley； and being glad to be
made known to the friends and relatives of Mr。 Crawley；
and with soft dove…like eyes saluted Miss Briggs as
they separated； while Pitt Crawley treated her to a
profound courtly bow； such as he had used to H。H。 the
Duchess of Pumpernickel； when he was attache at that court。
The artful diplomatist and disciple of the Machiavellian
Binkie！ It was he who had given Lady Jane that copy of
poor Briggs's early poems； which he remembered to have
seen at Queen's Crawley； with a dedication from the
poetess to his father's late wife； and he brought the
volume with him to Brighton； reading it in the Southampton
coach and marking it with his own pencil； before he
presented it to the gentle Lady Jane。
It was he； too； who laid before Lady Southdown the
great advantages which might occur from an intimacy
between her family and Miss Crawleyadvantages both
worldly and spiritual； he said： for Miss Crawley was now
quite alone； the monstrous dissipation and alliance of his
brother Rawdon had estranged her affections from that
reprobate young man； the greedy tyranny and avarice of
Mrs。 Bute Crawley had caused the old lady to revolt
against the exorbitant pretensions of that part of the
family； and though he himself had held off all his life from
cultivating Miss Crawley's friendship； with perhaps an
improper pride； he thought now that every becoming
means should be taken； both to save her soul from
perdition； and to secure her fortune to himself as the head of
the house of Crawley。
The strong…minded Lady Southdown quite agreed in
both proposals of her son…in…law； and was for converting
Miss Crawley off…hand。 At her own home； both at
Southdown and at Trottermore Castle； this tall and awful
missionary of the truth rode about the country in her
barouche with outriders； launched packets of tracts among
the cottagers and tenants； and would order Gaffer Jones
to be converted； as she would order Goody Hicks to take
a James's