OR,

VARIETIES OF CHARACTER AND OPINION.

BY THE AUTHOR OF "GERALDINE," &c. &c.

All pages of human life are worth reading; the wise instruct, the
gay divert us, the imprudent teach us what to shun, the absurd cure
the spleen."
MRS. MONTAGUE.
There is much to be said on both sides, observed Mr. Equipoise."

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

NEW-YORK:

PRINTED BY J. & J. HARPER, 82 CLIFF STREET.

Sold by Collins and Hannay, Collins and Co., G. and C. and H. Carvill, O. A. Roor
bach, E. Bliss, W. B. Gilley, A. T. Goodrich, C. S. Francis, White, Gallaher, and
White, W. Burgess, Jr., and N. B. Holmes;-Albany, O. Steele, and Weare C.
Little-Philadelphia, Carey, Lea, and Carey, and J. Grigg.

PRIVATE LIFE.

CHAPTER I.

"Proteus did not take so many shapes to escape questions as vanity does to provoke admiration.”

"If vanity does not overturn the virtues, it certainly makes them totter." ROCHEFOUCAULT.

"LES passions les plus vifs nous laissent quelque fois de relache, mais la vanité nous agite toujours."

"Is not that axiom a libel upon human nature, my dear mother?" exclaimed Constance Grenville, indignantly throwing aside the book she was reading.

"Why there are cases," returned Mrs. Grenville, with a smile, "in which truth is considered a libel: perhaps this may be one of them."

"Truth! Oh, my dear mother, think it over once more. La vanité nous agite toujours'-toujoursonly weigh that word."

"I acknowledge it to be a comprehensive one indeed," said Mrs. Grenville," and it may require a little qualification; but Rouchefoucault, at any rate, is so near the truth, that you must forgive me for not sympathizing in your indignation."

"I do not envy him his knowledge of human nature, then," replied Constance with energy. "Rather let me for ever enjoy the bliss, or incur the disgrace of ignorance, than learn to refer every thought, word, action, and feeling to a motive so paltry, so little, so contemptible as vanity,"

*