her

its blooming colour fades es upon cheek, its fweetnefs fhall remain within the very foldings of his heart, from recollection of her fense and worth. Happy are the

pairs fo joined; yea, bleffed are they who are thus doubly united !

As the word Friendship is at prefent generally understood to be a term of little import, or at most that extends merely to a preference of liking, or efteem; I would by no means exclude my fair Readers from that kind of commerce which is now accepted under that

title,

title, in fociety. But even this fort of connection requires much caution in the choice of its object; for I should wish it might be reftrained to one; and that one ought to obtain this preference, from the qualities of the heart rather than those of the head. A long and intimate acquaintance can alone discover the former; the latter are eafily and willingly difplayed; for love without esteem is as a fhower, foon spent. The heart is the spring of affections, but the mind is their

refervoir.

G 2

FOR

FOR this reafon, it always appears to me a proof of mutual merit, when two fifters, or two young women, who have been brought up together, are ftrongly attached to each other; and I will admit, that while they remain unmarried, fuch a connection is capable of forming a pure and difinterested friendship, provided that the fympathy of their affections does not tend to make them like or admire the fame male object; for though Love may, Friendship cannot exist with jealoufy.

"Referve will wound it, and diftruft deftroy."

THAT great master of the human heart SHAKESPEARE has fhewn us, that maidenly attachment is no match for the ftronger paffion of love.

"Is all the counfel that we two have fhared,

The fifter vows, the hours that we have

spent,

"

"When we have chid the hafty-footed

time

"For parting us-Ọ! and is all forgot? "All school-days friendship, childhood innocence ?

We, Hermia, like two artificial Gods,"

Created with our needles both one

flower,

"Both

G 3

"Both on one fampler, fitting on one

cufhion,

"Both warbling of one fong, both in one

key;

"As if our hands, our fides, voices, and

minds

"Had been incorp'rate."

Midfummer Night's Dream.

IF fuch an almost instinctive affection as that between Hermia and Helena was fo quickly diffolved by the intruder Love, I fear there are but few female friendships that will better ftand the teft. And to a delicate mind it may appear a breach, perhaps, of those "fifter vows,"

when