sell their daughters to the wealthy, || opposite house or from the street, to

send her a billet-doux, though he may never have spoken to her in his life; and it is as common for the lady to return an answer, either favourable or otherwise, but in general a promise of marriage is the condition on which she appoints interviews. How many fathers and mo

daughters to read and write, as the forming of clandestine connections is thereby facilitated! With Argus-eyes the mother watches her daughters, when she drives them before her af ter mass like a row of organ-pipes, for the youngest always goes first, and the rest, be they ever so nume

and concern themselves very little about the other qualities of a son-inlaw: a previous acquaintance of the parties is totally out of the question. It appears that this practice has long existed in Portugal; for the Portuguese legislature has taken it into consideration, and confined the authority of parents within the narrow-thers repent having taught their est limits. If a suitor solicits the hand of a young lady, and the parents refuse their consent, the lover, provided that he has arranged matters with his mistress, may obtain the assistance of justice to remove her from the house; he then places her in a convent, or with some female of his acquaintance, produces evidencerous, follow in rotation singly, never before the court that he is able to maintain her, and the church dares not withhold the nuptial benediction, whether the father assent to it or not. I have seen many such instances, and experience teaches that these marriages are in general happier than || those which are contracted by pa

rents.

walking two together. While they pick their way with incredible skill, in silk stockings and shoes, through the mud in the streets, and, with downcast looks, seem wholly estranged from earthly thoughts, the young hypocrites will contrive to conceal in their bosoms, or perhaps in their handkerchiefs, the billets, which, in spite of all their mother's vigilance, their inamoratos find means to slip into their hands. Though far from

females on the score of these secret connections, still I cannot help admitting, on the other hand, that they have frequently no alternative, if they would not remain all their lives under the paternal roof. Even in company they have no opportunity whatever of conversing with persons of the other sex; for their mothers escort them wherever they go.

When the sex is treated in such a despotic, mistrustful, and degrading manner as here, it is no wonder that it should seek opportunities of reta-attempting to justify the Portuguese liation. While the Portuguese husband scarcely knows conjugal fidelity even by name, his wife makes not the least scruple to risk her reputation, Young females, often by way of pastime, and often too in hopes of being released from parental authority, ogle every man they see, and return the salutations of perfect strangers, totally regardless of the opinion of their neighbours. The language of the hands supplies the place of words. It is quite customary here for a man who has thus exchanged amorous glances with a female, either from an

Foreigners are not in ill repute, with the fair sex at Lisbon; but the Portuguese seldom afford them access to their houses: indeed hospitality is not one of their virtues. The

term estrangeiro-foreigner-is fre- || fewer opportunities they have of apquently used in a somewhat contemp-pearing in public. It is inconceiva➡ tuous signification, as if foreigners ble how many fathers can support the were inferior to, or worse than, the luxury displayed by the female part natives. A Brasilian, in whose coun- of their families when they go abroad. try hospitality is more practised, Those who are really wealthy are though the fair sex is kept quite as fond of glistening in diamonds; but much secluded, lately expressed his these are not requisite on all occas astonishment to me at the answer of sions, and a lady of rank is content a Portuguese, to whose house he had with its being publicly known that been invited to see a procession pass she possesses them. On the other along." I thought," said the Bra- hand, at least one Indian shawl is an silian to his host," that I should article without which a lady who has have brought a foreigner with me, any pretensions to gentility would but." - Without suffering him feel herself miserable. Among the to finish, the other replied: "You women the prevailing fashions are did quite right to come without him, the French, among the men the Eng for I have several daughters at home." lish. Whether the former, upon the -The retired life which the fair sex whole, dress to advantage, I shall not is destined to lead, whether volunta- pretend to decide; though if I were rily or not, has, however, the effect obliged to state my private opinion of producing in the majority domes on that subject, it would be to the tic virtues, which are more rare in contrary. Here, as among all souththe principal cities of Spain; but an ern nations, the women are too fond ambition to shine is the more conspi- ofea gaudy variety of colours. cuous in the Portuguese ladies, the

MADALENA, OR THE CONSEQUENCES OF ELOPEMENT. To our fair readers in early bloom || probably, was aiming at wealth, while no service more essential can be ren- he pretended homage to love. A dered, than to assist their inexperi- fine fellow in pursuit of affluence as ence in discriminating the motives of the means of commanding pleasures, their adulators; and we would beg and a husband in full possession of leave to admonish an heiress, before the prize, are two characters distinct she allows her imagination to be fas as a fawning sycophant and a despot. cinated by the obsequious blandish- The fate of Madalena Ormond has ments of a swain, whose fine person, numerous parallels. Indeed the feelshowy accomplishments, and elegant ings and habits of a lady cradled manners are his sole estate, that she and reared amidst opulence and remay spare herself a life of hopeless finement, and those of a man, who, misery, by weighing against roman- since he could act for himself, has tic credulity this sacred truth-that, been struggling to support the apin general, no sacrifices are so ill re-pearance of a gentleman, must be so quited as the renunciation of prudence and filial duty, to become the dependent of a spouse, who, most

intrinsically different, not to say discordant, that manifold causes for dissension may be expected to arise in

their conjugal association. To remove those contrarieties and assimilate their tastes, it would be necessary for both to new-mould their long-formed propensities and customs-a task which few indulged girls, or selfish men, will be likely to undertake.

than Madalena Ormond: she per ceived in the young heiress a generous and amiable, though misdirected mind, and without appearing to reprove, or to dictate, led her to some perceptions of merit and happiness superior to the ambition of excelling her schoolfellows as a musician, a paintress, a dancer, or to eclipse them in finery. Lady Melbourne was going to the south of France for the recovery of her health, and Lady Jemima saw her young friend no more, until lamentable changes affected her condition. She went home to celebrate her fifteenthi birthday, and had been but a short time returned to the seminary at Hampstead, when the particular intimate of her father came to make known the sad tidings, that both her parents had been carried off by a pu

Madalena Ormond was the only child of a plain uneducated pair, who, from small beginnings, by cautious speculation and unremitting frugality, accumulated an immense fortune; and notwithstanding their parsimonious habits, they spared no expense in giving Madalena an education suitable to her pecuniary rights, and to the distinguished endowments of her person and mind. Yet soon after she entered her teens, Mr. and Mrs. Ormond painfully apprehended they had not only lost all points of communion with a creature in everytrid fever; and the contagion was so respect so dissimilar, so elevated above them, but that the dashing, fashionable, giddy heiress of all they had amassed with toilsome anxiety, might bestow herself and her property upon some artful pennyless admirer, who pretended to agree in her high-flown notions. To deter Madalena from a foolish marriage would perhaps be out of the power of a father: he could, however, take effectual measures to disappoint the miscreant who should steal her heart, while he designed to filch her purse.

Indulged at home, caressed and flattered at school, the aspirings of Madalena's noble nature had been excited only to puerile display; till, in her fifteenth year, she was invited to spend a vacation at the seat of Mr. Burlington, where a younger sister of Lady Susan Burlington also passed some weeks. Lady Jemima Milbourne was three years older

virulent, that they had forbidden their beloved child to be exposed to it in taking a last farewell. Not to have seen her fond father, her idolizing mother, before they expired, was a severe aggravation of Madalena's loss. Her passions were not violent, but her feelings were susceptible of poignant and profound impressions. Mr. Jessop wished her to accompany him to town for some months; but the governess, Mrs. Gilman, represented to him the dan ger of infection from the malady which had proved fatal to Mr. and Mrs. Ormond, and which still raged in London; and she assured him of her utmost endeavours to sooth and exhilarate the mind of her charming pupil.

Mrs. Gilman literally performed this engagement, and a nephew of her late hushand's was the most conspicuous personage in all the musical entertainments, or rural ex