Nothing very material occurred at the Attic Villa for some weeks, except the secession of Walwyn, who, maugre his love-torn Romeos, and his gay Lotharios, was obliged to leave the fair lady of his adoration, and to join his regiment, which was ordered to the barracks, at Horsham in Sussex; and the absence of his superior officer rendered his immediate return absolutely necessary.

With many a sigh, a vow, and pathetic adieu, he left the Villa, and the entire field open to the Chevalier; who luckily had, at this period, a most skilful auxiliary in the shape of a French novel of wonderful celebrity, which had recently issued from the press.

Germ intended to hunt butterflies at the Attic Villa, while there was one left on the wing; as he liked the dainties of Miss Moreton's table much better than the dry collections which he should most probably ‘pick clean teeth’ over, when he returned to his lodgings in town.

Copy, too, had one particular month for going to the metropolis; for, while the town was empty, he should have no one to sit to him; and he wisely thought, that he might search very far before he could meet with such good and such cheap accommodations as the Attic Villa; so he kept his ground.

But the painter and the philosopher were too much engrossed by their separate pursuits to interrupt the Sentimentalists; and Mary Cuthbert was suffered to run about the house like a domestic animal, or to visit Heathfield Cottage as frequently as she pleased; for Miss Moreton and the Chevalier D'Aubert could not be interrupted, whilst they were studying Corinna! It was the very work to suit the taste of Miss Moreton; for though she had neither judgment or knowledge to appreciate the beauty or the truth of the historical remarks, in which Madam Stael has certainly displayed great genius and learning; yet her imagination was enamoured of the character of Corinna. The lengths which she ran in pursuit of Lord Nelville; the fervid passion which she felt for him; her rejection of all common forms; her enthusiastic disposition; and her extemporising faculty, were all beheld by Miss Moreton as the reflected image of her own character.