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She was greatly improved in health since their stay at Naples, and Charlés might have thought in beauty also. But in his eyes she was perfect; and gazing upon her with admiration, only softened by the tenderness of affection, he felt that she might vie in loveliness with any that Greece could shew, and in mind-how far superior to any that it had ever produced!

Their voyage was most favourable; the weather at sea was the best that could be wished-fair, light winds, blue sunny skies and waves, that scarcely rocked their bark, as she bounded gaily over them. They were but a short time in progress, and on arriving at the port of Corfu, a new and interesting scene presented itself to their eyes. The curious mixture of dress, the English soldier and the Greek peasant, was what first attracted attention. A thousand other novelties succeeded; so that like the pictures in the Exhibition, it was some time before Charles could set them to rights in his head.

Amongst

Amongst other letters of introduction, they had one to a gentleman now no more, and one to a Mr. I. Who is there that has been in the Ionian Isles, and does not know Mr. I? one of the most agreeable, as well as the most amiable of men; who gives to virtue its true character of gentleness, and to elegant urbanity the steady foundation of rectitude. In very early years he is said to have dramatized a favourite tale, which has since, on every stage of almost every country, given a subject to the dancer, the actor, and the musician. Charles Melville soon knew him, and to know him is to esteem him; and afterwards, in leaving Corfu, Charles almost regretted that he had ever become acquainted with one from whom it was so painful to part. However, the information he gained from Mr. I——— was much; and by him his attention was directed to all those objects most worthy of remark in the colony.

After being a few days at Corfu, Charles began

began to enter more into the particular beauties of the country. As the seat of government, its principal excellence seemed the harbour, which, as far as he could judge, was a very good one. But, in a picturesque point of view, it had more claims on attention. The distant prospect of the continental part of Greece, coloured with the soft peculiar purple tint that this climate seems to lend to all far objects, formed a beautiful and varied background to most of the views; and to Charles, remembrance gave a greater interest to the whole, when he thought that he was standing on ground, which Homer painted as the first landing-place of Ulysses, after. leaving the island of Calypso; and though indeed he could not trace the royal gardens. of Alcinous, yet still he felt that

"The balmy spirit of the western gale,

Eternal breathes on fruits untaught to fail;"

and saw that though there, as every where else, the works of man have fallen to de

cay,

cay, this manners, his dress, his religion, even himself altogether changed, yet nature, the bright, the universal, remains the same and unto this day,

"The same mild season gives the blooms to blow, The butls to harden, and the fruits to grow."

But though Corfu was lovely and interesting, Charles was inclined to hurry on. Wherever he turned his eyes, there were few so happy as himself. But this had a different effect on him from what might have been expected; for when he considered his own happiness, and compared it with the portion generally allotted to humanity, he could scarcely believe it would last. He was always afraid that something should snatch Mary from him, and was the more anxious to bind her to himself by ties that could not be broken.

1

CHAP

CHAPTER V.

What will ye next ordain, ye powers on high,
And yet, ah yet! what fates are we to try?

The Captivity.

POPE'S Homer.

IT happens nine times out of ten, that when we have plenty of time to spare, we see nothing; but when we have scarcely time to see any thing, we see every thing. Lady Anne Milsome, who acted as supreme director of the party lord Burton had quitted, had lately begun to enter very heartily into Charles's plan of returning to England as soon as possible; and agreed, entirely with Mary in the wish to rejoin Frederic. But having come as far as Corfu, they felt ashamed to return without having seen the rest of the islands;

and,

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