they all went in purfuit of him, and fkipping and dancing round him, told him, that after to-morrow, and to-morrow, and one day more, they were to have their Chriftmas-gift from Charlotte and defcribed to

him all the wonderful things their little imaginations had formed an expectation of. "To-morrow," faid he," and to-morrow, and one day more!" and he kiffed them tenderly. He was going, but the little one stopped him, to whisper in his ear, that his brothers had wrote fine compliments upon the new-year, -very fine indeed, and very long,one for and one for Albert and

papa,

Charlotte,

Charlotte, and one for Mr. Werter too; and that they were to be prefented very early in the morning on new-year's day.

This laft ftroke quite overcame him. He gave fomething to each of the children, got upon his horse, and charging them to give his compliments to their papa, left them with tears in his eyes. He returned home about five o'clock, and ordered his fervant to keep up the fire; told him to pack up his books and linen at the bottom of the trunk, and to lay his coats at the

top. He then appears to have wrote top.-He

the following fragment of his letter to Charlotte.]

-You do not expect me ;-you think I fhall obey you, and that I fhall not fee you again till ChriftOh! Charlotte, to-day

mas-eve.

*

or never! On Chriftmas-eve you. will hold in your hand this paper; you will tremble, and you will wet it with your tears.-I ought-I will -I am well pleased that I have fixed my refolution.

[At half an hour after fix he went to Albert's; he found only Char

lotte

lotte at home, who was much diftreffed at feeing him. She had, in conversation with her husband, mentioned with feeming negligence, that Werter would not come there again till Chriftmas-eve; and very foon afterwards Albert ordered his horse, and notwithstanding the rain, set out in order to fettle fome business with a steward in the neighbourhood. Charlotte knew that he had for a long time delayed making this vifit, which was to keep him a night from home. She felt his want of confidence, and was hurt. Alone, and full of forrow, fhe recalled her paft life, and found no caufe of re

proach either in her fentiments or her conduct, or with regard to her husband, from whom she had a right to expect happinefs, and who was now the caufe of her mifery. She then thought of Werter, and blamed, but could not hate him. A fecret fympathy had attached her to him from their firft acquaintance; and now, after fo long an intimacy, after paffing through fo many different fcenes, the impreffion was engraved on her mind for ever. At length her full heart was relieved by tears, and fhe fell into a foft melancholy, in which he was quite wrapt and loft; when with infinite aftonishment