I

ing at me on account of this incident; and bitterness entered my heart. And now that I am pitied wherever go, and hear the triumph of my enemies; who fay," This is always the cafe with thofe vain infignificant perfonages who pretend to despise forms, and want to raise themselves:" with other nonfenfe of the fame kind. I could plunge a dagger into my heart. Say what you will of philofophy and fortitude: one may laugh at nonfenfe that has no foundation, but how is it poffible to endure that these paltry raícals fhould have any hold of one?

LETTER XLVI.

March 16.,

VERY thing confpires to drive

EVE

me to extremities. I met Mifs B walking to-day. I could not help joining her, and expreffing my fense of her altered manner towards me. Oh! Werter," faid fhe, with' eagerness," you who know my heart, how could you fo ill interpret my diftrefs? What did I not fuffer for you from the first moment I entered the room! I forefaw all that has happened; a hundred times I was upon the point of mentioning it to you. I knew that the Ss and T-s

Ts would quit the affembly rather than stay in your company.

I knew the Count could not break with them and now all the talk”. I endeavoured to conceal my emotion, and asked her what talk. "Oh! how much it has already cost me !" faid the amiable girl, and tears came into her eyes. I could scarce contain myself-I was ready to throw myself at her feet. "Explain yourfelf," I cried.-Her tears flowed, and I was quite frantic. She wiped them away without endeavouring to "You know my aunt,"

hide them.

The continued ; "fhe was prefent,

and, good God! in what a light does

fhe confider the affair! Werter, what leffons have I heard last night and this morning upon my connection with you! I have been obliged to hear you debafed and run down; and I could not, I dared not fay much in your defence." Every word was a dagger; fhe did not know that in pity to me fhe fhould have concealed all that fhe informed me of.-She told me too all the impertinent nonfenfe that would be circulated upon the occafion, and how the malicious would triumph; how they would rejoice that my pride was humbled; and how happy it would make them, to fee me pu nished

*

nifhed for that want of esteem for others, with which I had been often reproached. This is what fhe told me, and in a manner which fhewed the warmest intereft; this is what I was forced to hear-it awakened all my paffions, and I still breathe rage and fury. Would that I could find a man who dared banter me on this event!-I would facrifice him instantly to my resentment; it would be a relief to me to discharge my fury on the first object I meet; a hundred times have I caught up a fword to give vent to my oppreffed heart. There is a noble race of horses, which will instinctively open a vein

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