Maria; Or, The Wrongs of Woman

derness obscured the reasoning page. She descanted on "the ills which flesh is heir to," with bitterness, when the recollection of her babe was revived by a tale of fictitious woe, that

reveries, would sometimes gleam on the dark horizon of futurity, while persuading herself that she ought to cease to hope, since happiness was no where to be fou

ould exclaim, "from an early blight, this sweet blossom; and

torn from her, this tender one had been

lity. Writing was then the only alternative, and she wrote some rhapsodies descriptive of the state of her mind; but the events of her past life pressing on her, she resolved circumstantially to relate them,

lecting almost obliterated impressions very interesting. She lived again in the revived emotions of

ia did not allow any opportunity to slip of winning on the affections of Jemima; for she discovered

ved. No mother had ever fondled her, no father or brother had protected her from outrage; and the man who had plunged her into infamy, and deserted her when she stood in greatest need of suppor

ange mixture of interest and suspicion; for she would listen to her with earnestness, and then suddenly interrupt

u are an extraordinary woman; but let me consider, this may only be one of your lucid intervals." Nay, the very energy of Maria's character, made her suspect that the extraordinary animation she perceived might be the effect of madness. "Should her husband then substantiate his charge, and get poss

seemed to make her swerve; and she still resolved not to be wrought on to do mo

son, and the wild luxuriancy of noxious passions? Enthusiasm turned adrift, like some rich stream overflowing its banks, rushes forward with destructive velocity, inspiring a sublime concentration of thought. Thus thought Maria-These are the ravages over which humanity must ever mournfully ponder, with a degree of anguish not excited by crumbling marble, or cankering brass, unfaithful to the trust of monumental fame. It is not over the dec

he playful tricks and mischievous devices of their disturbed fancy, that suddenly broke out, could not be guarded against, when they were permitted to enjoy any portion of freedom; for, so ac

to its office, she shrunk back with more horror and affright, than if she had stumbled over a mangled corpse. Her busy fancy pictured the misery of a fond heart, watching over a friend thus estranged, absent, though present-over a poor wretch lost to reason and the social joys of existence; and losing all consciousness of misery in its excess

petrified figures she had encountered, the only human forms she was doomed to observe, ha

dy been six weeks buried alive, and yet had such faint hopes of effecting her enlargement. She was, earnestly as she had sought for employment, now angry wi

returned with the same chilling air; and, when her heart appeared for a moment to open, some suggestion of

h which Jemima brought her a fresh parcel of books; assuring her, that she had taken some pains to obta

ed minds continually under his eye; and almost to wish himself-as I do-mad, to escape from the contemplation of it." Her heart throbbed with sympathetic ala

ten with force and taste; and, in one of the modern pamphlets, there was a fragment left, containing various observations on the present state of society and government, with a comparative view of the po

" She reperused the marginal notes, and they seemed the production of an animated, but not of a disturbed imagination. Confined to this speculation, every time

, wherever it awakens sentiment or grace. Maria had often thought, when disciplining her wayward heart, "that to charm, was to be virtuous." "They who mak

d from cold arguments on the nature of what she felt, while she was feeling,

t from human intercourse, and compelled to view nothing but the prison of vexed spirits, to meet a wretch in the same situation, was more

ima brought her slipper. "Yes. He sometimes walks out, between five and six, before the fa

enquired Maria, with an

a vehemence of eye, that excites apprehension. Were his hands free, he l

g, he must be youn

uppose; but there is no judgin

rrupted Maria with eagerness. Jemim

nswering herself; "the man who could write those

o bed, dreamed of her child, yet woke exactly at half after five o'clock, and starting up, only wrapped a gown around her, and ran to the window. The morning was chill, it was the latter end of September; yet she did not retire to warm herself and think in bed, till the sound of the servants, moving about the house, convinced her th

aniac, just brought into an adjoining chamber. She was singing the pathetic ballad of old Rob* with the most heart-melting falls and pauses. Jemima had half-opened the door, when she distinguished her voice, and Maria stood close to it, scarcely daring to respire, lest a modulation should escape her, so exquisitely sweet, so passiona

ut ten characters i

l edition [Pub

then Jemima could only tell her, that it was said, "she had been married, against her inclination, to a rich old man, extremely jealous (no wonder, for she w

tation-even to the ver

the inroad of such stormy elements?" thought Maria, while the poor mania

hat thrilled to her heart, awakening indefinable emotions; and the sound of a waving branch, or the twittering of a startled bird, alone broke the stillness of reposing nature. Absorbed by the sublime sensibility which renders the consciousness of existence felicity, Maria was happy, till an autumnal scent, wafted by the breeze of morn from the fallen leaves of the adjacent wood, made her recollect that the season had changed since her confinement; yet life afforded no variety to solace an afflicted heart. She returned dispirited to her couch, and thought of her child till the broad glare of day again invited her to the window. Sh

fter this imperfect model, of which merely a glance had been caught, even to the minutiae of the coat and hat of the stranger. But if she lent St. Preux, or the demi-god of her fancy, his form, she richly repaid him by the donation of all St. Preux's sentiments and feelings, culled to gratify her o

before she had a glimpse of the countenance she daily longed to see; and, when seen, it conveyed no distinct idea to her mind where she had seen it before. H

, the sound of his voice reached her. Conviction flashed on her; she had certainly, in a moment of distress, heard the sa

r, obliged as she had been by his timely interference; [for she recollected, by degrees all the circumstances of their former meeting.] She found howev