THÈME XX

A young lady of Toledo, whosename vvas Victoria, of tlie ancient house of Cordova, was retired to a villa beauliful, upon the banks of thc Tagus, lialf a league front Toledo, in the absence of lier brotlier, who was a caplainofcavalry in the Low-Countries.She wasawidow •at theageof eighteen ; her husbandwaso/da mA gentleman, who had left a gooddealof money to his wife. The charming vvidow , after the deatli of her husband , was retired to live with her brother. Slie tasted in liberty the sweet pleasures of the country, the murmuring of the brook, and the warbling of the nightingale. One day , her

sliepherds to herbrought two men whom them liad found slripped of their clothes and tied to a tree, where lie liad passed the niglit. The shepherds to them liad given each. an oldcoat, and it was in this fine pickle tliat sAeappeared before the fair Victoria. Tlie poverty of their clothes did nothide front she the lovely mien of the youngest, who to she mode a polite compliment, and io her lold that him was a gentleman of Cordova; tliat lie came from Seville, and that him was going to Madrid on liis affairs. She him received witli great kindness, and him conducted inlo a Gne parlour , where he hertold the rest of liis adventures.

SECTION II