FOOTE was not free from the common weaknesses of her sex; she felt flattered by his attentions, and, in return for his hollow professions of attachment, bestowed her affections upon him. Nor is this an impeachment on her understanding, for the strong-minded Mary Woolstonecroft loved the weak villain Emley Indeed, it seems the ordination of Providence, that talented women should place their affections upon ignorant or vicious men.

For twelve months the Colonel was unremitting in his attentions, but pleaded unavoidable circumstances for the delay of his nuptials. The circumstances are these:

The mother of the Colonel* unfortunately produced her husband (Earl Berkeley) more "heirs at love," than "at law," not having been united to the Earl till the year 1796, though our hero was born, we think, in 1785 or 1786. It is but just to mention, that the Earl affirmed that a private marriage took place in 1785, but the House of Lords disallowed the proof; in consequence of which, one of the Colonel's younger brothers became entitled to the dignity of the Earldom; he, however, with great magnanimity, refused to accept it, and the Colonel has long been petitioning the Crown to grant him the title that at present lies dormant.

Colonel Berkeley pleaded all this; persuaded the unsuspecting MARIA that a marriage with her would injure his suit at court, and she at length consented to admit him prematurely to the privileges of a husband, on his solemn asseveration to fulfil his contract, the moment he could do so without injuring the hope of his Earldom. This connexion subsisted some years, in the course of

* This lady's maiden name was Mary Cole, her father was a butcher at Gloucester.

which time Miss FooTE became the mother of two children; whilst the Colonel buoyed up her hopes with deceitful promises, which his subsequent conduct proves he never meant to perform.

Meantime the secret got buzzed in the metropolis, doubtless through the medium of her heartless seducer, for she of course guarded her own expressions, and the conduct pursued was not likely to awaken suspicion.

The

Though still the idol of the public, our heroine was wretched in the midst of shouts of approbation. glare of happiness was around her, the voice of flattery rang in her ears, but the poison of guilty remembrance was fixed in her heart, and ill-requited affection had banished peace from her bosom.

That fascinating and powerful writer, Hope, has the following passage in his Anastasius, or the Memoirs of a Greek," It is one thing to communicate pleasure to others, and another to taste of joy one's-self:" how bitterly was MARIA doomed to prove the truth of the assertion.

In Maria Darlington, Rebecca, (Ivanhoe), Virginius, and Miranda, Miss FOOTE gained fresh laurels in her profession. By the bye, we omitted to mention that, on her first metropolitan benefit, Mr. Betty (a near relative of our heroine's,) played Alexander the Great, to her Statira; this, her first tragic effort, was exceedingly creditable to her powers.

During the years which she devoted to the ungrateful Berkeley, Miss FOOTE had continual offers of marriage, from young, honourable, and wealthy suitors; all of which she was of course compelled to decline. At length, tired of the baseness of the being

"Who had taught her eyes to weep

Their first sad tears, and yet could sleep,"

she listened to the honourable addresses of Joseph Hayne, Esq. of Burderop Park, Wiltshire, having previously broken off all personal communication with the Colonel.

Hayne became acquainted with all the facts of our heroine's connexion with Berkeley, yet, after this knowledge, offered her his hand and fortune. She accepted his proffer;-for reasons unknown, he broke the appointment for executing the settlement. Again he applied to her for pardon, and, on that occasion, he uttered this memorable sentence-" May God strike me dead, if ever I consent to separate myself from you." Yet, after this, he made and broke fresh promises, pretending, or asserting that his friends had locked him up; and ultimately declined the match in toto. May the God he invoked, judge him mercifully, is the worst we wish him -hereafter, and the memory of his conduct be his punishment here.

For his breach of promise, Miss Foote brought an action, and recovered 3000. damages.

And now a word or two of Mr. Hayne.-We are informed, this precious youth, about three years since, paid his vows to Miss Bartolozzi, the sister of Madame Vestris, and the object of the peculiar regard of the butterfly Petersham; that he deceived Miss B. as he did our heroine, and ultimately refused to fulfil his engagements, and that the friends of that lady, not being so conscientious as Job Thornberry, consented to "hush it up," for a "good round sum." Mark! we assert this on information, from a source which we think we can rely upon, BUT WE WILL NOT VOUCH FOR ITS ACCURACY. A celebrated duellist, indeed, the best shot in the kingdom, is said to have been the mediator in this delicate transaction; and we mention these circumstances, because we think it be

hoves the parties themselves to give publicity to the facts. Would they had done so long since!

If the story be as we have related it, its remaining a secret has been the means of much unhappiness to Miss FOOTE, and the cause of a public exposure, that she can never forget. Had she known any thing to incline her to doubt the honour of Hayne, would she not have acted with more circumspection towards him? even if she had been tempted to listen to proposals at all from such a sourcewhich, with such a knowledge, we certainly think she would not have done.

That Joseph Hayne, Esq. is, as Mr. Scarlett represented him, a great fool, we shall not, for a moment, attempt to deny; but we fear he is something worse. Can there be a crime more dire than trifling with the feelings of a woman? yet, if report be true, he has done this, in more instances than one.

We have now to notice a very general observation, i. e. that Miss FOOTE only feigned an attachment for Hayne. Certainly, at the first view, we are led to think that a gentleman, who was the acknowledged partisan of pugilists, and who spent his hours of meditation with such erudite characters as Tom Cannon and White-headed Bob, and who prided himself on his speed as a horseman, could have few attractions for the elegant, accomplished, talented MARIA :-but a little reflection alters the case. It has, as we before observed, been long an opinion that talented women, by an unfortunate fatality, love fools; and, as far as folly can go, Hayne was eminently qualified to attract. Besides, Miss FOOTE's early affections had been blighted; she had been deceived by the being to whom her first feelings of attachment had been devoted, and she felt a void in her heart, that could not perhaps be filled

by another object, but might be lightened by another's affection. Hayne professed that affection, offered marriage, riches, and rank; and, reflecting upon her own gloomy prospects, she might have looked upon him as

66 Something dear to rest upon,

That paid her for the loss of all.”

It has also been said, in justification of Berkeley and Hayne, that Miss FOOTE had drank too deeply of the nectar draught of flattery, to sober down to the dull monotony of mere matrimonial comfort. Those who assert this, know very little of human nature, and nothing at all about the stage. Why, even flattery will at last satiate, and plaudits become dull to the accustomed ear. It is true, in a certain way, an actor or actress, once used to the hand of approbation, might miss the soothing sound, and could not perhaps pursue their efforts in the profession without it, because it becomes, from habit, the natural stimulus to scenic exertion; but, retired from the stage, the thing ceases; where no exertion is required, we feel not the loss of a stimulant. Quick, in his retirement at Bentonville, is as happy (if not happier,) as he ever was when the applauses of all London nightly awaited his appearance on the boards.

We have, as briefly as possible, stated these circumstances, and noticed the general impressions; and now, ere we proceed to a more pleasing part of our duty, let us examine on what grounds this man, Berkeley, has broken his faith with a lovely woman, who confided in what she imagined he possessed-honour. Is it his birth? Surely, MARIA FOOTE, the daughter of an officer in the army, and of a lady whose relatives are of the greatest respectability, claims as high a rank as the illegitimate Berkeley. Is it his