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Cecilia again desired to be excused acco that she wished to spend the day at home

"At hoed to Mrs Mears this ed me to prevail with you to be of the party I expect she'll call, or send you a ticket, every moment"

"How unlucky for agements just at this time! I hope, at least, there will not be any for to-ain to- is this to last?"

"O, heaven knows; I'll shew you ue"

She then produced a book which contained a list of engagements for more than three weeks "And as these," she said, "are struck off, new ones are o on till after the birth-day"

When this list had been examined and commented upon by Miss Larolles, and viewed and wondered at by Cecilia, it was restored to its place, the two ladies went together to the auction, per Cecilia, at her repeated request, to return to her own apartment

She returned, however, neither satisfied with the behaviour of her friend, nor pleased with her own situation: the sobriety of her education, as it had early instilled into her ion, and strict principles of honour, had also taught her to regard continual dissipation as an introduction to vice, and unbounded extravagance as the harbinger of injustice Long accustomed to see Mrs Harrel in the same retirement in which she had hitherto lived herself, when books were their first amusement, and the society of each other was their chief happiness, the change she now perceived in her mind and manners equally concerned and surprised her She found her insensible to friendship, indifferent to her husband, and negligent of all social felicity Dress, company, parties of pleasure, and public places, seeratify all her wishes Cecilia, in whose heart glowed the warenerous virtue, was cruelly depressed and ood sense to deter her, well aware that if reproach has any power over indifference, it is only that of changing it into aversion

Mrs Harrel, in truth, was innocent of heart, though dissipated in life; , she hadin a private fa ant houses in Portman-square, at the head of a splendid fortune, and wife to a man whose own pursuits soon showed her the little value he himself set upon domestic happiness Immersed in the fashionable round of co, naturally weak, was easily dazzled by the brilliancy of her situation; greedily, therefore, sucking in air iance, she had soon no pleasure but to vie with soance, and no ambition but to exceed some superior in expence