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h　we　have　read；　those　excepted　of　that　abstract　philosophy　which　feels　no　responsive　voice　in　our　natural　feelings。　　Is　not　personal　form；　such　as　at　least　can　be　tolerated　without　horror　and　disgust；　always　represented　as　essential　to　our　ideas　of　a　friend；　far　more　a　lover？　　Is　not　such　a　mis…shapen　monster　as　I　am；　excluded；　by　the　very　fiat　of　Nature；　from　her　fairest　enjoyments？　　What　but　my　wealth　prevents　allperhaps　even　Letitia；　or　youfrom　shunning　me　as　something　foreign　to　your　nature；　and　more　odious；　by　bearing　that　distorted　resemblance　to　humanity　which　we　observe　in　the　animal　tribes　that　are　more　hateful　to　man　because　they　seem　his　caricature？'〃

〃You　repeat　the　sentiments　of　a　madman；〃　said　Miss　Vere。

〃No；〃　replied　her　conductor；　〃unless　a　morbid　and　excessive　sensibility　on　such　a　subject　can　be　termed　insanity。　　〃Yet　I　will　not　deny　that　this　governing　feeling　and　apprehension　carried　the　person　who　entertained　it；　to　lengths　which　indicated　a　deranged　imagination。　　He　appeared　to　think　that　it　was　necessary　for　him；　by　exuberant；　and　not　always　well…chosen　instances　of　liberality；　and　even　profusion；　to　unite　himself　to　the　human　race；　from　which　he　conceived　himself　naturally　dissevered。　　The　benefits　which　he　bestowed；　from　a　disposition　naturally　philanthropical　in　an　uncommon　degree；　were　exaggerated　by　the　influence　of　the　goading　reflection；　that　more　was　necessary　from　him　than　from　others；lavishing　his　treasures　as　if　to　bribe　mankind　to　receive　him　into　their　class。　　It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　say；　that　the　bounty　which　flowed　from　a　source　so　capricious　was　often　abused；　and　his　confidence　frequently　betrayed。　　These　disappointments；　which　occur　to　all；　more　or　less；　and　most　to　such　as　confer　benefits　without　just　discrimination；　his　diseased　fancy　set　down　to　the　hatred　and　contempt　excited　by　his　personal　deformity。　But　I　fatigue　you；　Miss　Vere？〃

〃No；　by　no　means；　II　could　not　prevent　my　attention　from　wandering　an　instant；　pray　proceed。〃

〃He　became　at　length；〃　continued　Ratcliffe；　〃the　most　ingenious　self…tormentor　of　whom　I　have　ever　heard；　the　scoff　of　the　rabble；　and　the　sneer　of　the　yet　more　brutal　vulgar　of　his　own　rank；　was　to　him　agony　and　breaking　on　the　wheel。　　He　regarded　the　laugh　of　the　common　people　whom　he　passed　on　the　street；　and　the　suppressed　titter；　or　yet　more　offensive　terror；　of　the　young　girls　to　whom　he　was　introduced　in　company；　as　proofs　of　the　true　sense　which　the　world　entertained　of　him；　as　a　prodigy　unfit　to　be　received　among　them　on　the　usual　terms　of　society；　and　as　vindicating　the　wisdom　of　his　purpose　in　withdrawing　himself　from　among　them。　　On　the　faith　and　sincerity　of　two　persons　alone；　he　seemed　to　rely　implicitlyon　that　of　his　betrothed　bride；　and　of　a　friend　eminently　gifted　in　personal　accomplishments；　who　seemed；　and　indeed　probably　was；　sincerely　attached　to　him。　　He　ought　to　have　been　so　at　least；　for　he　was　literally　loaded　with　benefits　by　him　whom　you　are　now　about　to　see。　　The　parents　of　the　subject　of　my　story　died　within　a　short　space　of　each　other。　Their　death　postponed　the　marriage；　for　which　the　day　had　been　fixed。　　The　lady　did　not　seem　greatly　to　mourn　this　delay；　perhaps　that　was　not　to　have　been　expected；　but　she　intimated　no　change　of　intention；　when；　after　a　decent　interval；　a　second　day　was　named　for　their　union。　　The　friend　of　whom　I　spoke　was　then　a　constant　resident　at　the　Hall。　　In　an　evil　hour；　at　the　earnest　request　and　entreaty　of　this　friend；　they　joined　a　general　party；　where　men　of　different　political　opinions　were　mingled；　and　where　they　drank　deep。　　A　quarrel　ensued；　the　friend　of　the　Recluse　drew　his　sword　with　others；　and　was　thrown　down　and　disarmed　by　a　more　powerful　antagonist。　　They　fell　in　the　struggle　at　the　feet　of　the　Recluse；　who；　maimed　and　truncated　as　his　form　appears；　possesses；　nevertheless；　great　strength；　as　well　as　violent　passions。　　He　caught　up　a　sword；　pierced　the　heart　of　his　friend's　antagonist；　was　tried；　and　his　life；　with　difficulty；　redeemed　from　justice　at　the　expense　of　a　year's　close　imprisonment；　the　punishment　of　manslaughter。　　The　incident　affected　him　most　deeply；　the　more　that　the　deceased　was　a　man　of　excellent　character；　and　had　sustained　gross　insult　and　injury　ere　he　drew　his　sword。　　I　think；　from　that　moment；　I　observedI　beg　pardonThe　fits　of　morbid　sensibility　which　had　tormented　this　unfortunate　gentleman；　were　rendered　henceforth　more　acute　by　remorse；　which　he；　of　all　men；　was　least　capable　of　having　incurred；　or　of　sustaining　when　it　became　his　unhappy　lot。　　His　paroxysms　of　agony　could　not　be　concealed　from　the　lady　to　whom　he　was　betrothed；　and　it　must　be　confessed　they　were　of　an　alarming　and　fearful　nature。　　He　comforted　himself；　that；　at　the　expiry　of　his　imprisonment；　he　could　form　with　his　wife　and　friend　a　society；　encircled　by　which　he　might　dispense　with　more　extensive　communication　with　the　world。　　He　was　deceived；　before　that　term　elapsed；　his　friend　and　his　betrothed　bride　were　man　and　wife。　　The　effects　of　a　shock　so　dreadful　on　an　ardent　temperament；　a　disposition　already　soured　by　bitter　remorse；　and　loosened　by　the　indulgence　of　a　gloomy　imagination　from　the　rest　of　mankind；　I　cannot　describe　to　you；　it　was　as　if　the　last　cable　at　which　the　vessel　rode　had　suddenly　parted；　and　left　her　abandoned　to　all　the　wild　fury　of　the　tempest。　　He　was　placed　under　medical　restraint。　　As　a　temporary　measure　this　might　have　been　justifiable；　but　his　hard…hearted　friend；　who；　in　consequence　of　his　marriage；　was　now　his　nearest　ally；　prolonged　his　confinement；　in　order　to　enjoy　the　management　of　his　immense　estates。　　There　was　one　who　owed　his　all　to　the　sufferer；　an　humble　friend；　but　grateful　and　faithful。　　By　unceasing　exertion；　and　repeated　invocation　of　justice；　he　at　length　succeeded　in　obtaining　his　patron's　freedom；　and　reinstatement　in　the　management　of　his　own　property；　to　which　was　soon　added　that　of　his　intended　bride；　who　having　died　without　male　issue；　her　estates　reverted　to　him；　as　heir　of　entail。　　But　freedom　and　wealth　were　unable　to　restore　the　equipoise　of　his　mind；　to　the　former　his　grief　made　him　indifferentthe　latter　only　served　him　as　far　as　it　afforded　him　the　means　of　indulging　his　strange　and　wayward　fancy。　　He　had　renounced　the　Catholic　religion；　but　perhaps　some　of　its　doctrines　continued　to　influence　a　mind；　over　which　remorse　and　misanthropy　now　assumed；　in　appearance；　an　unbounded　authority。　　His　life　has　since　been　that　alternately　of　a　pilgrim　and　a　hermit；　suffering　the　most　severe　privations；　not　indeed　in　ascetic　devotion；　but　in　abhorrence　of　mankind。　　Yet　no　man's　words　and　actions　have　been　at　such　a　wide　difference；　nor　has　any　hypocritical　wretch　ever　been　more　ingenious　in　assigning　good　motives　for　his　vile　actions；　than　this　unfortunate　in　reconciling　to　his　abstract　principles　of　misanthropy；　a　conduct　which　flows　from　his　natural　generosity　and　kindness　of　feeling。〃

〃Still；　Mr。　Ratcliffestill　you　describe　the　inconsistencies　of　a　madman。〃

〃By　no　means；〃　replied　Ratcliffe。　　〃That　the　imagination　of　this　gentleman　is　disordered；　I　will　not　pretend　to　dispute；　I　have　already　told　you　that　it　has　sometimes　broken　out　into　paroxysms　approaching　to　real　mental　alienation。　　But　it　is　of　his　common　state　of　mind　that　I　speak；　it　is　irregular；　but　not　deranged；　the　shades　are　as　gradual　as　those　that　divide　the　light　of　noonday　from　midnight。　　The　courtier　who　ruins　his　fortune　for　the　attainment　of　a　title　which　can　do　him　no　good；　or　power　of　which　he　can　make　no　suitable　or　creditable　use；　the　miser　who　hoards　his　useless　wealth；　and　the　prodigal　who　squanders　it；　are　all　marked　with　a　certain　shade　of　insanity。　　To　criminals　who　are　guilty　of　enormities；　when　the　temptation；　to　a　sober　mind；　bears　no　proportion　to　the　horror　of　the　act；　or　the　probability　of　detection　and　punishment；　the　same　observation　applies；　and　every　violent　passion；　as　well　as　anger；　may　be　termed　a　short　madness。〃

〃This　may　be　all　good　philosophy；　Mr。　Ratcliffe；〃　answered　Miss　Vere；　〃but；　excuse　me；　it　by　no　means　emboldens　me　to　visit；　at　this　late　hour；　a　person　whose　extravagance　of　imagination　you　yourself　can　only　palliate。〃

〃Rather；　then；〃　said　Ratcliffe；　〃receive　my　solemn　assurances；　that　you　do　not　incur　the　slightest　danger。　　But　what　I　have　been　hitherto　afraid　to　mention　for　fear　of　alarming　you　is；　that　now　when　we　are　within　sight　of　his　retreat；　for　I　can　discover　it　through　the　twilight；　I　must　go　no　farther　with　you；　you　must　proceed　alone。〃

〃Alone？I　dare　not。〃

〃You　must；〃　continued　Ratcliffe；　〃I　will　remain　here　and　wait　for　you。〃

〃You　will　not；　then；　stir　from　this　place；〃　said　Miss　Vere　〃yet　the　distance　is　so　great；　you　could　not　hear　me　were　I　to　cry　for　assistance。〃

〃Fear　nothing；〃　said　her　guide；　〃or　observe；　at　least；　the　utmost　caution　in　stifling　every　expression　of　timidity。　　Remember　that　his　predominant　and　most　harassing　apprehension　arises　from　a　consciousness　of　the　hideousness　of　his　appearance。　　Your　path　lies　straight　beside　yon　half…fallen　willow；　keep　the　left　side　of　it；　the　marsh　lies　on　the　right。　　Farewell　for　a　time。　Remember　the　evil　you　are　threatened　with；　and　let　it　overcome　at　once　your　fe