'I know not how I have deserved that character of the marchioness,'
said the count with a smile, 'but that heart must be either fickle or
insensible in an uncommon degree, which can boast of freedom in the
presence of lady Julia.' The marchioness, mortified by the whole
conversation, now felt the full force of Vereza's reply, which she
imagined he pointed with particular emphasis.

The entertainment concluded with a grand firework, which was exhibited
on the margin of the sea, and the company did not part till the dawn
of morning. Julia retired from the scene with regret. She was
enchanted with the new world that was now exhibited to her, and she
was not cool enough to distinguish the vivid glow of imagination from
the colours of real bliss. The pleasure she now felt she believed
would always be renewed, and in an equal degree, by the objects which
first excited it. The weakness of humanity is never willingly
perceived by young minds. It is painful to know, that we are operated
upon by objects whose impressions are variable as they are
indefinable--and that what yesterday affected us strongly, is to-day
but imperfectly felt, and to-morrow perhaps shall be disregarded. When
at length this unwelcome truth is received into the mind, we at first
reject, with disgust, every appearance of good, we disdain to partake
of a happiness which we cannot always command, and we not unfrequently
sink into a temporary despair. Wisdom or accident, at length, recal us
from our error, and offers to us some object capable of producing a
pleasing, yet lasting effect, which effect, therefore, we call
happiness. Happiness has this essential difference from what is
commonly called pleasure, that virtue forms its basis, and virtue
being the offspring of reason, may be expected to produce uniformity of
effect.