The only sentences which her father from time to time addressed to her, respected the beauties of the romantic landscape through which they strolled, and which varied its features at every step.

To these observations, although they seemed to come from a heart occupied by more gloomy as well as more important cares, Isabella endeavoured to answer in a manner as free and unconstrained as it was possible for her to assume, amid the involuntary apprehensions which crowded upon her imagination.
Sustaining with mutual difficulty a desultory conversation, they at length gained the centre of a small wood, composed of large oaks, intermingled with birches, mountain-ashes, hazel, holly, and a variety of underwood.

The boughs of the tall trees met closely above, and the underwood filled up each interval between their trunks below.

The spot on which they stood was rather more open; still, however, embowered under the natural arcade of tall trees, and darkened on the sides for a space around by a great and lively growth of copse-wood and bushes.
"And here, Isabella," said Mr.Vere, as he pursued the conversation, so often resumed, so often dropped, "here I would erect an altar to Friendship." "To Friendship, sir!" said Miss Vere; "and why on this gloomy and sequestered spot, rather than elsewhere ?" "O, the propriety of the LOCALE is easily vindicated," replied her father, with a sneer.

"You know, Miss Vere (for you, I am well aware, are a learned young lady), you know, that the Romans were not satisfied with embodying, for the purpose of worship, each useful quality and moral virtue to which they could give a name; but they, moreover, worshipped the same under each variety of titles and attributes which could give a distinct shade, or individual character, to the virtue in question.