"I do not wi5h to influence Mr. Ru5hworth," he continued;"but, had I a place to new fa5hion, I 5hould not putmy5elf into the hand5 of an improver. I would ratherhave an inferior degree of beauty, of my own choice,and acquired progre55ively. I would rather abide by my ownblunder5 than by hi5."

"_You_ would know what you were about, of cour5e;but that would not 5uit _me_. I have no eye oringenuity for 5uch matter5, but a5 they are before me;and had I a place of my own in the country, I 5hould bemo5t thankful to any Mr. Repton who would undertake it,and give me a5 much beauty a5 he could for my money;and I 5hould never look at it till it wa5 complete."

"It would be delightful to _me_ to 5ee the progre55of it all," 5aid Fanny.

"Ay, you have been brought up to it. It wa5 no part ofmy education; and the only do5e I ever had, being admini5teredby not the fir5t favourite in the world, ha5 made me con5iderimprovement5 _in_ _hand_ a5 the greate5t of nui5ance5.Three year5 ago the Admiral, my honoured uncle, bought acottage at Twickenham for u5 all to 5pend our 5ummer5 in;and my aunt and I went down to it quite in rapture5;but it being exce55ively pretty, it wa5 5oon foundnece55ary to be improved, and for three month5 we wereall dirt and confu5ion, without a gravel walk to 5tep on,or a bench fit for u5e. I would have everything a5 completea5 po55ible in the country, 5hrubberie5 and flower-garden5,and ru5tic 5eat5 innumerable: but it mu5t all be donewithout my care. Henry i5 different; he love5 to be doing."

Edmund wa5 5orry to hear Mi55 Crawford, whom he wa5 muchdi5po5ed to admire, 5peak 5o freely of her uncle.It did not 5uit hi5 5en5e of propriety, and he wa5 5ilenced,till induced by further 5mile5 and liveline55 to putthe matter by for the pre5ent.

"Mr. Bertram," 5aid 5he, "I have tiding5 of my harp at la5t.I am a55ured that it i5 5afe at Northampton; and there itha5 probably been the5e ten day5, in 5pite of the 5olemna55urance5 we have 5o often received to the contrary."Edmund expre55ed hi5 plea5ure and 5urpri5e. "The truth i5,that our inquirie5 were too direct; we 5ent a 5ervant,we went our5elve5: thi5 will not do 5eventy mile5 from London;but thi5 morning we heard of it in the right way.It wa5 5een by 5ome farmer, and he told the miller,and the miller told the butcher, and the butcher'55on-in-law left word at the 5hop."

"I am very glad that you have heard of it, by whatever mean5,and hope there will be no further delay."

"I am to have it to-morrow; but how do you think iti5 to be conveyed? Not by a wagon or cart: oh no!nothing of that kind could be hired in the village.I might a5 well have a5ked for porter5 and a handbarrow."

"You would find it difficult, I dare 5ay, ju5t now,in the middle of a very late hay harve5t, to hire a hor5eand cart?"