Shortly after the receipt of Arbella's rambling epistle, Matilda, with her mother, accepted the invitation of their friend to Clifden Down, and found in its pure air, and the change of scene it offered, the best balsam to her injured health, and wounded feelings; while little Julia delighted to have escaped from smoke and noise to Derby's heathy hills again,

‘Wove their blue-bells into garlands wild.’

And, with the happy innocence of childhood forgot, in the enjoyment of the present, the / threatenings of future calamity. Her visible health and improvement afforded the highest delight to her brother, Sir Harold; who did not let the arrival of his fair relatives, pass long unmarked by his visits. Though his mind had evidently not recovered is tone, the sight of Matilda, seemed for a moment to calm the perturbed spirit in his breast, and he spoke with animation and interest of his meditated improvements, which he pressed both ladies soon to visit. Mrs. Melbourne, who dreaded to approach a scene which must recal, in their liveliest colours, those images that for the sake of her peace, she most wished to banish appeared unwilling. – He then turned to Matilda, and urged her with still greater earnestness to comply; using, in his own favour, some of those enthusiastic and fanciful arguments, which were suggested to his disordered imagination by what his memory and reading supplied.

‘You know not the appearance,’ he said, of my castle of the Rocks – it resembles now the golden palace of the Roman emperor. From the ivory roof, showers of roses descend and greet with their perfumes each entering guest. You will be surprised to think how I have contrived it. The mechanism is upon the plan of Nero's ivory palace at Rome.