Cecilia, Volume 1 (of 3)

ll spent in gossipping, shopping and dressing, and the evenings were

wn lodgings, but he boarded wholly with Mr Harrel, whose house he never for a moment qu

nd blameless conduct obtained the universal esteem of the world, but his manners, which were rather too precise, joined to

r he gazed upon her beauty till he thought her more than human, and hung upon her accents till all speech seemed impertinent to him but her own. Yet so small were his expectations of success, that not even to his s

onstantly the object of his unrestrained examination; she was, however, far more seriously concerned for Mrs Harrel, when she discovered that this favourite friend of her husband w

the family to claim admittance, where letters and messages might be left for him, where he dined when no other dinner was offered him, and where, when he made an appointment, he was to be met with. His lady, too, th

haracters. But what chiefly damped her hopes of forming a friendship with any of the new acquaintance to whom she was introduced, was the observation she herself made how ill the coldness of their hearts accorded with the warmth of their professions; upon every first meeting, the civilities which were shewn her, flattered her into believing she had excited a partiality that a very little time would ripen into affection; the next meeting commonly confirmed the expectation; but the third, and every future one, regularly destroyed it. She found that time added nothing to their fondness, nor intimacy to their si

tion of renewing the felicity of her earlier years, by being restored to the friendship of Mrs Harrel, in whom she had mistaken the kindness of childish intimacy for the sincerity of chosen affection; and though she saw her credulous error with mortification and displeasure, she regretted it with tenderness and sorrow. "What, at last

e the only one insensible to the blessings within her reach, but by projecting and adopting some plan of conduct better suited to her taste and feelings tha

ake so large a part of the community, that they may properly be called the underminers of existence; she could then shew some taste and discernment in her choice of friends, and she resolved to select such only as by their piety could elevate her mind, by their knowledge improve her understandin

n ideas of sedentary enjoyments arranged the occupations of her hours of solitude, she felt fully satisfied with the p

er to discharge. A strong sense of DUTY, a fervent desire to ACT RIGHT, were the ruling characteristics of her mind: her affluence sh

rom iniquity the feeble trembler at poverty, and now rescued from shame the proud struggler with disgrace. The prospect at once exalted her hopes, and enraptured her imagination; she regarded herself as a

ct: nor had she yet the power to indulge, according to the munificence of her wishes, the extensive generosity she projected: these purposes demanded a house of her own, and the unlimited disposal of her fortune, neither

time to come which the present failed to afford, she had yet the spirit and good sense to determine

met with entertainment nor instruction, but was perpetually mortified by seeing the to

or convenience: she determined, therefore, to make a visit herself to each of them, to observe their manners and way of life, and then, to the best of her judgment, decide wi

. She was almost an entire stranger to each of them, as she had not seen Mr Brigg

rriage, and to make, without delay, the visits preparatory to her removal; but when she entered the parlour upon a summons to breakfast, her e

pled not to tell him she had not once been so much pleased since

her reception, stifled the emotions to which her sight gave rise, and denying himself the solace of expressing his feelings, seemed much l

alone he had thought it worth cultivation, made it no longer of use to him. She afterwards introduced her brother to him; and a conversation very interesting to both

inful; he did not, indeed, suspect that gentleman's secret views; no reason for suspicion was obvious, and his penetration sunk not deeper than appearances; he knew, too, that he was married, and therefore no

d, which permitted an intercourse the most constant and unrestrained with such an object as Cecilia, nothing less could be expected, and therefore he considered his admiration as inevitable; all that remained to be discovered, w

he might first grow accustomed to his attentions, and then become pleased with them. He apprehended, also, the influence of his sister and of Mr Harrel in his favour; and though he had no difficulty to p

ired to examine into the state of her mind, and to discover whether her London journey had added any fresh difficulties to the succes

pect to its execution. She had long been used to his counsel, and she was now more than ever solicitous

ly Mr Arnott was already arrived, but Sir Robert Floyer, and he found Cecilia so much the object of

for though the constant direction of his eyes towards Cecilia, proved, at least, that he was not insensible of her beauty, his carelessness whether or not she was hurt by his examination, the little pains he took

her character prepared him to expect, a shame no less indignant

s they had an early engagement for the evening, the gentlemen received no summons to their tea-table. But he contrived, bef

for too much in earnest was his present pursuit, to fit him for su