Cecilia, Volume 3 (of 3)

e faculty in whose care she was to remain, he took his leave. But not without contriving first to speak a few

them keep their prejudices, which, though different, are not worse than their neighbours, and do you retain your excellencies, and draw from them the happiness they ought to give you. People reason and

he admonition; I will do what I can towards studying your scheme of philosop

ng of all England, won't be so well off as if he had satisfied himself with you. However, the old gentleman has a fair right, after all, to be pleased hi

he future, I will endeavour to give more weight. But will you permit me now to ask one question?

at it, I never heard, for I never thought it worth while to enquire, as

dy need be ashamed to be successor to either, whenever the course of things leads Mr Mortimer and yourself to make another election. He wisely intends to go abroad, and will not return till he is his own man again. And as to you, my good young lady, what, after a short time given to vexation, need

shook hands with her,

oralize upon the misconduct of others, had still the candour and good sense to see that there was reason in what he urg

of nursing her, and leaving to the Miss Charltons the chief care of their grandmother. For Mrs Delvile appeared every hour more sensible of her attention, and

travel himself with Mrs Delvile to Bristol. "Well," cried he, taking Cecilia by the first op

made, I flatter myself

th all my soul! But he is a noble young fellow, and behaves with a courage and spirit that does me good to behold. To have

there the Passions have all power, and Reason has none. But when evils are irremediable, and we have neither resources to plan, nor cast

happiness; I would have you, therefore, keep as much as you conveniently can, out of its company. Run about and divert yourself, 'tis all you have for it. The true art

: and that he had had the pleasure of seeing an entire reconciliation take place between hi

a very good one, only when people are prejudiced, all reasoning is thrown away upon them. I proposed sinking both your names, since they are so at variance with one another, and so adopting a third, by means of a title. But Mr Delvile angrily declared, that though such a scheme might do very well for the needy Lord Ernolf, a Peer of twenty years, his own noble ancestors should never,

uch a proposal was made, and I earnestly en

orld do any mischief, but who would not have

ot, he said, come again to this place, upon such terms as he w

Dr Lyster following, said "No talking! no thanking! no compliments of any sort! I shall carry off my patient wi

ng the words, I cannot leave this inestimable creature without first saying how much I love her, how I honour, and how I thank her! without entreating her to be careful of

on; Cecilia, at a motion of Dr L

own for the purpose of affording a new proof of the insufficiency of situation to constitute happiness. Who looks not upon mine as th

sality of misery, she restrained, at least, all violence of so

satisfaction of seeing an happy conclusion to an illness of which, with the utmost concern and regret, she considered herself as the cause. She attended her with the most unremi

ied her up stairs: and while she was with her, w

driven him from her remembrance, or when at any time he recurred to it, it was only to attribute the discontinuance o

ting, and fearful of his enquiries into disgraces he had nearly foretold, she he

on of disappointment, which impressed upon his heart the vivacity of hope: her evident

sing for not paying it the moment she was of age. He knew but too well how

he hastily stopt it, exclaiming, "Ask me not, I entreat you, Sir, any detail of what has passed,-the event has brought me sufferings that may well make blame be dispens

t one of whom he would have grieved, if assured of meeting no more. His powers of conversation were enlivened by his hopes; and his exhilarated spirits made all subjects seem happy to him. A weight was removed from his mind which had nearly borne down even his remotest hopes; the object of his eager pursuit seemed still within his reach, and the