But let me ask my sister, niv friend, What answer can I return to the lady who had shewn, in o;/r instance, that she had not an insuperable aversion to matrimony; yet, on conscientious reasons, refusing one man, and not particularly favouring any, can scruple to oblige {obey is not the word they use) ‘ a father, who with tears in his eyes beseeches her; a mother who gently reminds her of what she has suffered for her; who declares, that it is in her power to make the rest of her days happy; and who urges a still stronger plea, respecting them both, and the whole family, to engage the attention of the beloved daughter? O madam, what pleas are those [let me still make use of your own pathetic words] from a father whose eyes plead more strongly than words! and from a mother, over whose bright days you had (though involuntarily) cast a cloud! Your brother the bishop, a man of piety; your confessor, a man of equal piety; your two other brothers, your disinterested friend Mrs. Beaumont; your faithful Camilla;’ all wholly disinterested. What an enu-meration against yourself. Forbidden, as I am, to give the cause against you, what can I say? Dear-est Lady Clementina, can I, on your own represen — tation, give it ybr you?

You know, madam, the sacrifice I have made to the plea of your conscience, not my own. I make no doubt, but parents so indulgent as yours will yield to your reasons, if you can plead conscience against the performance o( the Jilial duty; the more a duty, as it is so gently urged: nay, hardly urged; but by tears, and wishes, which the eyes, not the lips, express; and which if you will perform, your parents will think themselves under an obligation to their child.

Lady Clementina is one of the most generous of women: but consider, madam, in this instance of preferring your own will to that of the most indul-gent of parents, whether there ie not an apparent selfishness, inconsistent with you general character, even were you to be as happy in a convent, as you propose. Would you not, in that case, live to your-self, and renounce your parents and family, as parts of that world whicli you would vow to despise? Dear lady! I asked you once before, Is there’any thing sinful in a sacrament? Such all good Catho-lics deem matrimony. And shall I ask you whe — ther, as self-denial is held to be meritorious in your church, there is not a merit in denying yourself in the case before us, when you can, by performing the filial duty, oblige your whole family?