She should be a gentlewoman by birth and edu-cation; a woman of a serious turn; such a one is not likely in affluence to run into those scenes of life, from which, perhaps, only want of fortune has restrained the gayer creature. I would not have your lordship fix an age, though I think you should not marry a girl. Some women at thirty are more discreet than others at forty: and if your lordship should be blessed with a child or two to inherit your great estate, that happy event would domesti-cate the lady, and make your latter years more happy than your former.

My lord held up his hands and eyes, and tears seemed to make themselves furrows on his cheeks.

He made me look at him, by what he said on this occasion, and with anger, till he explained himself.

By my soul, said he, and clapped his two lifted up hands together, I hate your father: I never heartily loved him; but now I hate him more than ever I did in my life.

My lord!

I 3

Don’t be surprised. I hate him for keeping so long abroad a son, who would have converted us both. Lessons of” morality, given in so noble a manner, by regular practice, rather than by preaching theory (those were his words) not only where there is no interest proposed to be served, but arrainst interest, must have subdued us both; and that by our own consents. O my sister! and he clasped his hands, and lifted up his eyes, as if he had the dear object of his brotherly address before him; how have you blessed me, in your son!

This apostrophe to my mother affected me. What a mixture is there in the character of Lord W.! What a good man might he have made, had he been later his own master! His father died before he was of age.

He declared, that I had described the very wife he wished to have. Find out such a one for me, my dear nephew, said he; and I give you carte blanche: but let her not be younger than between forty and fifty. Make the settlements for me: I am very rich: I will sign them blindfold. If the lady be such a one as you s,2Ly I oufrht to love, I voill love her: only let her say, she can be grateful for my love, and for the provision you shall direct me to make for her; and nry first interview with her shall be at the altar.

I think, my friend, I have in my eye such a woman as my lord ought to do very handsome things for, if she condescend to have him. I will not tell you, not even yoti, whom I mean, till I know she will encou-rage such a proposal; and, for her own fortune’s sake, I think she should: but 1 had her not in my thoughts when I proposed to my lord the character of the woman he should wish for.