 claret. These explosions were succeeded by
Bacchanalian songs, in which the old gentleman himself attempted to bear a
share; the sedate governor snapped time with his fingers, and the parish-priest
assisted in the chorus with a most expressive nakedness of countenance. Before
midnight, they were almost all pinned to their chairs, as if they had been fixed
by the power of inchantment; and what rendered the confinement still more
unfortunate, every servant in the house was in the same situation; so that they
were fain to take their repose as they sat, and nodded to each other like a
congregation of anabaptists.
    Next day, Peregrine communed with his sister on the subject of her match
with Mr. Clover, who (she told him) had offered to settle a jointure of four
hundred pounds, and take her to wife, without any expectation of a dowry. She,
moreover, gave him to understand, that in his absence she had received several
messages from her mother, commanding her to return to her father's house; but
that she had refused to obey these orders, by the advice and injunction of her
aunt and the commodore, which were indeed seconded by her own inclination;
because she had all the reason in the world to believe, that her mother only
wanted an opportunity of treating her with severity and rancour: for the
resentment of that lady had been carried to such indecent lengths, that seeing
her daughter at church one day, she rose up before the parson entered, and
reviled her with great bitterness, in the face of the whole congregation.
 

                                 Chapter LXXII

Sees his Sister happily married. Visits Emilia, who receives him according to
his Deserts
 
Her brother being of opinion, that Mr. Clover's proposal was not to be
neglected, especially as Julia's heart was engaged in his favour, communicated
the affair to his uncle, who, with the approbation of Mrs. Trunnion, declared
himself well satisfied with the young man's addresses, and desired that they
might be buckled with all expedition, without the knowledge or concurrence of
her parents, to whom (on account of their unnatural barbarity) she was not bound
to pay the least regard. Though our adventurer entertained the same sentiments
of the matter, and the lover dreading some obstruction, earnestly begg'd the
immediate condescension of his mistress, she could not be prevailed upon to take
such a material step, without having first solicited the permission of her
father, resolved, nevertheless, to comply with the dictates of her own heart,
should his objections be frivolous or unjust.
    Urged by this determination, her
