 Western's Proposal
without any visible Emotion, or without any Alteration of Countenance. He said,
the Alliance was such as he sincerely wished; then launched forth into a very
just Encomium on the young Lady's Merit; acknowledged the Offer to be
advantageous in Point of Fortune; and after thanking Mr. Western for the good
Opinion he had profess'd of his Nephew, concluded, that if the young People
liked each other, he should be very desirous to complete the Affair.
    Western was a little disappointed at Mr. Allworthy's Answer; which was not
so warm as he expected. He treated the Doubt whether the young People might like
one another with great Contempt; saying, »That Parents were the best Judges of
proper Matches for their Children; that, for his Part, he should insist on the
most resigned Obedience from his Daughter; and if any young Fellow could refuse
such a Bedfellow, he was his humble Servant, and hoped there was no Harm done.«
    Allworthy endeavoured to soften this Resentment by many Elogiums on Sophia;
declaring, he had no doubt but that Mr. Blifil would very gladly receive the
Offer; but all was ineffectual, he could obtain no other Answer from the Squire
but - »I say no more - I humbly hope there's no Harm done - that's all.« Which
Words he repeated, at least, a hundred Times before they parted.
    Allworthy was too well acquainted with his Neighbour to be offended at this
Behaviour; and tho' he was so averse to the Rigour which some Parents exercise
on their Children in the Article of Marriage, that he had resolved never to
force his Nephew's Inclinations, he was nevertheless much pleased with the
Prospect of this Union: For the whole Country resounded the Praises of Sophia,
and he had himself greatly admired the uncommon Endowments of both her Mind and
Person. To which, I believe we may add, the Consideration of her vast Fortune,
which, tho' he was too sober to be intoxicated with it, he was too sensible to
despise.
    And here, in Defiance of all the barking Critics in the World, I must and
will introduce a Digression concerning true Wisdom, of which Mr. Allworthy was
in Reality as great a Pattern as he was of Goodness.
    True Wisdom then, notwithstanding all which Mr. Hogarth's poor Poet may have
writ against Riches, and in Spite of all which any rich, well-fed Divine may
have preached against Pleasure, consists not in the Contempt of either of these.
A Man may have as much
