wickedness: a disposition which is rarely produced suddenly, and of which his, by what we have seen of it, promised exactly the reverse.


'While I say this however, continued Lady Roebuck, 'I will not contend how far these feelings are right. They may be falsely entertained, perhaps, impelled by the motives I have mentioned, while your riper judgment and better knowledge of the world have enabled you to form a truer and more decided opinion of the truth; in which case it would be strange vanity, however right my intentions, in entertaining these sentiments, if I did not, as upon all other occasions, implicitly submit to yours.'

Sir Sidney kissed her, perhaps for her obedience; said she was a charming creature, and desired her to go on.

'As to Annette,' added Lady Roebuck, 'I shall there be still more backward to give either advice or opinion, for very many reasons, necessarily delicate; but one is, which is the most pleasurable, that never was advice to a young, tender, sensible creature so little needed: she is all you can wish from inclination, or hope from duty: yet I honestly believe she regards Mr. Hazard more warmly than any other person in the world. Not however that her prepossession in his favour has made her sentiments to Mr. Gloss otherwise than they would have been had she never seen him.

She deports herself, upon all occasions, with that sweet native dignity in which pure, unaffected loveliness is sure to be seen, and therefore Mr. Gloss has had no reason to complain of receiving that portion of her favour which all those command from her who come sanctioned with the partiality of her father; but, be assured, that at present he is almost the last person in the world she wishes to think of as a husband. Yet I will not say, that were you so far to exert the authority of a father, as to insist upon her marrying him, she would refuse; for I sincerely believe she has so singular a sense of implicit duty, that she would give up her own happiness to promote yours.—This allowed, every thing remains well: you will never exert so rigorous a duty, and she will never take any steps to disoblige you.'

'Upon my soul,' said Sir Sidney, 'it is impossible to hear you without being charmed: you have so the knack of smoothing every difficulty. It is not wonderful there should be such perfection in Annette, when she can look up to you for her example.'

'My