do me the same
kindness, which I accepted.

"Now, Japhet, I dare say that you would like to know what it was I had so
particular to say to the old general this morning."

"Of course I would, sir, if it concerned me."

"It did concern you, for we had not been two minutes in conversation,
before you were brought on the tapis; he spoke of you with tears in his
eyes--of what a comfort you had been to him, and how happy you had made
him; and that he could not bear you to be away from him for half an hour.
On that hint I spake, and observed, that he must not expect you to
continue in retirement long, neither must he blame you, that when he had
set up his establishment, you would be as great a favourite as you were
before, and be unable, without giving offence, to refuse the numerous
invitations which you would receive. In short, that it was nothing but
right you should resume your position in society, and it was his duty to
submit to it. The old governor did not appear to like my observations,
and said he expected otherwise from you. I replied 'that it was
impossible to change our natures, and the other sex would naturally
have attractions which you would not be able to resist, and that they
would occupy a large portion of your time. The only way to ensure his
company, my dear sir, is to marry him to a steady, amiable young woman,
who, not having been thrown into the vortex of fashion, will find
pleasure in domestic life. Then her husband will become equally domestic,
and you will be all very happy together.' Your father agreed with me, and
appeared very anxious that it should take place. I then very carefully
introduced Miss Temple, saying, that I knew you had a slight partiality
in that quarter, highly commending her beauty, prudence, &c. I stated,
that feeling an interest about you, I had gone down into the country
where she resided, and had made her acquaintance, and had been much
pleased with her; that since she had come up to town with her relations,
I had seen a great deal, and had formed so high an opinion of, and so
strong an attachment to her, and had felt so convinced that she was the
very person who would make you happy and domestic, that having no family
myself, I had some idea of adopting her. At all events, that if she
married you, I was determined to give her something very handsome on
the day of the wedding."

"But, my dear sir, why should you not have said that Susannah Temple was
left an orphan at seve