o me. Animated with this hope of a double triumph,
Cecilia canvassed with the most zealous activity; by constant attention
and exertion she had considerably abated the violence of her temper, and
changed the course of her habits. Her powers of pleasing were now
excited, instead of her abilities to excel; and, if her talents appeared
less brilliant, her character was acknowledged to be more amiable; so
great an influence upon our manners and conduct have the objects of our
ambition. Cecilia was now, if possible, more than ever desirous of
doing what was right, but she had not yet acquired sufficient fear of
doing wrong. This was the fundamental error of her mind; it arose in a
great measure from her early education.

Her mother died when she was very young; and though her father had
supplied her place in the best and kindest manner, he had insensibly
infused into his daughter's mind a portion of that enterprising,
independent spirit, which he justly deemed essential to the character of
her brother. This brother was some years older than Cecilia, but he had
always been the favourite companion of her youth; what her father's
precepts inculcated, his example enforced, and even Cecilia's virtues
consequently became such as were more estimable in a man than desirable
in a female.

All small objects and small errors she had been taught to disregard as
trifles; and her impatient disposition was perpetually leading her into
more material faults; yet her candour in confessing these, she had been
suffered to believe, was sufficient reparation and atonement.

Leonora, on the contrary, who had been educated by her mother in a
manner more suited to her sex, had a character and virtues more peculiar
to a female; her judgment had been early cultivated, and her good sense
employed in the regulation of her conduct; she had been habituated to
that restraint, which, as a woman, she was to expect in life, and early
accustomed to yield; compliance in her seemed natural and graceful.

Yet, notwithstanding the gentleness of her temper, she was in reality
more independent than Cecilia; she had more reliance upon her own
judgment, and more satisfaction in her own approbation. Though far from
insensible to praise, she was not liable to be misled by the
indiscriminate love of admiration; the uniform kindness of her manner,
the consistency and equality of her character, had fixed the esteem and
passive love of her companions.

By passive love,