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 `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
insure his company, my dear sir, is 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, etcetera. 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 seven years old, and her fortune has accumulated ever
since? It is by no means despicable, I understand, from Mr Cophagus;
and, moreover, Mr Cophagus intends to leave her all his property."

"I am very glad to hear it, Japhet, and will not fail to communicate all
this to your father; but there is no reason why I may not do as I please
with my own money--and I love that girl dearly. By-the-by, have you
ever said anything to her?"

"O yes, sir, we are pledged to each other."

"That's all right: I thought so, when I