as wholly English, and my youth, my
education, and my father's wealth made me an object of much attention.
And the same causes that lulled to sleep my own watchfulness had the
same effect upon that of others. To regret or to praise this remissness
is now too late. Certain it is, that my destiny, and not a happy
destiny, was fixed by it.

"The fruit of this remissness was a passion for one who fully returned
it. Almost as young as I, who was only sixteen; he knew as little as
myself what obstacles the difference of our births was likely to raise
between us. His father, Sir Ralph Fielding, a man nobly born, high in
office, splendidly allied, could not be expected to consent to the
marriage of his eldest son, in such green youth, to the daughter of an
alien, a Portuguese, a Jew; but these impediments were not seen by my
ignorance, and were overlooked by the youth's passion.

"But, strange to tell, what common prudence would have so confidently
predicted did not happen. Sir Ralph had a numerous family, likely to be
still more so; had but slender patrimony; the income of his offices
nearly made up his all. The young man was headstrong, impetuous, and
would probably disregard the inclinations of his family. Yet the father
would not consent but on one condition,--that of my admission to the
English Church.

"No very strenuous opposition to these terms could be expected from me.
At so thoughtless an age, with an education so unfavourable to religious
impressions; swayed, likewise, by the strongest of human passions; made
somewhat impatient, by the company I kept, of the disrepute and scorn to
which the Jewish nation are everywhere condemned, I could not be
expected to be very averse to the scheme.

"My fears as to what my father's decision would be were soon at an end.
He loved his child too well to thwart her wishes in so essential a
point. Finding in me no scruples, no unwillingness, he thought it absurd
to be scrupulous for me. My own heart having abjured my religion, it was
absurd to make any difficulty about a formal renunciation. These were
his avowed reasons for concurrence, but time showed that he had probably
other reasons, founded, indeed, in his regard for my happiness, but such
as, if they had been known, would probably have strengthened into
invincible the reluctance of my lover's family.

"No marriage was ever attended with happier presages. The numerous
relations of my husband admitted me with the utmost cor