pronounce him at first sight, a tender and simpathetic Freind. Alas!
he little deserved the name--for though he told us that he was much
concerned at our Misfortunes, yet by his own account it appeared that
the perusal of them, had neither drawn from him a single sigh, nor
induced him to bestow one curse on our vindictive stars--. He told
Sophia that his Daughter depended on her returning with him to
Macdonald-Hall, and that as his Cousin's freind he should be happy
to see me there also. To Macdonald-Hall, therefore we went, and were
received with great kindness by Janetta the Daughter of Macdonald, and
the Mistress of the Mansion. Janetta was then only fifteen; naturally
well disposed, endowed with a susceptible Heart, and a simpathetic
Disposition, she might, had these amiable qualities been properly
encouraged, have been an ornament to human Nature; but unfortunately her
Father possessed not a soul sufficiently exalted to admire so promising
a Disposition, and had endeavoured by every means on his power
to prevent it encreasing with her Years. He had actually so far
extinguished the natural noble Sensibility of her Heart, as to prevail
on her to accept an offer from a young Man of his Recommendation. They
were to be married in a few months, and Graham, was in the House when
we arrived. WE soon saw through his character. He was just such a Man as
one might have expected to be the choice of Macdonald. They said he was
Sensible, well-informed, and Agreable; we did not pretend to Judge of
such trifles, but as we were convinced he had no soul, that he had
never read the sorrows of Werter, and that his Hair bore not the least
resemblance to auburn, we were certain that Janetta could feel no
affection for him, or at least that she ought to feel none. The very
circumstance of his being her father's choice too, was so much in his
disfavour, that had he been deserving her, in every other respect yet
THAT of itself ought to have been a sufficient reason in the Eyes of
Janetta for rejecting him. These considerations we were determined to
represent to her in their proper light and doubted not of meeting with
the desired success from one naturally so well disposed; whose errors in
the affair had only arisen from a want of proper confidence in her own
opinion, and a suitable contempt of her father's. We found her indeed
all that our warmest wishes could have hoped for; we had no difficulty
to convince her that it was impossible she