and instruction from a man, much more so. Love, at first, may
be only fancy. Such a young love may be easily given up, and ought, to a
parent's judgment. Nor is the conquest so difficult as some young
creatures think it. One thing, my good Emily, let me say to you, as a
rule of some consequence in the world you are just entering into--Young
persons, on arduous occasions, especially in love-cases, should not
presume to advise young persons; because they seldom can divest
themselves of passion, partiality, or prejudice; that is, indeed, of
youth; and forbear to mix their own concerns and biases with the question
referred to them. It should not be put from young friend to young
friend, What would you do in such a case? but, What ought to be done?

How the dear girl blushed, and how pleased she looked, to be particularly
addressed by her guardian!

Lady Gertrude spoke of a certain father, who for interested views obliged
his daughter to marry at fifteen, when she was not only indifferent to
the man, but had formed no right notions of the state.

And are they not unhappy? asked Sir Charles.

They are, replied she.

I knew such an instance, returned he. The lady was handsome, and had her
full share of vanity. She believed every man who said civil things to
her, was in love with her; and had she been single, that he would have
made his addresses to her. She supposed, that she might have had this
great man, or that, had she not been precipitated: And this brought her
to slight the man who had, as she concluded, deprived her of better
offers. They were unhappy to the end of their lives. Had the lady lived
single long enough to find out the difference between compliment and
sincerity, and that the man who flattered her vanity, meant no more than
to take advantage of her folly, she would have thought herself not
unhappy with the very man with whom she was so dissatisfied.

Lady L---- speaking afterwards of a certain nobleman, who is continually
railing against matrimony, and who makes a very indifferent husband to an
obliging wife: I have known more men than one, said Sir Charles, inveigh
against matrimony, when the invective would have proceeded with a much
better grace from their wives' lips than from theirs. But let us
inquire, would this complainer have been, or deserved to be, happier in
any state, than he now is?

A state of suffering, said Lady L----, had probably humbled the spirit of
the poor wife into perfect meek