Oldham.
Ah, Charlotte! And is it out of doubt, that you are the daughter of Lady
Grandison, and sister of Sir Charles Grandison?--Well, but I believe you
are--Some children take after the father, some after the mother!--Forgive
me, my dear.
But I won't. I have a great mind to quarrel with you, Harriet.
Pray don't; because I could neither help, nor can be sorry for, what I
said. But pray proceed.
Why, he made presents to the children. I don't know what they were; nor
could the doctor tell me. I suppose very handsome ones; for he has the
spirit of a prince. He inquired very particularly after the circumstances
of the mother; and was more kind to her than many people would be to
their own mothers.--He can account for this, I suppose--though I cannot.
The woman, it is true, is of a good family, and so forth: but that
enhances her crime. Natural children abound in the present age. Keeping
is fashionable. Good men should not countenance such wretches.--But my
brother and you are charitable creatures!--With all my heart, child.
Virtue, however, has at least as much to say on one side of the question
as on the other.
When the poor children are in the world, as your brother said--When the
poor women are penitents, true penitents--Your brother's treatment of
Mrs. Giffard was different. He is in both instances an imitator of the
Almighty; a humbler of the impenitent, and an encourager of those who
repent.
Pages:
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158