Charlotte Smith

“ I entirely acquiesce in all the observations you make in your letter; they are worthy of your heart and understanding; yet, believe me, D'Alonville, was I independent, had I an house and a fortune, my friend should not seek in any other family, that home which it would be my pride and delight to offer him. In regard to your accepting the situation proposed to you by Miss Milsington, you must yourself judge how far it may be such as agrees with your habits and inclination; if you marry Angelina immediately, and I am epicurean enough to advise you to do so, can you determine to quit her? ”

“ Miss Pawson has a stronger mind, and "cannot read love stories;" she likes the debates of the House, a smart political pamphlet, or a polemical quarrel between two learned divines, of which she understands not a word; but being tolerably certain of not meeting any body in the circle she lives in, who understands more, she ventures to speak upon these abstruse subjects, if she can procure an hearer, and is reckoned "a young woman of very great understanding." ”

“ In the due course of the post from Eddisbury Hall, D'Alonville received from Ellesmere the following answer:
"You are an enviable and fortunate fellow, D'Alonville:—What! to have the most accomplished woman in England the fair, the amiable Jemima Milsington interest herself in your destiny, and place you in the family of her relation, more beautiful than fabled Hours! ”

“ I frequently see her amidst all the splendours that surround her, endeavouring to be really as happy as people tell her she is; but though she is not a young woman who has been accustomed to think much, or to make companions who can show her the difference between real and imaginary good, I can plainly perceive that her heart refuses to acquiesce in the assertion, that she is "A most fortunate woman;" ”

“ It is better to attempt myself to remedy the narrowness of our fortune. However, I merely communicate to you, my dear Ellesmere, my thoughts on this subject, without meaning to adopt any plan till it has had your approbation. ”

“ I have not time to give you a sketch of her character; but her person though the Houri's is not in so much danger of being but second best, as the energetic Jemima seems to apprehend, her person is certainly beautiful, according to the common acceptation of the word; and, to what nature has done for her, she fails not to add every embellishment of art. ”

“ Edward" is heir to a title—but they may spare themselves their flattering solicitudes—and to do my mother justice, she takes every possible precaution to secure from any fatal partiality to her son, the hearts of Miss Grimes and Miss Pawson, two fair and sentimental damsels from a neighbouring provincial town, who are very much at Eddisbury, by telling them that is is absolutely necessary for Edward to marry a woman of large fortune. Miss Grimes reads novels, and is very much distressed at not having yet found in real life a hero who answers to "her ideas." ”

“ My relation, the present Lady Aberdore, is a very young woman, and beautiful as the fabled Houri—of course fond of admiration, and the gaieties of court, where from her rank and loveliness she is much noticed. With the best dispositions in the world, it is not in her power to attend to the education of her husband's children. The young ladies are growing up ”

“ None of these, perhaps, are very dangerous inmates, though they flatter Theodora till she believes herself a little goddess; but there are another set of people often about her, who are, in my opinion, more the subjects of alarm.—These are idle young men of fashion, who frequent Darnly's house, because " it is a monstrous good lounge, and because he gives devilish good dinners." There are seldom less than two or three of these honest gentlemen, who condescend to pass, with their horses and servants, a fortnight or a week together at Darnly ”

“ The cruel events that have desolated France, and driven her most illustrious families to exile, must sensibly affect every person bien ns—I have most exquisitely participated the general concern, but alas! ”

“ Darnly that he too is happy. This man can never live a moment alone; and as there is nothing attractive about him but his money, and the luxuries his house affords, you may imagine what is the description of people who are assembled there—captains of Indiaman retired ”

“ Mrs. Denzil was now eager to quit her lodgings at Wandsworth, and go farther into the country; but the season of the year, as it was mid-winter, was unfavourable to her removal; and while she positively refused any assistance from D'Alonville, she felt how impossible it was to remove such a family, unless she could procure justice from those of whom she had a right to demand it.—Nor could she resolve to abandon her unfortunate French friends, for though the arrival of De Touranges had relieved his mother and his wife from the most severe and insupportable of their sorrow, Mrs. ”