Part 5 (1/2)

'Well, then, I think it necessary to inforh a sensible, well educated, liberal-minded, man, Mr Francis has neither estate nor fortune, nor does he practise any lucrative profession'

'I aenerosity ht benefit But, what is it to me?'

'You affect to '

'I will speak more plainly:--Has he made you any proposals?'

The purport of this solemn, but ludicrous, preparation, at once flashed upon hed--I could not help it

'I considered Mr Francis as a _philosopher_, and not as a _lover_ Does this satisfy you, Sir?'

My uncle's features, in spite of himself, relaxed into a half-smile

'Very platonic--sweet simplicity!'--drauled out Mrs Morton, in ironical accents

'I will not be insulted, Mr Morton!' quittingin temper--'I consider myself, merely, as your visitant, and not as responsible to any one for my actions Conscious of purity of intention, and superior to all disguise or evasion, I was not aware of these feestions If this behaviour be a specimen of what I am to expect in the world--the world may do its will--but I will never be its slave: while I have strength of e to act upon theeneral candour and good sense of mankind to appreciate me justly As the brother of my late father, and as entitled to respect fro to enter into any explanations, which _you_, _Sir_, may think necessary:--neither ation Will you permit me to attend you in your library? It is not er on your hospitality, and I could wish to availmy future destination'

Mr Morton, at my request, withdreith me into the library, where I quickly removed from his mind those injurious suspicions hich Mrs Morton had laboured to inspire hiized for what had passed--assured me of his friendshi+p and protection--and entreated me to consider his house as my home There was an honest warmth and sincerity in his manner, that sensibly affected ed, at his repeated request, not to think, at present, of withdrawing myself from his protection Thus we separated

Hoere the virtues of this really good iddy hours of youth, we thoughtlessly rush into engagements, that fetter ouron the important consequences of our conduct This is a subject on which I have had occasion to reflect deeply; yet, alas! my own boasted reason has been, but too often, the dupe of , here, occupied my heart--a heart to which it was necessary to love and admire I had suffered myself to be irritated--the tumult of my spirits did not easily subside--I was mortified at the reflection--I had believed myself armed with patience and fortitude, but my philosophy ept before the impetuous emotions of my passions like chaff before the ind I took up my pen to calm my spirits, and addressed myself to the man who had been, unconsciously, the occasion of these vexations--My swelling heart needed the relief of coht earnestly for the privilege of addressing you on paper My mind seemed to overfloith a thousand sentie to express in words; but nohen the period is arrived, that I can take up lance, unchecked by your poignant reply, and pour out my spirit before you, I feel as if its emotions were too ard, too visionary, too contradictory, toI see and hear is a disappoint only with books--dwelling with ardour on the great characters, and heroic actions, of antiquity, all my ideas of honour and distinction were associated with those of virtue and talents I conceived, that the pursuit of truth, and the advancerand objects of universal attention, and I panted to do ho th lead them to happiness Accustomed to think, to feel, to kindle into action, I am at a loss to understand the distinction between theory and practice, which every one see and ence, which fills loom, was to them a subject of exultation

'Is virtue, then, a chiions of ro our fellow creatures weak andwho formed them unjust, capricious, impotent, or tyrannical?

'Answer these questions, that press heavily on htestits sun-shi+ne with a thick and impenetrable darkness Must the benevolent ehted to cherish, turn into misanthropy--ive place to inanity, to apathy--orous mind sink into torpor and abhorred vacuity?

'While they teach me to distrust the existence of virtue, they endeavour to impose on me, in its stead, a fictitious seold of truth, a paltry tinsel It is in vain I ask--what have those to do with ”_see_,” who still retain ”that which _passeth shew_?” However ious exarity, and disdain to wear the _appearance_ of virtue, when the substance shall no longer exist

'To adenial to my nature--I am unhappy, because these affections are not called into exercise To venerate abstract perfection, requires too vigorous an exertion of the mental powers--I would see virtue exemplified, I would love it in lorious enthusiasm, and rise from created to uncreated excellence

'I as of itated, prepare er bea with a thousand vivid hues, is overspread with mists, which the ain, the value of existence, the worth of rectitude, the certainty of truth, the blessing of hope! Ah! tell ay expectations of youth have been the meteors of fancy, the visions of a roination! If I must not live to realize them, I would not live at all

'My harrassed mind turns to you! You will not ridicule its scruples--you will, at least, deign to reason with , I shall experience a temporary relief from the sensations which devour me, the suspicions that distress me, and which spread over futurity a fearful veil

'EMMA'