_Mr. Falconer._ You do not say so much for sons. _The Rev. Dr. Opimian._ Young men are ambitious, self-willed, self-indulgent, easily corrupted by bad example, of which there is always too much. I cannot say much for those of the present day, though it is not absolutely destitute of good specimens. _Mr. Falconer._ You know what Paterculus says of those of his own day. _The Rev. Dr. Opimian._ 'The faith of wives towards the proscribed was great; of freed-men, middling; of slaves, some; of sons, none.'{1} So he says; but there were some: for example, of the sons of Marcus Oppius and Quintus Cicero.{2} You may observe, by the way, he gives the first place to the wives. 1 Id tamen nolandum est, fuisse in proscriptos uxorum fidem summam, libcriorum niediam, servorum ahquam, filiorum nullam.--Paterculus, 1. ii. c. 67. 2 A compendious and comprehensive account of these and other instances of filial piety, in the proscription of the second triumvirate, will be found in Freinihemius; Suppununta Liviania, cxx. 77-80. _Mr. Falconer._ Well, that is a lottery in which every man must take his chance. But my scheme of life was perfect. _The Rev. Dr. Opimian._ Perhaps there is something to be said against condemning seven young women to celibacy. _Mr. Falconer._ But if such were their choice-- _The Rev. Dr. Opimian._ No doubt there are many reasons why they should prefer the condition they are placed in to the ordinary chances of marriage: but, after all, to be married is the natural aspiration of a young woman, and if favourable conditions presented themselves-- _Mr. Falconer._ Conditions suitable to their education are scarcely compatible with their social position. _The Rev. Dr. Opimian._ They have been educated to be both useful and ornamental. The ornamental need not, and in their case certainly does not, damage the useful, which in itself would procure them suitable matches. Mr. Falconer shook his head, and, after a brief pause, poured out a volume of quotations, demonstrating the general unhappiness of marriage. The doctor responded by as many, demonstrating the contrary. He paused to take breath. Both laughed heartily. But the result of the discussion and the laughter was, that Mr. Falconer was curious to see Lord Curryfin, and would therefore go to Gryll Grange. CHAPTER XIII LORD CURRYFIN--SIBERIAN DINNERS--SOCIAL MONOTONY Ille potens sui laetusque deget, cui licet in diem dixisse, Vixi: eras vel atra nube polum pater occupato, vel sole puro: non tamen irritum quodcumque retro est, efficiet; neque diffinget infectumque reddet, quod fugiens semel hora vexit. --Hor. Carm. iii. 29.