With prospects bright upon the world he came,
Pure love of virtue, strong desire of fame;
Men watched the way his lofty mind would take,
And all foretold the progress he would make.
But it could not be expected that he should resist the snare
which Mrs. Mannering's imprudence threw in his way, or
avoid becoming attached to a young lady, whose beauty and
manners might have justified his passion, even in scenes
where these are more generally met with, than in a remote
fortress in our Indian settlements. The scenes which
followed have been partly detailed in Mannering's letter to
Mr. Mervyn; and to expand what is there stated into further
explanation, would be to abuse the patience of our readers.
We shall, therefore, proceed with our promised extracts from
Miss Mannering's letters to her friend.
Sixth Extract.
I have seen him again, Matilda--seen him twice. I have used every
argument to convince him that this secret intercourse is dangerous
to us both--I even pressed him to pursue his views of fortune
without further regard to me, and to consider my peace of mind as
sufficiently secured by the knowledge that he had not fallen under
my father's sword. He answers--but how can I detail all he has to
answer? he claims those hopes as his due which my mother permitted
him to entertain, and would persuade me to the madness of a union
without my father's sanction. But to this, Matilda, I will not be
persuaded. I have resisted, I have subdued, the rebellious
feelings which arose to aid his plea; yet how to extricate myself
from this unhappy labyrinth, in which fate and folly have entangled
us both!
"I have thought, upon it, Matilda, till my head is almost
giddy--nor can I conceive a better plan than to make a full
confession to my father. He deserves it, for his kindness is
unceasing; and I think I have observed in his character, since I
have studied it more nearly, that his harsher feelings are chiefly
excited where he suspects deceit or imposition; and in that
respect, perhaps, his character was formerly misunderstood by one
who was dear to him. He has, too, a tinge of romance in his
disposition; and I have seen the narrative of a generous action, a
trait of heroism, or virtuous self-denial, extract tears from him,
which refused to flow at a tale of mere distress. But then, Brown
urges, that he is personally hostile to him--And the obscurity
of his birth--that would be indeed a stumbling-block. O Matilda, I
hope none of your ancestors ever fought at Poictiers or Agincourt!
If it were not for the veneration which my father attaches to the
memory of old Sir Miles Mannering, I should make out my explanation
with half the tremor which must now attend it."
Seventh Extract.
"I have this instant received your letter--your most welcome
letter!--Thanks, my dearest friend, for your sympathy and your
counsels--I can only repay them with unbounded confidence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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