As she said this, not daring to abide the interpretation that her words might bear, she rose and with apparent agitation left the room. CHAPTER III. _A definitive Explanation takes place between Maria Devereux and Major Wilson._ When Maria had retired, the company were silent for a time. Devereux at length addressed De Lancaster, and said--How much I hold your character in honour for what you have related to us, I cannot tell you; but I am convinced the proper use of the advantages, that affluence gives us (and therein I agree with my Maria) is, to procure that lasting happiness, which a well-chosen partnership for life is of all chances, that this world can give us, the likeliest to ensure to us. Some aspire to raise their families to rank and title; and it would be a laudable ambition, if nobler principles, superior wisdom and sublimer virtues were interwoven with our pedigrees, and descended to our posterity with the patents of our peerages, and entail of our estates: but these are not the expectations, neither are they the motives, that induce ambitious parents to betray their children into those fatal and delusive marriages, which only elevate them to become conspicuous objects of disgrace and scorn. I have been long persuaded, that the controul of parents over the affections and attachments of their children should, by the laws of nature and of reason, be only exercised for the prevention of ill-advised, unworthy, indiscreet connections, which cannot fail to lead to ruin and repentance. A dissipated profligate, a vain fool, a gamester, a disbeliever, libertines without principle and conceited puppies without employ have been known to catch the eyes of an unthinking girl, but ’tis the parent’s duty to repulse them; so is it not his duty, but the abuse of it, when he refuses to bestow her fortune upon the worthy man, whom she has honourably singled out, and wisely chosen, not by the eye, but heart, to be the sharer of her happiness. The children, Heaven hath blessed me with, are fitted by understanding, and fully able by the ample means, which of right they possess, to carve out for themselves their future lot in life, without regard to what the objects of their choice may be unprovided with, and which they abound in--worldly property. Each of them have enough, whereon to live in ease and affluence so long as they can live in harmony and peace--And now I have tired you with a long harangue, but I would wish to have it understood by all here present as my rule of practice; so with your leave, good friends, we will break up this court of conscience, and remove our cause into another, where we can have the counsel and assistance of the lady, who there is left in solitary expectation of our company over her tea and coffee.