pleasure’--_Octavio_ found it in vain to pursue him any farther with his petitions; only replied, it was wondrous hard and cruel. To which the old one replied; ‘It is what must be done; I have resolved it, or my estate, in value above two hundred thousand pounds, shall be disposed of to your sister, the Countess of _Clarinau_:’ and this he ended with an execration on himself if he did not do; and he was a man that always was just to his word. Much more to this ungrateful effect he spoke, and _Octavio_ had recourse to all the dissimulation his generous soul was capable of; and it was the first base thing, and sure the last that ever he was guilty of. He promises his uncle to obey all his commands and injunctions, since he would have it so; and only begged he might be permitted but one visit, to take his last leave of her. This was at first refused, but at last, provided he might hear what he said to her, he would suffer him to go: ‘For,’ said the crafty old man, (who knew too well the cunning of youth,) ‘I will have no tricks put upon me; I will not be outwitted by a young knave:’ this was the worst part of all; he knew, if he alone could speak with her, they might have contrived, by handsome agreeing flattery, to have accomplished their design; which was, first, by the authority of the old gentleman to have freed her from confinement; and next, to have settled his affairs in the best posture he could, and without valuing his uncle’s fortune, his own being greater, he resolved to go with her into _Flanders_ or _Italy_; but his going with him to visit her would prevent whatever they might resolve: but since the liberty of _Sylvia_ was first to be considered, he resolves, since it must be so and leaves the rest to time and his good fortune. ‘Well then, sir,’ said _Octavio_, ‘since you have resolved yourself, to be a witness of those melancholy things, I shall possibly say to her, let us haste to end the great affair’--’Hang it,’ cried _Sebastian_, ‘if I go I shall abuse the young hussy, or commit some indecency that will not be suitable to good manners----’ ‘I hope you will, sir’----replied _Octavio_----’Whip them, whip them,’ replied the uncle, ‘I hate the young cozening baggages, that wander about the world undoing young and extravagant coxcombs; gots so they are naught, stark naught----Be sure dispatch as soon as you can; and--do you hear--let’s have no whining.’ _Octavio_, overjoyed he should have her released to-night, promised lavishly all he was urged to: and his coach being at the gate, they both went immediately to the house of the messenger; all the way the old gentleman did nothing but rail against the vices of the age, and the sins of villainous youth; the snares of beauty, and the danger of witty women; and of how ill consequences these were to a commonwealth. He said, if he were to make laws he would confine all young women to monasteries, where they should never see man till forty, and then come