“I do know that there is such a person,” replied Mr Darnley, “but I can hardly be said to have the honor of an acquaintance with Mr Primrose. It does not suit my habits to extend my acquaintance, or to form new intimacies.” This last remark looked something like a hint to Mr Pringle that he should not presume to anticipate an intimacy with his brother clergyman. But still it was uttered with no uncourteous tone, and Mr Pringle was not compelled to apply and take it to himself. He went on and said; “But you formerly, I believe, were acquainted with that gentleman’s daughter?” “Formerly, I was,” said Mr Darnley, without any change of tone, or any visible symptom of resentment or relenting. And then Mr Pringle proceeded: “But, surely, sir, though you may have now no acquaintance with Mr Primrose and his daughter, you would not refuse to do anything in your power to save a respectable young lady from destruction?” “I do not know, Mr Pringle,” said the rector of Neverden, “to what you may be now alluding; but I am sorry to say that the young lady of whom you are speaking has already refused my advice, and I am not in the habit of forcing my admonitions on those who despise them. You may not be acquainted with all the facts of the case to which I refer, but the time was when I would have been a real friend and benefactor to Miss Primrose; but the fascinations and gaieties of the metropolis, and the empty patronage of high rank, led her to despise my kind offers. Still however if, as you say, I can save the young lady from destruction, I shall most willingly give my assistance, for I bear no resentment; only let me add, that I will have no farther acquaintance with Mr Primrose or his daughter. I wish them well and would do them any service in my power, but I cannot have any acquaintance with them.” That was not a very good kind of well-wishing; but such kind of feeling is very prevalent, and passes with multitudes as mightily generous. At least we suppose that it so passes, otherwise professions of that nature would not be so frequently made nor so pompously uttered. To our thought it does not seem exactly to come up to the spirit of Christian forgiveness. It is however mightily convenient for those who wish to enjoy the pleasures of resentment, and the reputation of generosity, that they can thus easily persuade themselves that they possess a virtue which they have not, and that they have subdued a resentment which they spitefully cherish. Mr Pringle, who was desirous of rendering himself agreeable to Mr Darnley, assented very readily to what that gentleman said, and acknowledged, not exactly in so many words, but in language to that purpose, that it was indeed a most unpardonable sin to refuse to listen to the good advice of so good an adviser as Mr Darnley.