world in general is supposed to consider the medium of excellence, sensible people rather admire such excess or defect. Sensible people, for instance, may admire that eccentricity which is not according to the popular standard. Some may admire rather more than the standard allowance of pride, or prefer a little deficiency in the article of meekness. Philip was well acquainted with his mother’s taste in all these matters, and therefore he extolled the ladies to his mother’s mind, though he did not loudly praise them to her ear; for he spoke of the daughter after the same manner as he had spoken of the mother. Another pause following this part of the conversation, gave an opportunity to Lord Martindale to suggest that it might perhaps be advisable for Philip to marry the young foreigner, and thus to have a double hold on Mr. John Martindale’s affections. This proposal was very artfully insinuated into his lordship’s mind by the manner in which Philip had spoken of the high esteem in which Mr. John Martindale appeared to hold his new family. When his lordship had spoken, Philip did not reply, waiting for Lady Martindale’s opinion, which was generally of more weight in the family than that of his lordship. No answer being given, the question was repeated. Philip then replied, that what his lordship had said was perfectly true; the property of Mr. John Martindale would be clearly secured by this arrangement, and so far as the young lady was concerned, there could be no objection on the ground of style and manner, or of education. This was said hesitatingly, so that his lordship was under the necessity of asking what other objection there could be; to which Mr. Philip ventured to mention the circumstance of her mother’s birth. Now this on Philip’s part was a very affected refinement; but it was said for Lady Martindale’s ear, who then replied, that such objection was fastidious indeed, if the ladies were such as they had been described. The greatest objection to such a step was, in her opinion, that it was not quite so sure of answering the purpose in point of property as they imagined. There was no answering for caprice; and it was possible that the property might be so left, as that Philip might have no power over it.