_Cleanthes._—She’ll be a castaway—my life upon ’t. _Hermione._—Man argues from his fiercer will, nor knows True virtue’s quality in woman’s breast. My daughter, sir, is virtuous, and virtue Will to herself subdue e’en rebel Nature. Had she been linked in love with one her choice, She had been all soul, following her wedded lord Through life’s worst perils, frankly, fearlessly; But matched, ere yet her young heart spoke, with one She cannot love, she’ll give her love to duty, And cheerful, although passionless, perform it Calmly, contentedly, nor ever dream Of joys she must not know, and so pass on Into the quiet grave. _Old Manuscript Play._ Mr. Cresford soon found some excuse for calling upon Captain Wareham, and in the course of his visit contrived to give himself a commission to execute, which justified another visit, another and another. Captain Wareham thought the symptoms were auspicious, and entertained some hope of honourably disposing of one daughter in marriage, but Caroline, profiting by her own experience, warned Ellen not to place any reliance on these signs of preference. “You do not know the world yet, Ellen,” she said; “you do not know how often the same sort of thing has happened to me. Remember Major Barton last winter, and poor Mr. Astell—however, I do think he would have proposed if he had lived. Talk to Mr. Cresford as much as you please, for, as my aunt says, ‘nothing can come of nothing,’ but do not let yourself like him, till he has actually proposed. Remember what I have already told you, a woman cannot guess whether a man is in earnest or not, till he does propose.” Ellen thought her sister was very prudent and sensible, and she resolved to follow her advice. Nor did she find the task a difficult one. Mr. Cresford, although handsome, was not pleasing, and the very vehemence of his love rather alarmed and confused the young Ellen. This was the season of gaity at ——, and there were frequent dinners and parties among the canons and prebends. Caroline regularly asked Ellen every night, whether Mr. Cresford had proposed, and for ten days Ellen answered, “No, not quite.” Caroline continued her warnings, and Ellen her watch over her heart. At length Mr. Cresford waited one morning upon Captain Wareham, and in good set terms asked him for his daughter’s hand. Captain Wareham accepted his proposal, and informed Ellen of the event.