‘Indeed but he is, ſaid Allworthy, and a Brother of mine too.’—‘Bleſs me, Sir, ſaid the Doctor, do you know the ſhocking Affair?’—‘Look’ee, Mr. Blifil, anſwered the good Man, it hath been my conſtant Maxim in Life, to make the beſt of all Matters which happen. My Siſter, tho’ many Years younger than me, is at leaſt old enough to be at the Age of Diſcretion. Had he impoſed on a Child, I ſhould have been more averſe to have forgiven him; but a Woman upwards of thirty muſt certainly be ſuppoſed to know what will make her moſt happy. She hath married a Gentleman, tho’ perhaps not quite her Equal in Fortune and if he hath any Perfections in her Eye, which can make up that Deficiency, I ſee no Reaſon why I ſhould object to her Choice of her own Happineſs; which I, no more than herſelf, imagine to conſiſt only in immenſe Wealth. I might, perhaps, from the many Declarations I have made, of complying with almoſt any Propoſal, have expected to have been conſulted on this Occaſion; but theſe Matters are of a very delicate Nature, and the Scruples of Modeſty perhaps are not to be overcome. As to your Brother, I have really no‘Anger
