Part 72 (2/2)

One event only excepted, little remains to be told of ination of the reader

To describe the enquiries that passed between me and my uncle, the various fortunes we had encountered, and the feelings they excited, would be to write his history and tediously repeat ed heir of a reatindolent, proud, and oppressive! I have not yet forgotten that oppression exists, that pride is its chief counsellor, that activity and usefulness are the sacred duties of both rich and poor, that the wealth entrusted to my distribution is the property of those whom most it can benefit, that I am a creature of very feants, but that those few in others as well as in myself are iour Neither have I yet shut my doors on one ofin prosperity How long I shall be able to persevere in this eccentric conduct time must tell At present Icircumstances hich the reader may wish to be acquainted

After my uncle had heard me describe Olivia, and mention the motives which induced me to wish to aid her brother, he i the journey we had before proposed We neither of us wished to separate Robust in 'a green old age,' he had no fear of fatigue fro this distance; and it would be a pleasure to revisit, inmy former sports and pranks to his recollection He heard from me a confirmation of the death of Mrs

Elford; and heard it with the same tokens of melancholy in his face which he had betrayed, when he spoke of her himself

That I should have wished before I took this journey, short as it was, to have seen Olivia, related all ood fortune and partaken in the pleasure it would excite in her, ined: but fors, forbad me the enjoyment of this premature bliss I wrote however, and not only to her but to those tried and invaluable friends ere not to be neglected

We found Hector in a lamentable state Instead of the bluff robust form, which but shortly before he had worn, his lih red an and hollow, his voice was gone, his lungs were affected, and his cough was incessant He had hier; and was preparing to return to town for advice: consequently our stay was short His reception ofdebility which he felt softened his ood fortune that had befallen me, he seemed sincerely to rejoice

And now let me request the reader to call to mind, not only my first emotions of love for Olivia, and the violence of the passion that preyed uponbetween hope and despair, but those late testinified as hers could bestow; and then let hi must be

Should he expect me to describe her, such as she was and is, in all her attractions, all her beauties, and all her various excellence, he expects an impossible task To be beloved by her, to be found worthy of her, and to call her s that infinitely exceedand indubitable happiness

I know not if it will give hie, I ht have satiated myself with that unworthy and destructive passion The committee, appointed to decide on the election, voted the Idford candidate guilty of bribery and corruption The fortune of the Earl, like that of Hector, has suffered depredations which half a century will probably not repair The new-made peer and his party daily became so obnoxious to the nation, by the destructive tendency of their measures, that they were and continue to be haunted by terrors that deprive them of the faculties common to man My heart bears witness for me that I do not speak this in triumph I should be no less vicious than unworthy, could I triu: but I were a wretch indeed, were I to e of mankind a subject of exultation

Must I repeat more names? Is it necessary to say the virtues of Turl and Wilmot are too splendid to need my praise: or that htfully spent in their society? That I have aenerous-ood and faithful servant of a kind mistress? That Mary and her son are equally objects of s as acts of munificence: but as the performance of duties?

This were unnecessary Neither shall I be required to particularize the present happiness of Lydia, now Mrs Wakefield; and of thatfaculties who is her affectionate companion and friend, and froely mistaken, the world has so much to profit and so much to expect Like me, he is in the enjoyment of affluence; and he enjoys it with a liberal and munificent spirit Are there any who hate hiuilty of hateful crimes? I hope not It is a spirit that would sweep away half the inhabitants of the 'peopled earth' For ht in his conversation, am enlivened by his wit, and prompted to enquiry by the acuteness of his remarks He is a man whom I am proud to say I love

I have told my tale If it should afford instruction, if it should inspire a love of virtue, briefly, if it should contribute to the happiness of ained my purpose My labours will be most richly rewarded