One
of the enviable men, being only just of age, was indeed too young to
excite hopes in the more elderly ladies, but another more fortunate, if
he knew his happiness, ("_sua si bona norit_"), was exposed to the
attacks, more or less open, of every unmarried woman. Alas! he was
insensible to his privileges; a steady man of fifty-five, a dignitary of
the church, devoted to study, and shy in his habits, he seemed to shrink
from the kind attentions he received, and to wish for a less favoured, a
less glorious state of existence. His desires seemed limited to reading
the Fathers, writing sermons, and doing his duty as a divine; and he
appeared of opinion that no helpmate was required to fulfil them. But
still the indefatigable phalanx of forty-five, with three or four widows
as auxiliaries, continued their attacks, and his age, as I before
observed, was fatally encouraging to the hopes of each. The youngest
looked in their glasses and remembered the power of youth and beauty;
the middle-aged calculated on the good sense and propriety of character
of their object, and were "sure he would never marry a girl;" and the
most elderly exaggerated his gravity, thought of his shovel hat, and
seemed to suppose that every woman under fifty must be too giddy for its
wearer. Meanwhile, what a life he led!--his opinions law; his wishes
gospel; the cathedral crowded when he preached; churches attended;
schools visited; waltzing calumniated; novels concealed; shoulders
covered; petticoats lengthened--all to gain his approving eye.
Pages:
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50