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SirReginaldDeCourcytohisSon. Parklands. Iknowthatyoungmeningeneraldonotadmitofanyenquiryevenfromtheirnearestrelationsintoaffairsoftheheart,butIhope,mydearReginald,thatyouwillbesuperiortosuchasallownothingforafather’sanxiety,andthinkthemselvesprivilegedtorefusehimtheirconfidenceandslighthisadvice.Youmustbesensiblethatasanonlyson,andtherepresentativeofanancientfamily,yourconductinlifeismostinterestingtoyourconnectionsandintheveryimportantconcernofmarriageespecially,thereiseverythingatstake—yourownhappiness,thatofyourparents,andthecreditofyourname.Idonotsupposethatyouwoulddeliberatelyformanabsoluteengagementofthatnaturewithoutacquaintingyourmotherandmyself,oratleast,withoutbeingconvincedthatweshouldapproveofyourchoicebutIcannothelpfearingthatyoumaybedrawnin,bytheladywhohaslatelyattachedyou,toamarriagewhichthewholeofyourfamily,farandnear,musthighlyreprobate.LadySusan’sageisitselfamaterialobjection,butherwantofcharacterisonesomuchmoreserious,thatthedifferenceofeventwelveyearsbecomesincomparisonofsmallamount.Wereyounotblindedbyasortoffascination,itwouldberidiculousinmetorepeattheinstancesofgreatmisconductonhersidesoverygenerallyknown. Herneglectofherhusband,herencouragementofothermen,herextravaganceanddissipation,weresogrossandnotoriousthatnoonecouldbeignorantofthematthetime,norcannowhaveforgottenthem.ToourfamilyshehasalwaysbeenrepresentedinsoftenedcoloursbythebenevolenceofMr.CharlesVernon,andyet,inspiteofhisgenerousendeavourstoexcuseher,weknowthatshedid,fromthemostselfishmotives,takeallpossiblepainstopreventhismarriagewithCatherine. Myyearsandincreasinginfirmitiesmakemeverydesirousofseeingyousettledintheworld.Tothefortuneofawife,thegoodnesso