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SirReginaldDeCourcytohisSon.
Parklands.
Iknowthatyoungmeningeneraldonotadmitofanyenquiryevenfromtheirnearestrelationsintoaffairsoftheheart,butIhope,mydearReginald,thatyouwillbesuperiortosuchasallownothingforafather’sanxiety,andthinkthemselvesprivilegedtorefusehimtheirconfidenceandslighthisadvice.Youmustbesensiblethatasanonlyson,andtherepresentativeofanancientfamily,yourconductinlifeismostinterestingtoyourconnectionsandintheveryimportantconcernofmarriageespecially,thereiseverythingatstake—yourownhappiness,thatofyourparents,andthecreditofyourname.Idonotsupposethatyouwoulddeliberatelyformanabsoluteengagementofthatnaturewithoutacquaintingyourmotherandmyself,oratleast,withoutbeingconvincedthatweshouldapproveofyourchoicebutIcannothelpfearingthatyoumaybedrawnin,bytheladywhohaslatelyattachedyou,toamarriagewhichthewholeofyourf
