’But this may lead into hateful recrimination.—­Let it be remembered, I will only say, in this place, that, in their eye, you have robbed them of a daughter they doated upon; and that their resentments on this occasion rise but in proportion to their love and their disappointment.  If they were faulty in some of the measures they took, while they themselves did not think so, who shall judge for them?  You, Sir, who will judge every body as you please, and will let nobody judge you in your own particular, must not be their judge.—­It may therefore be expected that they will stand out.

’As for myself, Sir, I must leave it (so seems it to be destined) to your justice, to treat me as you shall think I deserve:  but, if your future behaviour to them is not governed by that harsh-sounding implacableness, which you charge upon some of their tempers, the splendour of your family, and the excellent character of some of them (of all indeed, unless your own conscience furnishes you with one only exception) will, on better consideration, do every thing with them:  for they may be overcome; perhaps, however, with the more difficulty, as the greatly prosperous less bear controul and disappointment than others:  for I will own to you, that I have often in secret lamented, that their great acquirements have been a snare to them; perhaps as great a snare, as some other accidentals have been to you; which being less immediately your own gifts, you have still less reason than they to value yourself upon them.

’Let me only, on this subject, further observe, that condescension is not meanness.  There is a glory in yielding, that hardly any violent spirit can judge of.  My brother, perhaps, is no more sensible of this than you.  But as you have talents, which he has not, (who, however, has, as I hope, that regard for morals, the want of which makes one of his objections to you,) I could wish it may not be owing to you, that your mutual dislikes to each other do not subside! for it is my earnest hope, that in time you may see each other, without exciting the fears of a wife and a sister for the consequence.  Not that I should wish you to yield in points that truly concerned your honour:  no, Sir; I would be as delicate in such, as you yourself:  more delicate, I will venture to say, because more uniformly so.  How vain, how contemptible, is that pride, which shows itself in standing upon diminutive observances; and gives up, and makes a jest of, the most important duties!

’This article being considered as I wish, all the rest will be easy.  Were I to accept of the handsome separate provision you seem to intend me; added to the considerate sums arisen from my grandfather’s estate since his death (more considerable than perhaps you may suppose from your offer); I should think it my duty to lay up for the family good, and for unforseen events, out of it:  for, as to my donations, I would generally confine myself in them to the tenth