the opinion of a young maiden like me can be of
little value, but you know not how much pleasure you have given me by
the sentiments you have expressed. Alas! that a man so good, so
generous, and so feeling in every other respect, should be led away by
the desire of gain, to be the owner of such a description of property.
But in this town, wealth is every thing; the way by which it is
obtained is not thought of. My father's father left him a large
property in vessels employed wholly in the slave-trade, and it was
through the persuasions of my poor mother, that my father was induced
to give up that nefarious traffic. Since that, his capital has been
chiefly employed in privateering, which, if not so brutal and
disgraceful, is certainly nearly as demoralizing. I have been home but
a short time, and I have already ventured to express my opinion,
certainly not so forcibly and so well as you have, upon the subject;
but I was laughed at as a tender-hearted girl, who could not be a fit
judge of such matters. But now that you, a captain of one of his
vessels, have expressed your dislike to the profession, I think some
good may arise. If my father were a poor man, it would be more
excusable, if excuse there can be, but such is not the case. He is
wealthy, and to whom has he to leave his wealth but to me, his only
child? Captain Elrington, you are right--be firm--my father's
obligations to you are very great, and your opinion will have its
influence. I am his daughter--his only daughter--his love for me is
great, I know, and I also have my power over him. Supported as I have
been by you, I will now exert it to the utmost to persuade him to
retire from further employment of his means in such a speculation. I
thanked you yesterday, when I first saw you, for your noble behaviour,
I little thought that I should have again, in so short a time, to
express my thanks."

Miss Trevannion did not wait for any reply from me, but then quitted
the room.

I must say, that although so young a person, I was much pleased at
Miss Trevannion's approval of my sentiments. She appeared, from the
very short acquaintance I had had with her, to be a person of a firm
and decided disposition, and very different from the insipid class of
females generally met with. Her approval strengthened my resolution;
still, as I had promised her father that I would go another cruise in
the privateer, I left the house and went on board to resume the
command. My retur