arge of two
high-spirited young Females, in whom conventional education has failed
to subdue Aspirations for worldly happiness whilst it has left them
somewhat inexperienced in the Conventions of Society, I find a _little
trying_. It does not harmonise with the retired, peaceful existence to
which I am accustomed (and at my time of life, I think, entitled), in
which it is my humble endeavour to wean myself from this earth which
is so full of Emptiness and to prepare myself for that other and
_better_ Home into which we must all resign ourselves to enter. And
happy, indeed, my dear Rupert, such of us as will be found worthy; for
come to it we all must, and the longer we live, the sooner we may
expect to do so.

"The necessity of producing them in Society, is, however, rendered a
matter of greater responsibility by the fact of the _handsome_
Fortunes which these young creatures possess already, not to speak of
their expectations."

Rupert, who had been listening to his aunt's letter, through the
intermediary of Miss Sophia's depressing sing-song, with an abstracted
air, here lifted up his head, and commanded the reader to repeat this
last passage. She did so, and paused, awaiting his further pleasure,
while he threw his handsome head back upon his chair, and closed his
eyes as if lost in calculations.

At length he waved his hand, and Miss Sophia proceeded after the usual
floundering:

"A neighbour of mine at Bunratty, Mrs. Hambledon of Brianstown, a
_lively_ widow (herself one of the Macnamaras of the Reeks, and thus a
distant connection of the Ballinasloe branch of O'Donoghues), and whom
I had reason to believe I could trust--but I will not anticipate--took
a prodigious fancy to Miss Molly and proposed, towards the beginning
of the Autumn, carrying her away to Dublin. At the same time the wet
summer, producing in me an acute recurrence of that Affection from
which, as you know, I suffer, and about which you _never fail_ to make
such kind Enquiries at Christmas and Easter, compelled me to call in
Mr. O'Mally, the apothecary, who has been my very _obliging_ medical
adviser for so many years, and who strenuously advocated an immediate
course of waters at Bath. In short, my dear Nephew, thus the matter
was settled, your cousin Molly departed _radiant_ with _good_ spirits,
and _good_ looks for a spell of gayety in Dublin, while your cousin
Madeleine, prepared (with _equal_ content) to accompany her old aunt
to Bath. It