of every thing manly,
noble, vigorous, and ingenuous, and transforming him, as far as
possible, into his opposite, that he may be just good enough to serve
them as a contemptible toy. What you were just now expressing, is a
mode of thinking which belonged to an age that has now almost gone by,
an age, which stood in hostile opposition to truth, but particularly to
religious feeling. I must also inform you, that you will not find that
style of behaviour, by which our young gentlemen formerly thought they
improved themselves, in the society of these women, because with them
all is sacred truth, innocence and genuine piety."

His friend endeavoured to justify his opinion and himself, as in
animated conversation they briskly pursued their way. They now saw
before them the garden, where, in the cool walks, the Baroness, with
her family and some select friends, was awaiting their arrival. All
felt refreshed and at ease amid the verdant scene.

Only the young counsellor Alfred found a difficulty, at first, in
adapting himself to the tone and topics of the company. He was, as is
frequently the case, too much on the stretch, to give himself up with
ease to the conversation; he had also too much at his heart, which he
strove to bring forward with a timidity, by means of which he often
confused himself, and was put out by others; for by the time he had
digested his thoughts into a speech, the proper moment for introducing
it had gone by; and, among the new subjects of conversation, there
occurred a multitude of things which seemed to him unintelligible, and
on which he was too bashful to beg more particular information. In
addition to this, he was in a manner dazzled by the charms of the
ladies; the married daughter Kunigunde was a brilliant beauty; still
more radiant was the loveliness of her younger sister Clementine, to
which the light complexion and girlish physiognomy of the youngest,
miss Clara, formed a sweet contrast; the mother herself might still
make pretensions to a pleasing person, and it was evident that she had
been in her youth a beautiful woman. Dorothea, the eldest daughter,
attracted the least attention in this circle, beautiful as was her eye,
and delicate as was her shape; she herself shrank back, and kept still
and shy; she seemed even to take but little interest in the animated
conversation of her sisters, and it was remarkable that no speech or
question was addressed to her, notwithstanding the pains which