s are clear upon the point,
and surely these young people were joined, or permitted to plight
themselves to each other by the consent of you, the priest of your own
family. My views, I say, are clear, and I will lay them down at length
in a series of two or three discourses which, no doubt, will satisfy
you. Upon which," says Jack, "my father said, 'I am satisfied already,
my dear boy,' and my lively little Het (who has much archness) whispers
to me, 'Jack, mother and I will make you a dozen shirts, as sure as eggs
is eggs.'"

"Whilst we were talking," Mr. Lambert resumed, "my sister Theodosia
made her appearance, I must say very much agitated and pale, kissed our
father, and sate down at his side, and took a sippet of toast--(my dear
George, this port is excellent, and I drink your health)--and took a
sippet of toast and dipped it in his negus.

"'You should have been here to hear Jack's sermon!' says Hester. 'He has
been preaching most beautifully.'

"'Has he?' asks Theodosia, who is too languid and weak, poor thing, much
to care for the exercises of eloquence, or the display of authorities,
such as I must own," says Jack, "it was given to me this afternoon to
bring forward.

"'He has talked for three quarters of an hour by Shrewsbury clock,' says
my father, though I certainly had not talked so long or half so long
by my own watch. 'And his discourse has been you, my dear,' says papa,
playing with Theodosia's hand.

"'Me, papa?'

"'You and--and Mr. Warrington--and--and George, my love,' says papa.
Upon which" (says Mr. Jack). "my sister came closer to the General, and
laid her head upon him, and wept upon his shoulder.

"'This is different, sir,' says I, 'to a passage I remember in
Pausanias.'

"'In Pausanias? Indeed!' said the General. 'And pray who was he?'

"I smiled at my father's simplicity in exposing his ignorance before his
children. 'When Ulysses was taking away Penelope from her father,
the king hastened after his daughter and bridegroom, and besought his
darling to return. Whereupon, it is related, Ulysses offered her her
choice,--whether she would return, or go on with him? Upon which the
daughter of Icarius covered her face with her veil. For want of a veil
my sister has taken refuge in your waistcoat, sir,' I said, and we all
laughed; though my mother vowed that if such a proposal had been made
to her, or Penelope had been a girl of spirit, she would have gone home
with her father that instan