family or her wealth may consider as the
most eligible connection."

"On that subject there are many opinions, my friend," replied Don
Rebiera. "It is true, that when a marriage of convenience is arranged
by the parents, the dispositions of the parties are made a secondary
point; but then, again, it must be remembered, that when a choice is
left to the parties themselves, it is at an age at which there is little
worldly consideration: and, led away, in the first place, by their
passions, they form connections with those inferior in their station,
which are attended with eventual unhappiness; or, in the other, allowing
that they do choose in their own rank of life, they make quite as bad or
often a worse choice than if their partners were selected for them."

"I cannot understand that," replied Gascoigne.

"The reason is, because there are no means, or if means, no wish, to
study each other's disposition. A young man is attracted by person, and
he admires; the young woman is flattered by the admiration, and is
agreeable; if she has any faults she is not likely to display them--not
concealing them from hypocrisy, but because they are not called out.
The young man falls in love, so does the young woman; and when once in
love, they can no longer see faults; they marry, imagining that they
have found perfection. In the blindness of love, each raises the other
to a standard of perfection which human nature can never attain, and
each becomes equally annoyed on finding, by degrees, that they were in
error. The reaction takes place, and they then underrate, as much as
before they had overrated, each other. Now, if two young people marry
without this violence of passion, they do not expect to find each other
perfect, and perhaps have a better chance of happiness."

"I don't agree with you," thought Gascoigne; "but as you appear to be as
fond of argument as my friend Jack, I shall make no reply, lest there he
no end to the story."

Don Rebiera proceeded.

"My mother, finding that my father preferred his closet and his books to
gaiety and dissipation, soon left him to himself, and amused herself
after her own fashion, but not until I was born, which was ten months
after their marriage. My father was confiding, and, pleased that my
mother should be amused, he indulged her in everything. Time flew on,
and I had arrived at my fifteenth year, and came home from my studies,
it being intended that I should enter the army, w