les being as
unquestionable as her talents.

After dinner, I observed that whenever the door opened, Lady Belfield's
eye was always turned toward it, in expectation of seeing the children.
Her affectionate heart felt disappointed on finding that they did not
appear, and she could not forbear whispering to me, who sat next her,
"that she was afraid the piety of our good friends was a little
tinctured with severity. For her part, she saw no reason why religion
should diminish one's affection for one's children, and rob them of
their innocent pleasures." I assured her gravely I thought so too; but
forbore telling her how totally inapposite her application was to Mr.
and Mrs. Stanley. She seemed glad to find me of her opinion, and gave up
all hope of seeing the "little melancholy recluses," as she called them,
"unless," she said, laughing, "she might be permitted to look at them
through the grate of their cells." I smiled, but did not undeceive her,
and affected to join in her compassion. When we went to attend the
ladies in the drawing-room, I was delighted to find lady Belfield
sitting on a low stool, the whole gay group at play around her. A blush
mixed itself with her good-natured smile as we interchanged a
significant look. She was questioning one of the elder ones, while the
youngest sat on her lap singing. Sir John entered, with that kindness
and good humor so natural to him, into the sports of the others, who,
though wild with health and spirits, were always gentle and docile. He
had a thousand pleasant things to entertain them with. He, too, it
seems, had not been without his misgivings.

"Are not these poor miserable recluses?" whispered I maliciously to her
ladyship, "and are not these rueful looks proof positive that religion
diminishes our affection for our children? and is it not abridging their
innocent pleasures, to give them their full range in a fresh airy
apartment, instead of cramming them into an eating-room, of which the
air is made almost fetid by the fumes of the dinner and a crowded table?
and is it not better that they should spoil the pleasure of the company,
though the mischief they do is bought by the sacrifice of their own
liberty?" "I make my _amende_," said she. "I never will be so forward
again to suspect piety of ill nature." "So far from it, Caroline," said
Sir John, "that we will adopt the practice we were so forward to blame;
and I shall not do it," said he, "more from regard to the com