difference in the proportions? And she speaks of _trust_ too,
as if foresight and precaution were inconsistent with it."

"And of those who live," said Charles, "how few, if any, return in
health! Mr Rathbone himself is rich: but who would take his riches in
exchange for the health he has sacrificed?"

"Have we any right to consent to such a probable sacrifice for Alfred?"
said Jane.

"Certainly not, in my opinion," said Charles. "But there is another
question of greater importance still--Alfred's moral welfare. His early
separation from his family would be a sad thing; but not half so fearful
as the risk of sending him into the society of the dissolute, or, at
best, the careless, where his duty will lie in scenes of bloodshed and
devastation, where his employment will be to contrive and execute plans
for spreading ruin and wasting life. Can we devote him to an employment
like this? Some may represent the matter in a different light, and say
that he is promoting the prosperity of his country and the extension of
commerce by his services. But I say, let him, if he serves his country,
serve it by innocent means; by means reconcileable to the law of God,
and to the duty which man owes to man: let him do this, even if he live
and die in hardship and poverty, rather than corrupt his mind, and
harden his heart, and become such a one as we could not love, though he
were to make himself and us as rich and powerful as the most worldly
could desire."

"Oh, Charles, if this is all true, who could doubt for a moment? How
could Mr Rathbone think of such a plan for a moment?"

"Different people," said Charles, "see things in a different light. Mr
Rathbone has not experienced these dangers, because he has made his
fortune by commerce, not by war. Besides, I must think Mr Rathbone a
very rare instance of the power of principle against temptation. There
are few indeed who spend their Indian wealth so generously for others,
though every one who goes out with any principle to direct him, hopes
that _he_ shall be able to hold a straight course, though almost all
others have gone astray. I could not, neither, I am sure, could you,
encourage this confidence with respect to Alfred. If he were to be
separated from us for five years before he left England, and were to
have no prospect of seeing us again for twenty or thirty years, how weak
would be the family ties, and how easily chilled the family affection on
which we shoul