, your success in life
depends entirely on yourself. There is one thing I think it my duty to
caution you against; the precipitancy with which young men frequently
rush into matrimonial engagements, and by their thoughtlessness draw
many a deserving woman into scenes of poverty and distress. A soldier
has no business to think of a wife till his rank is such as to place him
above the fear of bringing into the world a train of helpless innocents,
heirs only to penury and affliction. If, indeed, a woman, whose fortune
is sufficient to preserve you in that state of independence I would
teach you to prize, should generously bestow herself on a young soldier,
whose chief hope of future prosperity depended on his success in the
field--if such a woman should offer--every barrier is removed, and I
should rejoice in an union which would promise so much felicity. But
mark me, boy, if, on the contrary, you rush into a precipitate union
with a girl of little or no fortune, take the poor creature from a
comfortable home and kind friends, and plunge her into all the evils
a narrow income and increasing family can inflict, I will leave you to
enjoy the blessed fruits of your rashness; for by all that is sacred,
neither my interest or fortune shall ever be exerted in your favour. I
am serious," continued he, "therefore imprint this conversation on your
memory, and let it influence your future conduct. Your happiness will
always be dear to me; and I wish to warn you of a rock on which the
peace of many an honest fellow has been wrecked; for believe me, the
difficulties and dangers of the longest winter campaign are much easier
to be borne, than the pangs that would seize your heart, when you beheld
the woman of your choice, the children of your affection, involved
in penury and distress, and reflected that it was your own folly and
precipitancy had been the prime cause of their sufferings."

As this conversation passed but a few hours before Montraville took
leave of his father, it was deeply impressed on his mind: when,
therefore, Belcour came with him to the place of assignation with
Charlotte, he directed him to enquire of the French woman what were Miss
Temple's expectations in regard to fortune.

Mademoiselle informed him, that though Charlotte's father possessed a
genteel independence, it was by no means probable that he could give his
daughter more than a thousand pounds; and in case she did not marry to
his liking, it was possib