being by this
time come to town, I introduced him to my bride; and, although he was
not very much subject to refined sensations, he was struck dumb with
admiration at her beauty. After having kissed and gazed at her for some
time, he turned to me, saying. "Odds bobs, Rory! a notable prize indeed,
finely built and gloriously rigged, i'faith! If she an't well manned
when you take the command of her, sirrah, you deserve to go to sea in a
cockle shell. No offence, I hope, niece! you must not mind what I say,
being (as the saying is) a plain seafaring man, thof mayhap I have as
much regard for you as another." She received him with great civility,
told him she had longed a great while to see a person to whom she was so
much indebted for his generosity to Mr. Random; that she looked upon him
as her uncle, by which name she begged leave to call him for the future;
and that she was very sure he could say nothing that would give her
the least offence. The honest captain was transported at her courteous
behaviour, and insisted upon giving her away at the ceremony, swearing
that he loved her as well as if she was his own child, and that he would
give two thousand guineas to the first fruit of our love, as soon as
it would squeak. Everything being settled for the solemnisation of our
nuptials, which were to be performed privately at my father's house, the
auspicious hour arrived, when Don Rodrigo and my uncle went in the coach
to fetch the bride and Miss Williams: leaving me with a parson, Banter,
and Strap, neither of whom had as yet seen my charming mistress. My
faithful valet, who was on the rack of impatience to behold a lady
of whom he had heard so much, no sooner understood that the coach was
returned, than he placed himself at a window, to have a peep at her as
she alighted; and, when he saw her, clapped his hands together, turned
up the white of his eyes, and, with his mouth wide open, remained in a
sort of ecstacy, which broke out into "O Dea certe! qualis in Eurotae
ripis, aut per juga Cynthi exercet Diana choros?" The doctor and Banter
were surprised to hear my man speak Latin; but when my father led
Narcissa into the room, the object of their admiration was soon changed,
as appeared in the countenances of both. Indeed, they must have been the
most insensible of all beings, could they have beheld without emotion
the divine creature that approached! She was dressed in a sack of white
satin, embroidered on the breast with go