This is all that I need recapitulate of my uncle's history, and I now
recur to my own.

Although my father had never, within my recollection, visited, or
been visited by my uncle, each being of unsocial, procrastinating,
and indolent habits, and their respective residences being very far
apart--the one lying in the county of Galway, the other in that
of Cork--he was strongly attached to his brother, and evinced his
affection by an active correspondence, and by deeply and proudly
resenting that neglect which had branded Sir Arthur as unfit to mix in
society.

When I was about eighteen years of age, my father, whose health had
been gradually declining, died, leaving me in heart wretched
and desolate, and, owing to his habitual seclusion, with few
acquaintances, and almost no friends. The provisions of his will were
curious, and when I was sufficiently come to myself to listen to, or
comprehend them, surprised me not a little: all his vast property was
left to me, and to the heirs of my body, for ever; and, in default
of such heirs, it was to go after my death to my uncle, Sir Arthur,
without any entail. At the same time, the will appointed him my
guardian, desiring that I might be received within his house, and
reside with his family, and under his care, during the term of my
minority; and in consideration of the increased expense consequent
upon such an arrangement, a handsome allowance was allotted to him
during the term of my proposed residence. The object of this last
provision I at once understood; my father desired, by making it the
direct apparent interest of Sir Arthur that I should die without
issue, while at the same time he placed my person wholly in his power,
to prove to the world how great and unshaken was his confidence in