both his interest and his duty to pay all manner of respect to a lady
whom their father had thought fit to set over them; but all she could
say on that head was thrown away, and he still replied, that since he
could not make her love him, he should always hate her.

This young lady had perhaps no less reason than her brother to be
dissatisfied with the humour of their stepmother; and it was only the
tender affection she had for him which made her feign a contentment at
the treatment both of them received, in order to keep him within any
manner of bounds.

It may be reckoned among the misfortunes of Natura, that he so soon
lost the benefit of these kind remonstrances: his fair adviser having
a considerable fortune, independent on her father, left her by a
grandmother, who had also answered for her at the _font_, was courted
by a gentleman, to whom neither herself nor family having any thing to
object, she became a bride in a very few months, and went with her
husband to a seat he had at a considerable distance in the country.

This poor youth was now without any one, either to prevent him from
doing a fault, or to conceal it when committed; on the contrary, his
mother-in-law, having new-modelled all the family, and retained only
such servants as thought it their duty to study nothing but to humour
her, every little error in him was exaggerated, and he was represented
to his father as incorrigible, perverse, and all that is disagreeable
in nature.

I will not take upon me to determine whether, or not, the old
gentleman had altogether so ill an opinion of his son, as they
endeavoured to inspire him with; but it is certain, that whatever his