easily forgive her. Mr Thornhill, notwithstanding his real
ignorance, talked with ease, and could expatiate upon the common
topics of conversation with fluency. It is not surprising then
that such talents should win the affections of a girl, who by
education was taught to value an appearance in herself, and
consequently to set a value upon it in another.

Upon his departure, we again entered into a debate upon the
merits of our young landlord. As he directed his looks and
conversation to Olivia, it was no longer doubted but that she was
the object that induced him to be our visitor. Nor did she seem
to be much displeased at the innocent raillery of her brother and
sister upon this occasion. Even Deborah herself seemed to share
the glory of the day, and exulted in her daughter's victory as if
it were her own. 'And now, my dear,' cried she to me, 'I'll
fairly own, that it was I that instructed my girls to encourage
our landlord's addresses. I had always some ambition, and you now
see that I was right; for who knows how this may end?' 'Ay, who
knows that indeed,' answered I, with a groan: 'for my part I
don't much like it; and I could have been better pleased with one
that was poor and honest, than this fine gentleman with his
fortune and infidelity; for depend on't, if he be what I suspect
him, no free- thinker shall ever have a child of mine.' 'Sure,
father,' cried Moses, 'you are too severe in this; for heaven
will never arraign him for what he thinks, but for what he does.
Every man has a thousand vicious thoughts, which arise without
his power to suppress. Thinking freely of religion, may be
involuntary with this gentleman: so that allowing his sentiments
to be wrong, yet as he is purely passive in his assent, he is no
more to be blamed for his errors than the governor of a city