conversation, made such an impression in her heart as it was
impossible for time to efface. He was himself no less smitten with
Constantia. A long acquaintance made them still discover new
beauties in each other, and by degrees raised in them that mutual
passion which had an influence on their following lives. It
unfortunately happened that, in the midst of this intercourse of
love and friendship between Theodosius and Constantia, there broke
out an irreparable quarrel between their parents; the one valuing
himself too much upon his birth, and the other upon his possessions.
The father of Constantia was so incensed at the father of
Theodosius, that he contracted an unreasonable aversion towards his
son, insomuch that he forbade him his house, and charged his
daughter upon her duty never to see him more. In the meantime, to
break off all communication between the two lovers, who he knew
entertained secret hopes of some favourable opportunity that should
bring them together, he found out a young gentleman of a good
fortune and an agreeable person, whom he pitched upon as a husband
for his daughter. He soon concerted this affair so well, that he
told Constantia it was his design to marry her to such a gentleman,
and that her wedding should be celebrated on such a day.
Constantia, who was overawed with the authority of her father, and
unable to object anything against so advantageous a match, received
the proposal with a profound silence, which her father commended in
her, as the most decent manner of a virgin's giving her consent to
an overture of that kind. The noise of this intended marriage soon
reached Theodosius, who, after a long tumult of passions which
naturally rise in a lover's heart on such an occasion, wrote the
following letter to Constantia:-