allowing her to reside in the house of her friend: he had little
personal knowledge of him, but was satisfied with the nomination,
because acquainted with his family, fortune, and connections, all
which persuaded him to believe without further enquiry, that it was
more peculiarly proper for his niece than any other he could make.

In his choice of the other two trustees he had been more prudent;
the first of these, the honourable Mr Delvile, was a man of high
birth and character; the second, Mr Briggs, had spent his whole life
in business, in which he had already amassed an immense fortune, and
had still no greater pleasure than that of encreasing it. From the
high honour, therefore, of Mr Delvile, he expected the most
scrupulous watchfulness that his niece should in nothing be injured,
and from the experience of Mr Briggs in money matters, and his
diligence in transacting business, he hoped for the most vigilant
observance that her fortune, while under his care, should be turned
to the best account. And thus, as far as he was able, he had equally
consulted her pleasure, her security, and her pecuniary advantage.

Mrs Harrel returned home only in time to dress for the rest of the
day.

When Cecilia was summoned to dinner, she found, besides her host and
hostess and Mr Arnott, a gentleman she had not before seen, but who
as soon as she entered the parlour, Mr Harrel presented to her,
saying at the same time he was one of the most intimate of his
friends.

This gentleman, Sir Robert Floyer, was about thirty years of age;
his face was neither remarkable for its beauty nor its ugliness, but