occasional visits to my father. He loved me with as much warmth as his
nature was capable of feeling, which I repaid him in gratitude and
reverence. I never remitted my attention to his affairs, and studied his
security and comfort as far as these were within my power.

My brother was not deficient in talents, but he wanted application.
Very early he showed strong propensities to active amusement and sensual
pleasures. The school and college were little attended to, and the time
that ought to have been appropriated to books and study was wasted in
frolics and carousals. As soon as he was able to manage a gun and a horse,
they were procured; and these, and the company to which they introduced
him, afforded employment for all his attention and time.

My father had devoted his early years to the indefatigable pursuit of
gain. He was frugal and abstemious, though not covetous, and amassed a
large property. This property he intended to divide between his two
children, and to secure my portion to his nephew, whom his parents had
left an orphan in his infancy, and whom my father had taken and treated as
his own child by marrying him to me. This nephew passed his childhood
among us. His temper being more generous than my brother's, and being
taught mutually to regard each other as destined to a future union, our
intercourse was cordial and affectionate.

We parted at an age at which nothing like passion could be felt. He
went to Europe, in circumstances very favourable to his improvement,
leaving behind him the expectation of his returning in a few years.
Meanwhile, my father was anxious that we should regard each other and
maintain a correspondence as persons betrothed. In persons at our age,
this scheme was chimerical. As soon as I acquired the power of reflection,
I perceived the folly of such premature bonds, and, though I did not