especially; for he, alas! has some excuse for his impatience of
contradiction. He is not naturally an ill-tempered man; and in his
person and air, and in his conversation too, when not under the
torture of a gouty paroxysm, every body distinguishes the gentleman
born and educated.

Our sex perhaps must expect to bear a little--uncourtliness shall I
call it?--from the husband whom as the lover they let know the
preference their hearts gave him to all other men.--Say what they will
of generosity being a manly virtue; but upon my word, my dear, I have
ever yet observed, that it is not to be met with in that sex one time
in ten that it is to be found in ours.--But my father was soured by
the cruel distemper I have named; which seized him all at once in the
very prime of life, in so violent a manner as to take from the most
active of minds, as his was, all power of activity, and that in all
appearance for life.--It imprisoned, as I may say, his lively spirits
in himself, and turned the edge of them against his own peace; his
extraordinary prosperity adding to his impatiency. Those, I believe,
who want the fewest earthly blessings, most regret that they want any.

But my brother! What excuse can be made for his haughty and morose
temper? He is really, my dear, I am sorry to have occasion to say it,
an ill-temper'd young man; and treats my mother sometimes--Indeed he
is not dutiful.--But, possessing every thing, he has the vice of age,
mingled with the ambition of youth, and enjoys nothing--but his own
haughtiness and ill-temper, I was going to say.--Yet again am I adding
force to your dislikes of some of us.--Once, my dear, it was perhaps
in your power to have moulded him as you pleased.--Could you have been
my sister!--Then had I friend in a sister.--But no wonder that he does
not love you now; who could nip in the bud, and that with a disdain,