His looks shewing him not pained, but pleased with this allusion to his

situation, she was emboldened to go on; and feeling in herself the

right of seniority of mind, she ventured to recommend a larger

allowance of prose in his daily study; and on being requested to

particularize, mentioned such works of our best moralists, such

collections of the finest letters, such memoirs of characters of worth

and suffering, as occurred to her at the moment as calculated to rouse

and fortify the mind by the highest precepts, and the strongest

examples of moral and religious endurances.

Captain Benwick listened attentively, and seemed grateful for the

interest implied; and though with a shake of the head, and sighs which

declared his little faith in the efficacy of any books on grief like

his, noted down the names of those she recommended, and promised to

procure and read them.

When the evening was over, Anne could not but be amused at the idea of

her coming to Lyme to preach patience and resignation to a young man

whom she had never seen before; nor could she help fearing, on more

serious reflection, that, like many other great moralists and

preachers, she had been eloquent on a point in which her own conduct

would ill bear examination.




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