FRANCE. 245 



me a legacy of 5000 livres. Upon his 111- 

 nefs growing fpeedily worfe, which carried 

 him off, he had recom mended the mterefts 

 of this his only child to me in the flrongeft 

 terms ; adding, that he wifhed for nothing fo 

 much as our making a union of interefls by 

 a marriage, in cafe his daughter, my equal 

 in birth, was not difagreeable to me ; that 

 he had mentioned the fame thing to her, 

 and equally recommending it to her, having 

 the higheft opinion of my capacity and dif- 

 cretion, as he was pleafed to fay. This lady 

 was then in the bloom of youth, her perfon 

 perfectly agreeable, and her underftanding 

 beyond her age. 1 had often obferved her 

 with pleafure, and, without being in love, 

 felt myfelf in a fituation perfectly adapted 

 to receive the paffion. After the grief for 

 her parent's death had fubfided, and other 

 topics than melancholy ones formed a part 

 of our converfation, I took an opportunity 

 to mention that lall recommendation of her 

 father to me, begging (he would inge- 

 nuoufly inform me, if I could render myfelf 

 agreeable to her. With a generous open- 

 nefs, turned to captivate and command, fhe 

 anfwered, that I had long been agreeable 

 to her. This was a prelude to my happi- 

 R 3 nefs 



