"
"I was intimate in his father's house for years," rejoined the
gentleman: "I knew this young nobleman from a boy. If he has faults,
he owes them to his mother, who doated on him, and rather directed
his care to the adornment of his really handsome person than to the
cultivation of talents he has since learned to appreciate."
"I believe Lord Berrington to be very sensible, and, above all, very
humane," returned Miss Beaufort.
"He is so," replied the old gentleman; "yet it was not till he had
attained the age of twenty-two that he appeared to know he had
anything to do in the world besides dressing and attending on the
fair sex. His taste produced the first, whilst the urbanity of his
disposition gave birth to the latter. When Berrington arrived at his
title, he was about five-and-twenty. Sorrow for the death of his
amiable parents, who died in the same month, afforded him leisure to
find his reason. He discovered that he had been acting a part beneath
him, and he soon implanted on the good old stock those excellent
acquirements which you see he possesses. In spite of his
regeneration," continued the clergyman, casting a good-humored glance
on the dove-colored suit of the viscount, "you perceive that first
impressions will remain. He loves dress, but he loves justice and
philanthropy better."
"This eulogy, sir," said Mary, "affords me real pleasure, may I know
the name of the gentleman with whom I have the honor to converse?"
"My name is Blackmore," returned he.
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