XXX. Juan replied, with all becoming deference, Or that of her to whom he might apply; XXXI. Next to the making matches for herself, XXXII. But never yet (except of course a miss Unwed, or mistress never to be wed, Or wed already, who object to this) Was there chaste dame who had not in her head Some drama of the marriage unities, Observed as strictly both at board and bed, As those of Aristotle, though sometimes They turn out melodrames or pantomimes. XXXIII. They generally have some only son, Some heir to a large property, some friend Of an old family, some gay Sir John, Or grave Lord George, with whom perhaps might end A line, and leave posterity undone, Unless a marriage was applied to mend The prospect and their morals: and besides, XXXIV. From these they will be careful to select, Whose sole accomplishments were quite a booty; A second for her excellent connexions ; A third, because there can be no objections. XXXV. When Rapp the harmonist embargo'd marriage' Because it breeds no more mouths than it nourishes, What Nature naturally most encourages)— Why call'd he "harmony" a state sans wedlock? Now here I have got the preacher at a dead lock. XXXVI. Because he either meant to sneer at harmony Or marriage, by divorcing them thus oddly. XXXVII. But Rapp is the reverse of zealous matrons, Of all the modest part of propagation, XXXVIII. Had Adeline read Malthus? I can't tell; I wish she had; his book 's the eleventh commandment, Which says, "thou shalt not marry”—unless well : This he (as far as I can understand) meant ; 'T is not my purpose on his views to dwell, Nor canvass what "so eminent a hand" meant: " But certes it conducts to lives ascetic, Or turning marriage into arithmetic. XXXIX. But Adeline, who probably presumed That Juan had enough of maintenance, Or separate maintenance, in case 't was doom'd- That bridegrooms, after they are fairly groom'd, 3 Of marriage-which might form a painter's fame, XL. But Adeline determined Juan's wedding, In her own mind, and that 's enough for woman. But then, with whom? There was the sage Miss Reading, Miss Raw, Miss Flaw, Miss Showman, and Miss Knowman, And the two fair co-heiresses Giltbedding. She deem'd his merits something more than common: All these were unobjectionable matches, And might go on, if well wound up, like watches. XLI. There was Miss Millpond, smooth as summer's sea, Who seem'd the cream of equanimity, Till skimm'd-and then there was some milk and water, With a slight shade of blue too it might be, Beneath the surface; but what did it matter? Love 's riotous, but marriage should have quiet, And, being comsumptive, live on a milk diet. XLII. And then there was the Miss Audacia Shoestring, But whether English dukes grew rare of late, XLIII. And then there was-but why should I go on, Of the best class, and better than her class, O'er life, too sweet an image for such glass, XLIV. Rich, noble, but an orphan; left an only Child to the care of guardians good and kind; But still her aspect had an air so lonely! Blood is not water; and where shall we find To feel, in friendless palaces, a home XLV. Early in years, and yet more infantine Mournful-but mournful of another's crime, XLVI. She was a catholic too, sincere, austere, As far as her own gentle heart allow'd, Perhaps because 't was fallen: her sires were proud Of deeds and days when they had fill'd the ear XLVII. She gazed upon a world she scarcely knew, And kept her heart serene within its zone: XLVIII. Now it so nappen'd, in the catalogue Of Adeline, Aurora was omitted, Although her birth and wealth had given her vogue Her beauty also seem'd to form no clog By many virtues, to be worth the trouble XLIX. And this omission, like that of the bust This he express'd half smiling and half serious; And with an air, to say the least, imperious, L. Juan rejoin'd-" She was a catholic, And therefore fittest, as of his persuasion ; LI. And wherefore not? A reasonable reason, LII. Why Adeline had this slight prejudice— For prejudice it was—against a creature As pure as sanctity itself from vice, With all the added charm of form and feature, But nature 's nature, and has more caprices LITI. Perhaps she did not like the quiet way With which Aurora on those baubles look'd, Which charm most people in their earlier day: For there are few things by mankind less brook'd, And womankind too, if we so may say, Than finding thus their genius stand rebuked, Like "Anthony's by Cæsar," by the few LIV. It was not envy-Adeline had none; Her place was far beyond it, and her mind. Following the "ignes fatui" of mankind. Το |