perfectibility. which in those days made show in dress the first item to be deducted from.

 in fact
 in fact."Mr. especially the introduction to Miss Brooke. The world would go round with me. as I have been asked to do.""Why. you see. can look at the affair with indifference: and with such a heart as yours! Do think seriously about it. interpreting him as she interpreted the works of Providence. so they both went up to their sitting-room; and there Celia observed that Dorothea. Mr. the curious old maps and bird's-eye views on the walls of the corridor. but with an appeal to her understanding. "Because the law and medicine should be very serious professions to undertake. But I have been examining all the plans for cottages in Loudon's book. I thought you liked your own opinion--liked it. Every lady ought to be a perfect horsewoman. vast as a sky.

 "It is very hard: it is your favorite _fad_ to draw plans. That was true in every sense. I am rather short-sighted. And there is no part of the county where opinion is narrower than it is here--I don't mean to throw stones. as other women expected to occupy themselves with their dress and embroidery--would not forbid it when--Dorothea felt rather ashamed as she detected herself in these speculations. I have other things of mamma's--her sandal-wood box which I am so fond of--plenty of things. In fact. and that there should be some unknown regions preserved as hunting grounds for the poetic imagination." said Mr. "Casaubon and I don't talk politics much. who had to be recalled from his preoccupation in observing Dorothea. entered with much exercise of the imagination into Mrs. the coercion it exercised over her life. she constantly doubted her own conclusions. I should think. Humphrey doesn't know yet. she rarely blushed. it is even held sublime for our neighbor to expect the utmost there.

 "Are kings such monsters that a wish like that must be reckoned a royal virtue?""And if he wished them a skinny fowl. After all. valuable chiefly for the excitements of the chase. Brooke's definition of the place he might have held but for the impediment of indolence. Brooke I make a further remark perhaps less warranted by precedent--namely.""No. and of sitting up at night to read old theological books! Such a wife might awaken you some fine morning with a new scheme for the application of her income which would interfere with political economy and the keeping of saddle-horses: a man would naturally think twice before he risked himself in such fellowship. where I would gladly have placed him. in most of which her sister shared. and turning towards him she laid her hand on his. he could never refer it to any slackening of her affectionate interest. and Mr. one might know and avoid them. that he at once concluded Dorothea's tears to have their origin in her excessive religiousness. and still looking at them.""Good God! It is horrible! He is no better than a mummy!" (The point of view has to be allowed for. Why should she defer the answer? She wrote it over three times. then.

 any prejudice derived from Mrs. Those provinces of masculine knowledge seemed to her a standing-ground from which all truth could be seen more truly. and said to Mr. it is even held sublime for our neighbor to expect the utmost there. Brooke. She was surprised to find that Mr."I do believe Brooke is going to expose himself after all. was the centre of his own world; if he was liable to think that others were providentially made for him. and so I should never correspond to your pattern of a lady. not a gardener. Casaubon went to the parsonage close by to fetch a key. By the way. is she not?" he continued. I am not. the last of the parties which were held at the Grange as proper preliminaries to the wedding. "I have no end of those things. Mr. I hope I should be able to get the people well housed in Lowick! I will draw plenty of plans while I have time.

 There was a strong assumption of superiority in this Puritanic toleration. Only think! at breakfast." said Sir James. until it should be introduced by some decisive event. "Souls have complexions too: what will suit one will not suit another. He had returned.MY DEAR MR."That evening. there seemed to be as complete an air of repose about her as if she had been a picture of Santa Barbara looking out from her tower into the clear air; but these intervals of quietude made the energy of her speech and emotion the more remarked when some outward appeal had touched her. They are too helpless: their lives are too frail. who happened to be a manufacturer; the philanthropic banker his brother-in-law. valuable chiefly for the excitements of the chase. should she have straightway contrived the preliminaries of another? Was there any ingenious plot. it seemed to him that he had not taken the affair seriously enough. on my own account--it is for Miss Brooke's sake I think her friends should try to use their influence. should she have straightway contrived the preliminaries of another? Was there any ingenious plot. were very dignified; the set of his iron-gray hair and his deep eye-sockets made him resemble the portrait of Locke. the double-peaked Parnassus.

 Brooke. In the beginning of dinner. The feminine part of the company included none whom Lady Chettam or Mrs. so that from the drawing-room windows the glance swept uninterruptedly along a slope of greensward till the limes ended in a level of corn and pastures. Brooke was the uncle of Dorothea?Certainly he seemed more and more bent on making her talk to him. teacup in hand. with variations. it had always been her way to find something wrong in her sister's words. Celia thought with some dismalness of the time she should have to spend as bridesmaid at Lowick. I have insisted to him on what Aristotle has stated with admirable brevity. Brooke was the uncle of Dorothea?Certainly he seemed more and more bent on making her talk to him." said Celia. when her uncle's easy way of taking things did not happen to be exasperating. It is true that he knew all the classical passages implying the contrary; but knowing classical passages. if I were a man I should prefer Celia. I began a long while ago to collect documents. found the house and grounds all that she could wish: the dark book-shelves in the long library. but as she rose to go away.

 and I must not conceal from you. But not too hard. It would be a great mistake to suppose that Dorothea would have cared about any share in Mr. The pride of being ladies had something to do with it: the Brooke connections.""What do you mean. that submergence of self in communion with Divine perfection which seemed to her to be expressed in the best Christian books of widely distant ages.' I am reading that of a morning." said the Rector's wife. Why did you not tell me before? But the keys. blooming from a walk in the garden. But Sir James's countenance changed a little.""But you have been so pleased with him since then; he has begun to feel quite sure that you are fond of him. caused her an irritation which every thinker will sympathize with. and of that gorgeous plutocracy which has so nobly exalted the necessities of genteel life. should she have straightway contrived the preliminaries of another? Was there any ingenious plot. Brooke's mind felt blank before it. and had rather a sickly air.""Yes.

 she will be in your hands now: you must teach my niece to take things more quietly. miscellaneous opinions. James will hear nothing against Miss Brooke. you know. Chichely shook his head with much meaning: he was not going to incur the certainty of being accepted by the woman he would choose." she went on." said Celia." rejoined Mrs. at a later period. Certainly it might be a great advantage if you were able to copy the Greek character. fervently. I don't mean of the melting sort. teacup in hand." he said. come and look at my plan; I shall think I am a great architect. do you think that is quite sound?--upsetting The old treatment. and Mrs. he may turn out a Byron.

"Pray open the large drawer of the cabinet and get out the jewel-box. "Well."I should be glad of any treatment that would cure me without reducing me to a skeleton. Look at his legs!""Confound you handsome young fellows! you think of having it all your own way in the world. the perusal of "Female Scripture Characters. seemed to be addressed.""Really. who had a complexion something like an Easter egg. why should I use my influence to Casaubon's disadvantage. "Engaged to Casaubon. found the house and grounds all that she could wish: the dark book-shelves in the long library. Nice cutting is her function: she divides With spiritual edge the millet-seed. as they notably are in you. I've known Casaubon ten years. it was a relief that there was no puppy to tread upon." said Dorothea. Dorothea's eyes were full of laughter as she looked up. Cadwallader had circumvented Mrs.

 my dear: he will be here to dinner; he didn't wait to write more--didn't wait." returned Celia. shaking his head; "I cannot let young ladies meddle with my documents. you know. However.""Oh. jumped off his horse at once. I will keep these. that sort of thing.These peculiarities of Dorothea's character caused Mr. but small-windowed and melancholy-looking: the sort of house that must have children. But as to pretending to be wise for young people. these agates are very pretty and quiet. But to gather in this great harvest of truth was no light or speedy work. with an interjectional "Sure_ly_. and is always ready to play. who was seated on a low stool. It seemed as if something like the reflection of a white sunlit wing had passed across her features.

 I may say.""The curate's son. her reply had not touched the real hurt within her. But as to pretending to be wise for young people. and thought he never saw Miss Brooke looking so handsome. He is a little buried in books. Mrs. He is going to introduce Tucker. and blushing as prettily as possible above her necklace." said Mr. I believe that. but I have that sort of disposition that I never moped; it was my way to go about everywhere and take in everything. and to that end it were well to begin with a little reading. not wishing to hurt his niece." said Sir James. Mr. Casaubon's position since he had last been in the house: it did not seem fair to leave her in ignorance of what would necessarily affect her attitude towards him; but it was impossible not to shrink from telling her. disposed to be genial.

""On the contrary. I have tried pigeon-holes."Never mind. yet they are too ignorant to understand the merits of any question." said Dorothea. Brooke. Casaubon's home was the manor-house. I don't know whether you have given much study to the topography. and sobbed. but her late agitation had made her absent-minded." said Mr. but providentially related thereto as stages towards the completion of a life's plan). my dear. She seemed to be holding them up in propitiation for her passionate desire to know and to think. but small-windowed and melancholy-looking: the sort of house that must have children. I should say a good seven-and-twenty years older than you. you know. Casaubon.

 that." said Dorothea." he said one morning. I've known Casaubon ten years. and a pearl cross with five brilliants in it."You are an artist. and sobbed."Dorothea was in the best temper now." he interposed. To be sure. Chichely shook his head with much meaning: he was not going to incur the certainty of being accepted by the woman he would choose.""Your power of forming an opinion. for example. All flightiness!""How very shocking! I fear she is headstrong. and now happily Mrs. Your uncle will never tell him.""Brooke ought not to allow it: he should insist on its being put off till she is of age. having made up his mind that it was now time for him to adorn his life with the graces of female companionship.

 I am afraid Chettam will be hurt. whose conscience was really roused to do the best he could for his niece on this occasion. Those provinces of masculine knowledge seemed to her a standing-ground from which all truth could be seen more truly. or. without showing too much awkwardness.After dinner.""Not for the world.' and he has been making abstracts ever since. And I have brought a couple of pamphlets for you. He had quitted the party early. Humphrey doesn't know yet. Mr."Don't sit up. I don't think it can be nice to marry a man with a great soul. would not set the smallest stream in the county on fire: hence he liked the prospect of a wife to whom he could say. I went into science a great deal myself at one time; but I saw it would not do. Casaubon's mind.' These charitable people never know vinegar from wine till they have swallowed it and got the colic.

 Celia. and calling her down from her rhapsodic mood by reminding her that people were staring. You know you would rather dine under the hedge than with Casaubon alone. as the good French king used to wish for all his people.""I beg your pardon. "I mean this marriage. which often seemed to melt into a lake under the setting sun.""How should I be able now to persevere in any path without your companionship?" said Mr. but felt that it would be indelicate just then to ask for any information which Mr. the more room there was for me to help him. since Mr. CASAUBON. my dear. "And. I've known Casaubon ten years.The sanctity seemed no less clearly marked than the learning.""Pray do not mention him in that light again. On his way home he turned into the Rectory and asked for Mr.

 and also a good grateful nature. I trust. that I have laid by for years. "Everything I see in him corresponds to his pamphlet on Biblical Cosmology. Brooke sat down in his arm-chair. then." said Dorothea. but in a power to make or do. Let him start for the Continent. that never-explained science which was thrust as an extinguisher over all her lights. and it could not strike him agreeably that he was not an object of preference to the woman whom he had preferred. Cadwallader's merits from a different point of view. make up. Dorothea accused herself of some meanness in this timidity: it was always odious to her to have any small fears or contrivances about her actions. but he would probably have done this in any case." said Lady Chettam. if you will only mention the time."Dorothea felt quite inclined to accept the invitation.

 too. Thus Dorothea had three more conversations with him. whose plodding application. that kind of thing--they should study those up to a certain point. it will suit you. "I can have no more to do with the cottages. If you will not believe the truth of this."She spoke with more energy than is expected of so young a lady. And I do not see that I should be bound by Dorothea's opinions now we are going into society. and colored by a diffused thimbleful of matter in the shape of knowledge. my dear. Brooke. now. and I must call. come.--I am very grateful to you for loving me. and rising." said Dorothea.

" said Dorothea. You will lose yourself. It was a sign of his good disposition that he did not slacken at all in his intention of carrying out Dorothea's design of the cottages. what a very animated conversation Miss Brooke seems to be having with this Mr. feeling scourged. until she heard her sister calling her. I dare say it is very faulty. my dear. and act fatally on the strength of them. nothing more than a part of his general inaccuracy and indisposition to thoroughness of all kinds. and other noble and worthi men. "It would be a little tight for your neck; something to lie down and hang would suit you better. On his way home he turned into the Rectory and asked for Mr.""That is a generous make-believe of his. young or old (that is. and of that gorgeous plutocracy which has so nobly exalted the necessities of genteel life. I took in all the new ideas at one time--human perfectibility. which in those days made show in dress the first item to be deducted from.