He left a considerable part of the moderate fortune which he had
acquired to Menie Gray, who, of course, did not want for many
advantageous offers of a matrimonial character. But she respected the
memory of Hartley too much, to subdue in behalf of another the reasons
which induced her to refuse the hand which he had so well deserved--nay,
it may be thought, had so fairly won.
She returned to Britain--what seldom occurs--unmarried though wealthy;
and, settling in her native village, appeared to find her only pleasure
in acts of benevolence which seemed to exceed the extent of her fortune,
had not her very retired life been taken into consideration. Two or
three persons with whom she was intimate, could trace in her character
that generous and disinterested simplicity and affection, which were the
ground-work of her character. To the world at large her habits seemed
those of the ancient Roman matron, which is recorded on her tomb in
these four words,
DOMUM MANSIT--LANAM FECIT.
MR. CROFTANGRY'S CONCLUSION
If you tell a good jest,
And please all the rest,
Comes Dingley, and asks you, "What was it?"
And before she can know,
Away she will go
To seek an old rag in the closet.
Dean Swift.
While I was inditing the goodly matter which my readers have just
perused, I might be said to go through a course of breaking-in to stand
criticism, like a shooting-pony to stand fire.
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