The Ruling Passions

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. ' Being seasoned by a gracious voice obscures the show of reason.?Mekchant or Venice. But in order that things may go tovjourt tranguille, They seldom express themselves quite as they feel. John Parry's Song of Wanted A Goyeknbss. Sir William Sunderland was one of those men whose virtues are rather passive than active. Pull of kind feelings and intentions, but too easily turned from their prosecution by some other, and more present influence. In important objects involving what he considered his duty, he was seldom?at the onset especially?to he dissuaded from its fulfilment; but after the first exertion, he was too apt to sink into indifference or forgetfulness of the whole subject. Tbus at the death of his old friend, Colonel Mel- Tille, on being appointed executor and guardian to his children, he had taken the interests of Francis particularly under his care; spared neither his influence, nor exertions so as to smooth that path towards progress and success, combined with his own steady perseverance, which many find so toilsome (though with every qualification within themselves) without such timely aid and encouragement. In a very little time after this, satisfied with the position of his protege, his interest in him had gradually relaxed; thongh he answered his letters, and was pleased to hear of his welfare, the years had glided by without any personal intercourse with his young relations. Each season that his lady and daughters risked town, he had enjoined the former to pay the Melvilles every attention in her power, hich injunction she was quite satisfied she had Vol. i. t followed to its utmost extent, though each year that power, (always limited to the most ceremonious exercise of civilities), had seemed to grow less and less. Sir Willia...