"Only, brother, that she would feel that a promise made at the altar to love a man she felt averse to, or honor one she could not esteem, as a breach of a duty, paramount to all earthly considerations," replied his sister; "but to answer your question--Denbigh has never offered, and when he does, I do not think he will be refused."
"Refused!" cried the baronet, "I sincerely hope not; I wish, with all my heart, they were married already."
"Emily is very young," said Mrs. Wilson, "and need not hurry: I was in hopes she would remain single a few years longer."
"Well," said the baronet, "you and Lady Moseley, sister, have different notions on the subject of marrying the girls."
Mrs. Wilson replied, with a good-humored smile, "you have made Anne so good a husband, Ned, that she forgets there are any bad ones in the world; my greatest anxiety is, that the husband of my niece may be a Christian; indeed, I know not how I can reconcile it to my conscience, as a Christian myself, to omit this important qualification,"
"I am sure, Charlotte, both Denbigh and Egerton appear to have a great respect for religion; they are punctual at church, and very attentive to the service:" Mrs. Wilson smiled as he proceeded, "but religion may come after marriage, you know."
"Yes, brother, and I know it may not come at all; no really pious woman can be happy, without her husband is in what she deems the road to future happiness himself; and it is idle--it is worse--it is almost impious to marry with a view to reform a husband: indeed, she greatly endangers her own safety thereby; for few of us, I believe, but find the temptation to err as much as we can contend with, without calling in the aid of example against us, in an object we love; indeed it appears to me, the life of such a woman must be a struggle between conflicting duties."
"Why," said the baronet, "if your plan were generally adopted, I am afraid it would give a deadly blow to matrimony."
"I have nothing to do with generals, brother, I am acting for individual happiness, and discharging individual duties: at the same time I cannot agree with you in its effects on the community. I think no man who dispassionately examines the subject, will be other than a Christian; and rather than remain bachelors, they would take even that trouble; if the strife in our sex were less for a husband, wives would increase in value."
"But how is it, Charlotte," said the baronet, pleasantly, "your sex do not use your power and reform the age?"