Age, he told her, ought not to be reckoned by the number of years, but by accomplishments and good qualities.
"That kind of calculation (said De Clavering) would make your age,
Miss de Morney, more upon a par with the Baron's."
"More upon a par, you mean, (added De Willows,) with our first parent Adam."
"What Atam? (cried Hugh Camelford, skipping to the side of Roseline, and eagerly handing her over a little run of water they were obliged to cross,)—what were you saying about our crate crandfather Atam? I have often wished to see the old poy, and trink a pottle of pure water with him from the pond in the carten of Eden."
"Why so, sir?" said the stately and mortified Baron, who felt and seemed to shrink from the contrast between the active and lively gallantry of the giddy Cambrian and the slow and cautious efforts of his own.
"Why?—why? pecause he must be a prave fellow to venture matrimony with the first woman he saw."
"How the devil should he do otherwise than take the first, when there was no other to choose!" said De Clavering.
"The tevil however was even with him after all, (replied the unthinking Camelford;)—the old poy had petter have peen quiet."
"I do not see that, (said De Willows;) and, as the mischief was productive of some good, surely we have no right to criticise with severity that conduct which was forgiven by Being so much more perfect than the creature he had created."
"That is as much as to say, (rejoined Camelford,) that, when we choose to play the fool, cofet our neighbor's wife or taughter, we have only to plame our own imperfect nature, repent, and be forcifen."