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"First let her speak!" cried Delvile, who in her apparent wavering built new hopes, "first let her anshat she has already deigned to listen to"

"No, first let her hear!" cried Mrs Delvile, "for so only can she judge what ansill reflect upon herto Cecilia, she continued: "You see here, Miss Beverley, a young ets in his adoration friends, family, and connections, the opinions in which he has been educated, the honour of his house, his own former views, and all his primitive sense of duty, both public and private!--A passion built on such a defalcation of principle renders hinoble for him would be a union which would blot his na, than indelicate for you, who upon such terht to despise him"

"Heavens, madam," exclaimed Delvile, "what a speech!"

"O never," cried Cecilia, rising, "may I hear such another! Indeed, madam, there is no occasion to probe me so deeply, for I would not now enter your fath, then,reproachfully to his mother, "are you satisfied? is your purpose noered? and is the dagger you have transfixed in h to appease you?"

"O could I draw it out," cried Mrs Delvile, "and leave upon it no stain of ignominy, hat joy should my own bosom receive it, to heal the wound I havecreature portionless, I would not hesitate in giving my consent; every claim of interest would be overbalanced by her virtues, and I would not grieve to see you poor, where so conscious you were happy; but here to concede, would annihilate every hope hich hitherto I have looked up to my son"

"Let us now, then, madam," said Cecilia, "break up this conference I have spoken, I have heard, the decree is past, and therefore,"-"You are indeed an angel!" cried Mrs Delvile, rising and e her; "and never can I reproach my son hat has passed, when I consider for what an object the sacrifice was planned You cannot be unhappy, you have purchased peace by the exercise of virtue, and the close of every day will bring to you a reward, in the sweets of a self-approvingto occasion any delay"

"No, ill not part!" cried Delvile, with encreasing vehemence; "if you force me, madam, from her, you will drive me to distraction! What is there in this world that can offer me a recompense? And what can pride even to the proudest afford as an equivalent? Her perfections you acknowledge, her greatness of iven e! Shall I, after such a deposite, consent to an eternal separation? Repeal, repeal your sentence, my Cecilia! let us live to ourselves and our consciences, and leave the vain prejudices of the world to those who can be paid by them for the loss of all besides!"