Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- General Editors’ Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Chronology
- List of Abbreviations
- General Introduction
- Textual Introduction
- The Apprentice’s Vade Mecum (1733)
- A Seasonable Examination of the Pleas and Pretensions (1735)
- Preface to Aubin, A Collection of Entertaining Histories and Novels (1739)
- Aesop’s Fables (1739)
- Letters Written to and for Particular Friends (1741)
- Six Original Letters Upon Duelling (1765)
- Appendix: The Infidel Convicted (1731)
- Postscript
- Emendations
- Word-division
- Bibliographical Descriptions of Early Editions
- Explanatory Notes
- Index
Letter LXIX
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 June 2022
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- General Editors’ Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Chronology
- List of Abbreviations
- General Introduction
- Textual Introduction
- The Apprentice’s Vade Mecum (1733)
- A Seasonable Examination of the Pleas and Pretensions (1735)
- Preface to Aubin, A Collection of Entertaining Histories and Novels (1739)
- Aesop’s Fables (1739)
- Letters Written to and for Particular Friends (1741)
- Six Original Letters Upon Duelling (1765)
- Appendix: The Infidel Convicted (1731)
- Postscript
- Emendations
- Word-division
- Bibliographical Descriptions of Early Editions
- Explanatory Notes
- Index
Summary
From a Father to a Daughter, in Dislike of her Intentions to marry at too early an Age.
Dear Sally,
I was greatly surprised at the Letter you sent me last Week. I was willing to believe I saw in you, for your Years, so much of your late dear Mother's Temper, Prudence, and virtuous Disposition, that I refused several advantageous Offers of changing my own Condition, purely for your sake: And will you now convince me so early, that I have no Return to expect from you, but that the Moment a young Fellow throws himself in your way, you have nothing else to do, but to give me Notice to provide a Fortune for you? for that you intend to be of no further Use and Service to me. This, in plain English, is the Meaning of your Notification. For I suppose your young Man does not intend to marry you, without a Fortune. And can you then think, that a Father has nothing to do, but to confer Benefits on his Children, without being intitled to expect any Return from them?
To be sure, I had proposed, at a proper Time, to find a Husband for you; but I thought I had yet three or four Years to come. For, consider, Sally, you are not fully Sixteen Years of Age: And a Wife, believe me, ought to have some better Qualifications, than an agreeable Person to preserve a Husband's Esteem, tho’ it often is enough to attract a Lover's Notice.
Have you Experience enough, think you, discreetly to conduct the Affairs of a Family? I thought you as yet not quite capable to manage my House; and I am sure, my Judgment always took a Bias in your Favour.
Besides, let me tell you, I have great Exceptions to the Person, and think him by no means the Man I would chuse for your Husband. For which, if it be not too late, I will give good Reasons.
On the whole, you must expect, if you marry without my Consent, to live without my Assistance. Think it not hard: Your Disappointment cannot be greater than mine, if you will proceed.
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- Information
- Early Works'Aesop's Fables', 'Letters Written to and for Particular Friends' and Other Works, pp. 402 - 403Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2011