You cannot be better; and if you could, it would be but filling me
with despair to attain the awful heights of virtue at which you have
arrived. Perhaps, added the dear gentleman, the scene I have beheld
within these twelve hours, has made me more serious than otherwise I
should have been: but I'll assure you, before all this good company, I
speak the sentiments of my heart, and those not of this day only.
What a happy daughter is yours, O my dear father and mother! I owe it
all to God's grace, and to yours and my good lady's instructions: And to
these let me always look back with grateful acknowledgments, that I may
not impute to myself, and be proud, my inexpressible happiness.
The company were so kindly pleased with our concern, and my dear master's
goodness, that he, observing their indulgence, and being himself curious
to know the further particulars of what had passed between my lady and
me, repeated his question, What she had called me besides wench and
creature? And I said, My lady, supposing I was wicked, lamented over me,
very kindly, my depravity and fall, and said, What a thousand pities it
was, so much virtue, as she was pleased to say, was so destroyed; and
that I had yielded, after so noble a stand! as she said.
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