CHAPTER I.
Dorriforth, bred at St. Omer's in all the scholastic rigour of thatcollege, was, by education, and the solemn vows of his order, a RomanCatholic priest--but nicely discriminating between the philosophical andthe superstitious part of that character, and adopting the former only,he possessed qualities not unworthy the first professors ofChristianity. Every virtue which it was his vocation to preach, it washis care to practise; nor was he in the class of those of the religious,who, by secluding themselves from the world, fly the merit they mighthave in reforming mankind. He refused to shelter himself from thetemptations of the layman by the walls of a cloister, but sought for,and found that shelter in the centre of London, where he dwelt, in hisown prudence, justice, fortitude, and temperance.
He was about thirty, and had lived in the metropolis near five years,when a gentleman above his own age, but with whom he had from his youthcontracted a most sincere friendship, died, and left him the soleguardian of his daughter, who was then eighteen.
The deceased Mr. Milner, on his approaching dissolution, perfectlysensible of his state, thus reasoned with himself before he made thenomination:--"I have formed no intimate friendship during my whole life,except one--I can be said to know the heart of no man, except the heartof Dorriforth. After knowing his, I never sought acquaintance withanother--I did not wish to lessen the exalted estimation of human naturewhich he had inspired. In this moment of trembling apprehension forevery thought which darts across my mind, and more for every actionwhich I must soon be called to answer for; all worldly views here thrownaside, I act as if that tribunal, before which I every moment expect toappear, were now sitting in judgment upon my purpose. The care of anonly child is the great charge that in this tremendous crisis I have toexecute. These earthly affections that bind me to her by custom,sympathy, or what I fondly call parental love, would direct me to studyher present happiness, and leave her to the care of those whom shethinks her dearest friends; but they are friends only in the sunshine offortune; in the cold nipping frost of disappointment, sickness, orconnubial strife, they will forsake the house of care, although the veryhouse which they may have themselves built."
Here the excruciating anguish of the father, overcame that of the dyingman.
"In the moment of desertion," continued he, "which I now picture tomyself, where will my child find comfort? That heavenly aid whichreligion gives, and which now, amidst these agonizing tortures, cheerswith humbler hope my afflicted soul; that, she will be denied."
It is in this place proper to remark, that Mr. Milner was a member ofthe church of Rome, but on his marriage with a lady of Protestanttenets, they mutually agreed their sons should be educated in thereligious opinion of their father, and their daughters in that of theirmother. One child only was the result of their union, the child whosefuture welfare now occupied the anxious thoughts of her expiring father.From him the care of her education had been with-held, as he keptinviolate his promise to her departed mother on the article of religion,and therefore consigned his daughter to a boarding-school forProtestants, whence she returned with merely such ideas of religion asladies of fashion at her age mostly imbibe. Her little heart employed inall the endless pursuits of personal accomplishments, had left her mindwithout one ornament, except such as nature gave; and even they were notwholly preserved from the ravages made by its rival, _Art._
While her father was in health he beheld, with extreme delight, hisaccomplished daughter, without one fault which taste or elegance couldhave imputed to her; nor ever enquired what might be her otherfailings. But, cast on a bed of sickness, and upon the point of leavingher to her fate, those failings at once rushed on his thought--and allthe pride, the fond enjoyment he had taken in beholding her open theball, or delight her hearers with her wit, escaped his remembrance; or,not escaping it, were lamented with a sigh of compassion, or acontemptuous frown, at such frivolous qualifications.
"Something essential," said he to himself, "must be considered--somethingto prepare her for an hour like this. Can I then leave her to the chargeof those who themselves never remember such an hour will come?Dorriforth is the only person I know, who, uniting the moral virtues tothose of religion, and pious faith to native honour, will protect,without controlling, instruct, without tyrannizing, comfort, withoutflattering; and, perhaps in time, make good by choice, rather than byconstraint, the dear object of his dying friend's sole care."
Dorriforth, who came post from London to visit Mr. Milner in hisillness, received a few moments before his death all his injunctions,and promised to fulfil them. But, in this last token of his friend'sesteem, he still was restrained from all authority to direct his ward inone religious opinion, contrary to those her mother had professed, andin which she herself had been educated.
"Never perplex her mind with an idea that may disturb, but cannotreform"--were his latest words; and Dorriforth's reply gave him entiresatisfaction.
Miss Milner was not with her father at this affecting period--somedelicately nervous friend, with whom she was on a visit at Bath, thoughtproper to conceal from her not only the danger of his death, but evenhis indisposition, lest it might alarm a mind she thought toosusceptible. This refined tenderness gave poor Miss Milner the almostinsupportable agony of hearing that her father was no more, even beforeshe was told he was not in health. In the bitterest anguish she flew topay her last duty to his remains, and performed it with the truestfilial love, while Dorriforth, upon important business, was obliged toreturn to town.
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