Love and Freindship [22]
the horrid old rooms of this Castle, I opened the cause to him in the following Manner.
"Well my dear William what do you think of these girls? for my part, I do not find them so plain as I expected: but perhaps you may think me partial to the Daughters of my Husband and perhaps you are right-- They are indeed so very like Sir George that it is natural to think"--
"My Dear Susan (cried he in a tone of the greatest amazement) You do not really think they bear the least resemblance to their Father! He is so very plain!--but I beg your pardon--I had entirely forgotten to whom I was speaking--"
"Oh! pray dont mind me; (replied I) every one knows Sir George is horribly ugly, and I assure you I always thought him a fright."
"You surprise me extremely (answered William) by what you say both with respect to Sir George and his Daughters. You cannot think your Husband so deficient in personal Charms as you speak of, nor can you surely see any resemblance between him and the Miss Lesleys who are in my opinion perfectly unlike him and perfectly Handsome."
"If that is your opinion with regard to the girls it certainly is no proof of their Fathers beauty, for if they are perfectly unlike him and very handsome at the same time, it is natural to suppose that he is very plain."
"By no means, (said he) for what may be pretty in a Woman, may be very unpleasing in a Man."
"But you yourself (replied I) but a few minutes ago allowed him to be very plain."
"Men are no Judges of Beauty in their own Sex." (said he).
"Neither Men nor Women can think Sir George tolerable."
"Well, well, (said he) we will not dispute about HIS Beauty, but your opinion of his DAUGHTERS is surely very singular, for if I understood you right, you said you did not find them so plain as you expected to do!"
"Why, do YOU find them plainer then?" (said I).
"I can scarcely beleive you to be serious (returned he) when you speak of their persons in so extroidinary a Manner. Do not you think the Miss Lesleys are two very handsome young Women?"
"Lord! No! (cried I) I think them terribly plain!"
"Plain! (replied He) My dear Susan, you cannot really think so! Why what single Feature in the face of either of them, can you possibly find fault with?"
"Oh! trust me for that; (replied I). Come I will begin with the eldest--with Matilda. Shall I, William?" (I looked as cunning as I could when I said it, in order to shame him).
"They are so much alike (said he) that I should suppose the faults of one, would be the faults of both."
"Well, then, in the first place; they are both so horribly tall!"
"They are TALLER than you are indeed." (said he with a saucy smile.)
"Nay, (said I), I know nothing of that."
"Well, but (he continued) tho' they may be above the common size, their figures are perfectly elegant; and as to their faces, their Eyes are beautifull."
"I never can think such tremendous, knock-me-down figures in the least degree elegant, and as for their eyes, they are so tall that I never could strain my neck enough to look at them."
"Nay, (replied he) I know not whether you may not be in the right in not attempting it, for perhaps they might dazzle you with their Lustre."
"Oh! Certainly. (said I, with the greatest complacency, for I assure you my dearest Charlotte I was not in the least offended tho' by what followed, one would suppose that William was conscious of having given me just cause to be so, for coming up to me and taking my hand, he said) "You must not look so grave Susan; you will make me fear I have offended you!"
"Offended me! Dear Brother, how came such a thought in your head! (returned I) No really! I assure you that I am not in the least surprised at your being so warm an advocate for the Beauty of these girls "--
"Well, but (interrupted William) remember that we have not yet concluded our dispute concerning them. What fault do you find with their complexion?"
"They are so horridly pale."
"They have always a little colour, and after any exercise it is considerably heightened."
"Well my dear William what do you think of these girls? for my part, I do not find them so plain as I expected: but perhaps you may think me partial to the Daughters of my Husband and perhaps you are right-- They are indeed so very like Sir George that it is natural to think"--
"My Dear Susan (cried he in a tone of the greatest amazement) You do not really think they bear the least resemblance to their Father! He is so very plain!--but I beg your pardon--I had entirely forgotten to whom I was speaking--"
"Oh! pray dont mind me; (replied I) every one knows Sir George is horribly ugly, and I assure you I always thought him a fright."
"You surprise me extremely (answered William) by what you say both with respect to Sir George and his Daughters. You cannot think your Husband so deficient in personal Charms as you speak of, nor can you surely see any resemblance between him and the Miss Lesleys who are in my opinion perfectly unlike him and perfectly Handsome."
"If that is your opinion with regard to the girls it certainly is no proof of their Fathers beauty, for if they are perfectly unlike him and very handsome at the same time, it is natural to suppose that he is very plain."
"By no means, (said he) for what may be pretty in a Woman, may be very unpleasing in a Man."
"But you yourself (replied I) but a few minutes ago allowed him to be very plain."
"Men are no Judges of Beauty in their own Sex." (said he).
"Neither Men nor Women can think Sir George tolerable."
"Well, well, (said he) we will not dispute about HIS Beauty, but your opinion of his DAUGHTERS is surely very singular, for if I understood you right, you said you did not find them so plain as you expected to do!"
"Why, do YOU find them plainer then?" (said I).
"I can scarcely beleive you to be serious (returned he) when you speak of their persons in so extroidinary a Manner. Do not you think the Miss Lesleys are two very handsome young Women?"
"Lord! No! (cried I) I think them terribly plain!"
"Plain! (replied He) My dear Susan, you cannot really think so! Why what single Feature in the face of either of them, can you possibly find fault with?"
"Oh! trust me for that; (replied I). Come I will begin with the eldest--with Matilda. Shall I, William?" (I looked as cunning as I could when I said it, in order to shame him).
"They are so much alike (said he) that I should suppose the faults of one, would be the faults of both."
"Well, then, in the first place; they are both so horribly tall!"
"They are TALLER than you are indeed." (said he with a saucy smile.)
"Nay, (said I), I know nothing of that."
"Well, but (he continued) tho' they may be above the common size, their figures are perfectly elegant; and as to their faces, their Eyes are beautifull."
"I never can think such tremendous, knock-me-down figures in the least degree elegant, and as for their eyes, they are so tall that I never could strain my neck enough to look at them."
"Nay, (replied he) I know not whether you may not be in the right in not attempting it, for perhaps they might dazzle you with their Lustre."
"Oh! Certainly. (said I, with the greatest complacency, for I assure you my dearest Charlotte I was not in the least offended tho' by what followed, one would suppose that William was conscious of having given me just cause to be so, for coming up to me and taking my hand, he said) "You must not look so grave Susan; you will make me fear I have offended you!"
"Offended me! Dear Brother, how came such a thought in your head! (returned I) No really! I assure you that I am not in the least surprised at your being so warm an advocate for the Beauty of these girls "--
"Well, but (interrupted William) remember that we have not yet concluded our dispute concerning them. What fault do you find with their complexion?"
"They are so horridly pale."
"They have always a little colour, and after any exercise it is considerably heightened."