Letter XXVII

Summary

My dear Miss Darnford,

The Interest I take in every thing that concerns you, makes me very importunate to know how you approve the Gentleman, whom some of his best Friends and Well-wishers have recommended to your Favour. I hope he will deserve your good Opinion, and then he must excel most of the unmarried Gentlemen in England.

Your Papa, in his humourous Manner, mentions his large Possessions and Riches: But, indeed, were he as rich as Croesus, he should not have my Consent, if he has no greater Merit; tho’ that is what the Generality of Parents look out for first: And indeed an easy Fortune is so far from being disregardable, that, when attended with equal Merit, I think it ought to have a Preference given to it, supposing Affections disingaged. For ‘tis certain, that a Gentleman or Lady may stand as good a Chance for Happiness in Marriage with a Person of Fortune, as with one who has not that Advantage; and notwithstanding I had neither Riches nor Descent to boast of, I must be of Opinion with those, who say, that they never knew any body despise either, that had them. But to permit Riches to be the principal Inducement, to the Neglect of superior Merit, that is the Fault which many a one smarts for, whether the Choice be their own, or imposed upon them by those who have a Title to their Obedience.

Here is a saucy Body, might some, who have not Miss Darnford 's kind Consideration for her Friend, be apt to say, who being thus meanly descended, nevertheless presumes to give her Opinion, in these high Cases, unasked. But I have one thing, my dear Miss, to say; and that is, that I think myself so intirely divested of Partiality to my own Case, that, as far as my Judgment shall permit, I will never have that in View, when I am presuming to hint my Opinion of general Rules.