Illness and disease appealed to her in hardly less degree than unfortunate affairs of the heart.

She practised the detection of extenuating circumstances as one might practise a fine art.

She wallowed in sentiment, in short; but that with such native good-breeding and singleness of mind, as went far to redeem the said wallowings from morbidity or other offence.

Her friends and acquaintances loved her, quite unconscionably made use of her, secretly laughed at her, grew weary of her, declared that "of such are the Kingdom of Heaven;" and, having successfully exploited her, turned with relief to the society of persons frankly belonging to the kingdoms of earth.

Men petted but did not propose to her; affected to confide in her, but carefully withheld the heart of their confessions.