Cecilia was rich, and her hand was sought by many wealthy suitors, but hitherto she had rejected them all." "The dear, good Cecilia," cried Sophia.
"Up till this period the family had permitted her to have her own way.
But as it is necessary for authority to prevent excesses of all kinds, they thought it time now to interfere; they could not allow her to sacrifice her whole life for a shadow.

Her parents, therefore, insisted upon her making a choice of one or other of the suitors for her hand.

She requested grace for one year more, which was granted." "Come back, truant, quick; come back, Master Herbert!" cried Sophia.
"There now, Willis," cried Jack, "you see the effect of your new world; people go away there, and never come back again." "Oh, but you must bring him back in time, father; you must indeed," urged Sophia.
"If it were only a romance I were relating to you, Sophia, I could very easily bring him back; but the narrative I am giving you is a matter of fact, which I cannot alter at will.

There would be no difficulty in bringing a richly-laden East Indiaman, commanded by Captain Philipson, into the Severn, and making Herbert and Cecilia conclude the story in each other's arms, but it would not be true." "Then if I had been Cecilia, I should have become a nun," said Mary, timidly.
"Exaggeration, my daughter, is an enemy to truth.

It is easy to say, 'I would become a nun,' and in Roman Catholic countries it is quite as easy to become one; but, though it may be sublime to retire in this way from the world, it is frightful when a woman has afterwards to regret the inconsiderate step she has taken, and which is often the case with these poor creatures." "As you said of myself," remarked Willis, "it is a crime to go down with a sinking ship so long as there is a straw to cling to." "I presume," continued Wolston, "that during this year poor Cecilia prayed fervently for the return of her old playfellow; but her prayers were all in vain, the year expired, and still no news of the young man; at last she despaired of ever seeing him again, and, after a severe struggle with herself, she decided upon complying with the desire of her parents and her friends.