Nevertheless, the education was received, together with a good many tastes, and sentiments, and opinions, which it may well be questioned, whether they contributed most to the happiness or unhappiness of the pupil, in her future life.

Frank Dutton, then a handsome, though far from polished young sea-lieutenant, interfered with the arrangement, by making Martha Ray his wife, when she was two-and-twenty.

This match was suitable, in all respects, with the important exception of the educations and characters of the parties.
Still, as a woman may well be more refined, and in some things, even more intelligent than her husband; and as sailors, in the commencement of the eighteenth century, formed a class of society much more distinct than they do to-day, there would have been nothing absolutely incompatible with the future well-being of the young couple, had each pursued his, or her own career, in a manner suitable to their respective duties.

Young Dutton took away his bride, with the two thousand pounds she had received from her father, and for a long time he was seen no more in his native county.

After an absence of some twenty years, however, he returned, broken in constitution, and degraded in rank.