The last may,
and does have the best of it, in the mere physical part of the strife;
but in the more moral, if such a word can be used, the quiet
ascendency of better manners and ancient recollections is very apt to
overshadow the fussy pretensions of the vulgar aspirant, who places
his claims altogether on the all-mighty dollar. It is vain to deny it;
men ever have done it, and probably ever will defer to the past, in
matters of this sort--it being much with us, in this particular, as it
is with our own lives, which have had all their greatest enjoyments in
bygone days. I knew all this--felt all this--and was greatly afraid
that Lucy, through Mrs. Bradfort's influence, and her town
associations, might have learned to regard me as Captain Wallingford,
of the merchant-service, and the son of another Captain Wallingford of
the same line in life. I determined, therefore, to watch her with
jealous attention, during the few days I was to remain at Clawbonny.
With such generous intentions, the reader is not to be surprised if I
found some of that for which I so earnestly sought--people being very
apt to find precisely the thing for which they look, when it is not
lost money.
The next morning we were all punctual, and sailed at the proper
hour. The Mertons seemed pleased with the river, and, having a fresh
southerly wind in our favour, with a strong flood-tide, we actually
landed at the mill the same afternoon.
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