(15)
Rosara was the only daughter of a gentleman in the north country, poſſeſſed of ſeveral hundreds per annum. She had, in an eminent degree, a moſt beautiful "ſet of features," attended with thoſe nameleſs graces of perſon which inſenſibly attract the attention of the moſt ſuperficial obſerver; to which was added the greateſt good-nature; an uncommon affability; an humane and feeling heart, and an accompliſhed underſtanding. In fine, to ſum up her character in a few words, ſhe was, in fact, what the daughter of Cato was in deſcription, poſſeſt
Of inward greatneſs, unaffected wiſdom,
And ſanctity of manners.Addison.
It is, however, neceſſary to obſerve, that ſhe was unlucky in a father. He was a man in whoſe breaſt avarice had gained conſiderable ground, and whoſe heart was, in a great meaſure, callous to the tender feelings of paternal affection: as it is reported of him, that he would often, when ſpeaking on the ſubject of marriage, ridicule that famous ſaying of Themiſtocles, namely, "that he would much rather marry his daughter to a man of merit, though poor, than to one who was rich without it," by obſerving, that if he had his daughter married to a man of fortune, he did not care whether he had merit or not.
