Chapter 2

           MrShepherd,acivil,cautiouslawyer,who,whatevermightbehisholdorhisviewsonSirWalter,wouldratherhavethedisagreeablepromptedbyanybodyelse,excusedhimselffromofferingtheslightesthint,andonlybeggedleavetorecommendanimplicitreferencetotheexcellentjudgementofLadyRussell,fromwhoseknowngoodsensehefullyexpectedtohavejustsuchresolutemeasuresadvisedashemeanttoseefinallyadopted.

           LadyRussellwasmostanxiouslyzealousonthesubject,andgaveitmuchseriousconsideration.Shewasawomanratherofsoundthanofquickabilities,whosedifficultiesincomingtoanydecisioninthisinstanceweregreat,fromtheoppositionoftwoleadingprinciples.Shewasofstrictintegrityherself,withadelicatesenseofhonour;butshewasasdesirousofsavingSirWalter’sfeelings,assolicitousforthecreditofthefamily,asaristocraticinherideasofwhatwasduetothem,asanybodyofsenseandhonestycouldwellbe.Shewasabenevolent,charitable,goodwoman,andcapableofstrongattachments,mostcorrectinherconduct,strictinhernotionsofdecorum,andwithmannersthatwereheldastandardofgood-breeding.Shehadacultivatedmind,andwas,generallyspeaking,rationalandconsistent;butshehadprejudicesonthesideofancestry;shehadavalueforrankandconsequence,whichblindedheralittletothefaultsofthosewhopossessedthem.