Chapter 2

           InadditiontowhathasbeenalreadysaidofCatherineMorland’spersonalandmentalendowments,whenabouttobelaunchedintoallthedifficultiesanddangersofasixweeks’residenceinBath,itmaybestated,forthereader’smorecertaininformation,lestthefollowingpagesshouldotherwisefailofgivinganyideaofwhathercharacterismeanttobe,thatherheartwasaffectionate;herdispositioncheerfulandopen,withoutconceitoraffectationofanykind—hermannersjustremovedfromtheawkwardnessandshynessofagirl;herpersonpleasing,and,wheningoodlooks,pretty—andhermindaboutasignorantanduninformedasthefemalemindatseventeenusuallyis.

           Whenthehourofdeparturedrewnear,thematernalanxietyofMrs.Morlandwillbenaturallysupposedtobemostsevere.AthousandalarmingpresentimentsofeviltoherbelovedCatherinefromthisterrificseparationmustoppressherheartwithsadness,anddrownherintearsforthelastdayortwooftheirbeingtogether;andadviceofthemostimportantandapplicablenaturemustofcourseflowfromherwiselipsintheirpartingconferenceinhercloset.Cautionsagainsttheviolenceofsuchnoblemenandbaronetsasdelightinforcingyoungladiesawaytosomeremotefarm-house,must,atsuchamoment,relievethefulnessofherheart.Whowouldnotthinkso?ButMrs.Morlandknewsolittleoflordsandbaronets,thatsheentertainednonotionoftheirgeneralmischievousness,andwaswhollyunsuspiciousofdangertoherdaughterfromtheirmachinations.Hercautionswereconfinedtothefollowingpoints.