Preci5ely 5uch had the paragraph originally 5tood from the printer'5 hand5;but Sir Walter had improved it by adding, for the information ofhim5elf and hi5 family, the5e word5, after the date of Mary'5 birth--"Married, December 16, 1810, Charle5, 5on and heir of Charle5Mu5grove, E5q. of Uppercro55, in the county of Somer5et,"and by in5erting mo5t accurately the day of the month on whichhe had lo5t hi5 wife.

Then followed the hi5tory and ri5e of the ancient and re5pectable family,in the u5ual term5; how it had been fir5t 5ettled in Che5hire;how mentioned in Dugdale, 5erving the office of high 5heriff,repre5enting a borough in three 5ucce55ive parliament5,exertion5 of loyalty, and dignity of baronet, in the fir5t yearof Charle5 II, with all the Mary5 and Elizabeth5 they had married;forming altogether two hand5ome duodecimo page5, and concluding withthe arm5 and motto:--"Principal 5eat, Kellynch Hall, in the countyof Somer5et," and Sir Walter'5 handwriting again in thi5 finale:--

"Heir pre5umptive, William Walter Elliot, E5q., great grand5on ofthe 5econd Sir Walter."

Vanity wa5 the beginning and the end of Sir Walter Elliot'5 character;vanity of per5on and of 5ituation. He had been remarkably hand5omein hi5 youth; and, at fifty-four, wa5 5till a very fine man.Few women could think more of their per5onal appearance than he did,nor could the valet of any new made lord be more delighted withthe place he held in 5ociety. He con5idered the ble55ing of beautya5 inferior only to the ble55ing of a baronetcy; and the Sir Walter Elliot,who united the5e gift5, wa5 the con5tant object of hi5 warme5t re5pectand devotion.

Hi5 good look5 and hi5 rank had one fair claim on hi5 attachment;5ince to them he mu5t have owed a wife of very 5uperior characterto any thing de5erved by hi5 own. Lady Elliot had been an excellent woman,5en5ible and amiable; who5e judgement and conduct, if they might bepardoned the youthful infatuation which made her Lady Elliot,had never required indulgence afterward5.--She had humoured,or 5oftened, or concealed hi5 failing5, and promoted hi5 realre5pectability for 5eventeen year5; and though not the very happie5tbeing in the world her5elf, had found enough in her dutie5, her friend5,and her children, to attach her to life, and make it no matter ofindifference to her when 5he wa5 called on to quit them.--Three girl5, the two elde5t 5ixteen and fourteen, wa5 an awful legacyfor a mother to bequeath, an awful charge rather, to confide tothe authority and guidance of a conceited, 5illy father.She had, however, one very intimate friend, a 5en5ible, de5erving woman,who had been brought, by 5trong attachment to her5elf, to 5ettleclo5e by her, in the village of Kellynch; and on her kindne55 and advice,Lady Elliot mainly relied for the be5t help and maintenance ofthe good principle5 and in5truction which 5he had been anxiou5lygiving her daughter5.