isonofopinionastothefirst-ratepoets,tryingtoascertainwhetherMarmionorTheLadyoftheLakeweretobepreferred,andhowrankedtheGiaourandTheBrideofAbydosandmoreover,howtheGiaourwastobepronounced,heshowedhimselfsointimatelyacquaintedwithallthetenderestsongsoftheonepoet,andalltheimpassioneddescriptionsofhopelessagonyoftheotherherepeated,withsuchtremulousfeeling,thevariouslineswhichimagedabrokenheart,oraminddestroyedbywretchedness,andlookedsoentirelyasifhemeanttobeunderstood,thatsheventuredtohopehedidnotalwaysreadonlypoetry,andtosay,thatshethoughtitwasthemisfortuneofpoetrytobeseldomsafelyenjoyedbythosewhoenjoyeditcompletelyandthatthestrongfeelingswhichalonecouldestimateittrulyweretheveryfeelingswhichoughttotasteitbutsparingly.
Hislooksshewinghimnotpained,butpleasedwiththisallusiontohissituation,shewasemboldenedtogoonandfeelinginherselftherightofseniorityofmind,sheventuredtorecommendalargerallowanceofproseinhisdailystudyandonbeingrequestedtoparticularize,mentionedsuchworksofourbestmoralists,suchcollectionsofthefinestletters,suchmemoirsofcharactersofworthandsuffering,asoccurredtoheratthemomentascalculatedtorouseandfortifythemindbythehighestprecepts,andthestrongestexamplesofmoralandreligiousendurances.
CaptainBenwicklistenedattentively,andseemedgratefulfortheinterestimpliedandthoughwithashakeofthehead,andsighswhichdeclaredhislittlefaithintheefficacyofanybooksongrieflikehis,noteddownthenamesofthosesherecommended,andpromisedtoprocureandreadthem.
Whentheeveningwasover,AnnecouldnotbutbeamusedattheideaofhercomingtoLymetopreachpatienceandresignationtoayoungmanwhomshehadneverseenbeforenorcouldshehelpfearing,onmoreseriousreflection,that,likemanyothergreatmoralistsandpreachers,shehadbeeneloquentonapointinwhichherownconductwouldillbearexamination.