to the daughters would be a powerful means of deterring mothers from
ill-conduct; and might probably operate more effectually to restrain
licentiousness in high life than heavy damages, or the now transient
disgrace of public trial and divorce. As to the apparent injustice of
punishing children for the faults of their parents, it should be considered
that in most other cases children suffer discredit more or less for the
faults of their parents of whatever kind; and that, on the other hand, they
enjoy the advantage of the good characters which their parents establish.
This _must_ be so from the necessary effect of experience, and from the
nature of human belief, except in cases where passion operates to destroy
or suspend the power of reason--"

"That is not my case, I assure you, sir," interrupted Godfrey.

Mr. Percy smiled, and continued:--"It appears to me highly advantageous,
that _character_, in general, should descend to posterity as well as riches
or honours, which are, in fact, often the representations, or consequences,
in other forms, of different parts of character--industry, talents,
courage. For instance, in the lower ranks of life, it is a common saying,
that a good name is the richest legacy a woman can leave her daughter. This
idea should be impressed more fully than it is upon the higher classes. At
present, money too frequently forms a compensation for every thing in high
life. It is not uncommon to see the natural daughters of men of rank, or
of large fortune, portioned so magnificently, either with solid gold, or
promised _family protection_, that their origin by the mother's side, and
the character of the mother, are quite forgotten. Can this be advantageous
to good morals? Surely a mother living in open defiance of the virtue of
her sex should not see her illegitimate offspring, instead of being her
shame, become her glory.--On the contrary, nothing could tend more to
prevent the ill conduct of women in high life than the certainty that men