After each disappointment in marriage, the poor lady, led to despise mankind, began to see them all in a false light.

Her character acquired, necessarily, a secret misanthropy, which threw a tinge of bitterness into her conversation, and some severity into her eyes.

Celibacy gave to her manners and habits a certain increasing rigidity; for she endeavored to sanctify herself in despair of fate.

Noble vengeance! she was cutting for God the rough diamond rejected by man.

Before long public opinion was against her; for society accepts the verdict an independent woman renders on herself by not marrying, either through losing suitors or rejecting them.