He had a heart for either of the Miss Musgroves, if they could catch it; a heart, in short, for any pleasing young woman who came in his way, excepting Anne Elliot.

This was his only secret exception, when he said to his sister, in answer to her suppositions:-- "Yes, here I am, Sophia, quite ready to make a foolish match.

Anybody between fifteen and thirty may have me for asking.

A little beauty, and a few smiles, and a few compliments to the navy, and I am a lost man.

Should not this be enough for a sailor, who has had no society among women to make him nice ?" He said it, she knew, to be contradicted.