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You owe it to your country then: all families who have good fortunes and good blood in their veins, should be kept up for the sake of their country. Is not every body sorry when a house of this kind becomes extinct?

If I thought my estates would cease to bear corn and hay upon them in possession of a different family, I should marry to-morrow for the good of the country most certainly. I should be very sorry to be sure to make every body sorry for my want of heirs: but I remember when my neighbour Squire Wheelbarrow lost his only son, there was as much merry-making, and as much ale drank at the very next fair, upon his own estate too, as if nobody had cared a rush about the matter. I believe you must produce some stronger reason still, my lady.

Yes, do keep it up, madam! don't let him off so easily.

For the sake of the ladies then, Sir John, you ought to be a bachelor no longer.

Now your ladyship attacks him from a strong post.