Chapter One
No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy, would
have supposed her born to be an heroine. Her situation in life, the
character of her father and mother, her own person and disposition,
were all equally against her. Her father was a clergyman, without
being neglected, or poor, and a very respectable man, though his
name was Richard and he had never been handsome. He had a
considerable independence, besides two good livings and he was not
in the least addicted to locking up his daughters. Her mother was a
woman of useful plain sense, with a good temper, and, what is more
remarkable, with a good constitution. She had three sons before
Catherine was born; and instead of dying in bringing the latter into
the world, as any body might expect, she still lived on lived to
have six children more to see them growing up around her, and to
enjoy excellent health herself. A family of ten children will be
always called a ...
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