Mason takes the girls to Charles Townley's ruined mansion to tell them the cautionary tale of a "boy of uncommon abilities, and strong feelings"; unfortunately, "he ever permitted those feelings to direct his conduct, without submitting to the direction of reason; I mean, the present emotion governed him ...He always indeed intended to act right in every particular "to-morrow"; but "to-day" he followed the prevailing whim" (emphasis Wollstonecraft's).