A in my sister, that there was no starts; an ague-like lover. hope of prevailing upon her to steady man, a man of virtue, a alter sentiments she had adopted man of morals, was worth a thouon full consideration." He sighed, sand of such gay flutterers. Her as Bella told us, when he took his sister Clary might think it worth leave of her: "Profoundly sighed; her while perhaps to try to engage grasped her hand, and kissed it such a man: she had patience: with such an ardour Withdrew she was mistress of persuasion: with such an air of solemn respect and indeed, to do the girl justice, - She had him then before her. had something of a person: but as She could almost find in her heart, for her, she would not have a man although he had vexed her, to of whose heart she could not be pity him." A good intentional sure for one moment; no, not for preparative to love, this pity; the world: and most sincerely since, at the time, she little thought glad was she that she had rejected that he would not renew his offer. him." He waited on my mother after But when Mr. Lovelace rehe had taken leave of Bella, and turned into the country, he thought reported his ill success in so re- fit to visit my father and mother; spectful a manner, as well with re- hoping, as he told them, that howgard to my sister, as to the whole ever unhappy he had been in the family, and with so much concern rejection of the wished-for althat he was not accepted as a re-liance, he might be allowed to lation to it, that it left upon them keep up an acquaintance and all (my brother being then, as I friendship with a family which he have said, in Scotland) impressions should always respect. And then, in his favour, and a belief that this unhappily, as I may say, was I at matter would certainly be brought home and present. on again. But Mr. Lovelace going It was immediately observed, up directly to town, where he that his attention was fixed on stayed a whole fortnight, and me. My sister, as soon as he was meeting there with my uncle An- gone, in a spirit of bravery, seemed tony, to whom he regretted his desirous to promote his address niece's cruel resolution not to should it be tendered. change her state; it was seen that My aunt Hervey was there; and there was a total end of the affair. was pleased to say, we should My sister was not wanting to make the finest couple in Engherself on this occasion. She made land- if my sister had no objeca virtue of necessity; and the man tion. No, indeed! with a was quite another man with her. haughty toss, was my sister's re"A vain creature! too well know-ply - It would be strange if she ing his advantages: yet those not had, after the denial she had what she had conceived them to given him upon full deliberabe! Cool and warm by fits and tion. My mother declared, that her heard his further objections: that only dislike of his alliance with he was the more inclined to make either daughter, was on account his son this compliment, as Mr. of his reputed faulty morals. My uncle Harlowe, that his daughter Clary, as he delighted to call me from childhood, would reform him, if any woman in the world could. My uncle Antony gave his approbation in high terms: but referred, as my aunt had done, to my sister. Lovelace's general character gave but too much ground for his son's dislike of him; adding, that he had heard (so, he supposed, had every one) that he was a very extravagant man; that he had contracted debts in his travels: and indeed, he was pleased to say, he had the air of a spendthrift. These particulars I had partly She repeated her contempt of from my aunt Hervey, and partly him; and declared, that were from my sister; for I was called there not another man in Eng-out as soon as the subject was enland, she would not have him. tered upon. When I returned, my She was ready, on the contrary, uncle Antony asked me how I she could assure them, to resign should like Mr. Lovelace? Every her pretensions under hand and body saw, he was pleased to say, seal, if Miss Clary were taken that I had made a conquest. with his tinsel; and if every one else approved of his address to the girl. - I immediately answered, that I did not like him at all: he seemed to have too good an opinion both My father indeed, after a long of his person and parts, to have silence, being urged by my uncle any great regard to his wife, let Antony to speak his mind, said, him marry whom he would. That he had a letter from his son, My sister particularly was on his hearing of Mr. Lovelace's pleased with this answer, and convisits to his daughter Arabella; firmed it to be just; with a comwhich he had not shewn to any pliment to my judgment. For it body but my mother; that treaty was hers. being at an end when he received But the very next day Lord M. it; that in this letter he ex-came to Harlowe Place [I was pressed great dislike to an al- then absent]; and in his nephew's liance with Mr. Lovelace on the name made a proposal in form; score of his immoralities: that he declaring, that it was the ambiknew indeed there was an old tion of all his family to be related grudge between them; but that, to ours: and he hoped his kinsbeing desirous to prevent all oc- man would not have such an ancasions of disunion and animosity swer on the part of the younger in his family, he would suspend sister, as he had on that of the the declaration of his own mind elder. till his son arrived, and till he had! In short, Mr. Lovelace's visits were admitted as those of a man my well-acted indifference." who had not deserved disrespect That was her kind expression. from our family; but as to his ad- Whatever was his motive for a dress to me, with a reservation, as patience so generally believed to above, on my father's part, that be out of his usual character, and he would determine nothing with- where the object of his address out his son. My discretion as to was supposed to be of fortune conthe rest was confided in: for still I siderable enough to engage his had the same objections as to the warmest attention, he certainly man: nor would I, when we were escaped many mortifications by better acquainted, hear any thing it: for while my father suspended but general talk from him; his approbation till my brother's giving him no opportunity of arrival, Mr. Lovelace received conversing with me in private. from every one those civilities He bore this with a resignation which were due to his birth: and little expected from his natural although we heard from time to temper, which is generally re-time reports to his disadvantage ported to be quick and hasty; un- with regard to morals, yet could used it seems from childhood to we not question him upon them check or control. A case too without giving him greater adcommon in considerable families vantages in his own opinion than where there is an only son: and the situation he was in with us his mother never had any other would justify to prudence; since child. But, as I have heretofore it was much more likely that his told you, I could perceive, not- address would not be allowed of, withstanding this resignation, than that it would. that he had so good an opinion of And thus was he admitted to himself, as not to doubt, that converse with our family almost his person and accomplishments upon his own terms; for while my would insensibly engage me: and friends saw nothing in his becould that be once done, he told haviour but what was extremely my aunt Hervey, he should hope, respectful, and observed in him from so steady a temper, that his no violent importunity, they hold in my affections would be seemed to have taken a great durable: while my sister account- liking to his conversation: while I ed for his patience in another considered him only as a common manner, which would perhaps guest when he came; and thought have had more force if it had come myself no more concerned in his from a person less prejudiced: visits, nor at his entrance and de"That the man was not fond of parture, than any other of the famarrying at all: that he might mily. perhaps have half a score of mis- But this indifference on my side tresses: and that delay might be was the means of procuring him as convenient for his roviny, as for one very great advantage; since upon it was grounded that corre- would have shewn a particularity spondence by letter which suc- that a vain man might construe to ceeded; and which, had it been his advantage; and which my to be begun when the family ani- sister would not fail to animadvert mosity broke out, would never upon. have been entered into on my You have seen some of these part. The occasion was this: letters; and have been pleased My uncle Hervey has a young with his account of persons, gentleman entrusted to his care, places, and things; and we have whom he has thoughts of sending both agreed, that he was no comabroad, a year or two hence, to mon observer upon what he had make the grand tour, as it is seen. called; and finding Mr. Lovelace My sister herself allowed that could give a good account of the man had a tolerable knack of every thing necessary for a young writing and describing: and my traveller to observe upon such an father, who had been abroad in occasion, he desired him to write his youth, said, that his remarks down a description of the courts were curious, and shewed him to and countries he had visited, and be a person of reading, judgment, what was most worthy of curiosity and taste. in them. Thus was a kind of correHe consented, on condition spondence begun between him that I would direct his subjects, as and me, with general approbahe called it: and as every one tion; while every one wondered had heard his manner of writing at, and was pleased with, his pacommended; and thought his nar- tient veneration of me; for so they ratives might be agreeable amuse- called it. However, it was not ments in winter evenings; and doubted but he would soon be that he could have no opportunity more importunate, since his visits particularly to address me in were more frequent, and he acthem, since they were to be read in knowledged to my aunt Hervey a full assembly before they were passion for me, accompanied with given to the young gentleman, I an awe that he had never known made the less scruple to write, before; to which he attributed and to make observations, and put what he called his but seeming acquestions for our further informa- quiescence with my father's pleation Still the less perhaps as I sure, and the distance I kept him love writing; and those who do, at. And yet, my dear, this may are fond, you know, of occasions be his usual manner of behaviour to use the pen: and then, having to our sex; for had not my sister at every one's consent, and my uncle first all his reverence? Hervey's desire that I would Meantime, my father, expecting write, I thought that if I had been his importunity, kept in readiness the only scrupulous person, it the reports he had heard in his Clarissa. I. 2 disfavour, to charge them upon | asked me the next time he came him then, as so many objections to to Harlowe Place, if I had not rehis address. And it was highly ceived such a one from him?—I agreeable to me that he did so: it told him I should never answer would have been strange if it were one so sent; and that I had waited not; since the person who could for such an occasion as he had reject Mr. Wyerley's address for now given me, to tell him so; I the sake of his free opinions, must desired him therefore not to write have been inexcusable, had she again on the subject; assuring not rejected another's for his freer him, that if he did, I would repractices. turn both, and never write another line to him. But I should own, that in the letters he sent me upon the genYou cannot imagine how eral subject, he more than once saucily the man looked; as if, in inclosed a particular one, decla- short, he was disappointed that he ring his passionate regards forme, had not made a more sensible imand complaining, with fervour pression upon me: nor, when he reenough, of my reserves: but of collected himself (as he did immethese I took not the least notice; diately), what a vissible struggle for, as I had not written to him it cost him to change his haughty at all, but upon a subject so gen- airs for more placid ones. But I eral, I thought it was but right took no notice of either; for I to let what he wrote upon one so thought it best to convince him, particular pass off as if I had by the coolness and indifference never seen it; and the rather, as with which I repulsed his forward I was not then at liberty (from the hopes (at the same time intending approbation his letters met with) to avoid the affectation of pride or to break off the correspondence, vanity) that he was not considerunless I had assigned the true able enough in my eyes to make reason for doing so. Besides, with me take over-ready offence at all his respectful assiduities, it what he said, or at his haughty was easy to observe, (if it had not looks: in other words, that I had been his general character) that not value enough for him to treat his temper is naturally haughty him with peculiarity either by and violent; and I had seen too smiles or frowns. Indeed he had much of that untractable spirit in my brother to like it in one who hoped to be still more nearly related to me. cunning enough to give me, undesignedly, a piece of instruction, which taught me this caution; for he had said in conversation once, I had a little specimen of this "That if a man could not make a temper of his upon the very occa- woman in courtship own herself sion I have mentioned: for after pleased with him, it was as much, he had sent me a third particular and oftentimes more to his purletter with the general one, he pose, to make her angry with him.' |