about to speak, my Fears have vanquished my Hopes, and I have been obliged to fufpend my Delign. I have thrown out feveral Hints, that I thought would have led the Way to a fuller difclofing of the Secret that is too big for my Breaft; and yet, when I am near her, it is too important for Utterance. Will you be fo good, Madam, to break the Way for me, if I am not wholly difapproved of by you, and prepare her dear Mind.for a Declaration that I must make, and yet know not how to begin. My Fortune and Expectations make me hope that I may not, on thofe Accounts, be deemed unworthy: And could I, by Half a Line from your Hand, hope that there is no other Bar, I fhould be enabled to build on fo defirable a Foundation, and to let your Niece know how much my Happiness depends upon her Favour. Excufe, good Madam, I befeech you, this Trouble, and this prefumptuous Requeft, from

Your obliged humble Servant.

LETTER XXI.

The Aunt's Anfwer, fuppofing the Gentleman deferves Encouragement.

SIR,

Cannot fay I have any Diflike, as to my own Part, to your Propofal, or your Manner of making it, whatever my Niece may have; becaufe Diffidence is generally the Companion of Merit, and a Token of Refpect. She is a Perfon of Prudence, and all her Friends are fo thoroughly convinced of it, that her Choice will have the Weight it deferves with us all: So I cannot fay, what will be the Event of your Declaration to her: Yet fo far as I may take upon myfelf to do, I will not deny your Request; but on her Return To-morrow will. break the Ice, as you defire, not doubting your Honour, and the Sincerity of your Profeffions; and I fhall tell her moreover what I think of the Advances you make. Í believe fhe has had the Prudence to keep her Heart entirely difengaged, becaufe fhe would otherwife have told me; and is not fo mean-fpirited, as to be able to return Tyranny and Infult for true Value, when the is properly convinced of it. Whoever has the Happinefs

(permit

(permit me, tho' her Relation, to call it fo)- to meet with her Favour, will find this her Character; and that it is not owing to the fond Partiality of Sir,

Your Friend and Servant.

LETTER XXII.

From a refpectful Lover to his Mistress.

Dear Madam,

Have long ftruggled with the most honourable and respectful Paffion that ever filled the Heart of Man; I have often tried to reveal it perfonally, as often in this Way; but never till now could prevail upon my Fears and Doubts. I can no longer ftruggle with a Secret that has given me so much Torture to keep, and yet hitherto more when I have endeavoured to reveal it. I never entertain the Hope to fee you without Rapture; but when I have that Pleasure, inftead of being animated, as I ought, I am utterly confounded. What can this be owing to, but a Diffidence in myself, and an exalted Opinion of your Worthiness? And is not this a ftrong Token of ardent Love? Yet if it be, how various is the tormenting Paffion in its Operations? Since fome it infpites with Courage, while others it deprives of all neceffary Confidence. I can only affure you, Madam, that the Heart of Man never conceived a stronger or fincerer Paffion than mine for you. If my Reverence for you is my Crime, I am fure it has been my fufficient Punishment. I need not to fay my Defigns and Motives are honourable: Who dare approach fo much virtuous Excellence, with a Suppofition, that fuch an Affurance is neceffary? What my Fortune is, is well known, and I am ready to ftand the Teft of the ftricteft Enquiry. Condefcend, Madam, to embolden my refpectful Paffion by one favourable Line, that if what I here profefs, and hope further to have an Opportunity to affure you of, be found to be unquestionably true, then, I hope, my humble Addrefs will not be quite unacceptable to you; and thus you will for ever oblige, dear Madam,

Your affectionate Admirer, and devoted Servant..

LET

I

SIR,

LETTER XXIII.
The Anfwer.

F Modefty be the greateft Glory in our Sex, furely it cannot be blameworthy in yours. For my own our Part, I muft think it the moft amiable Quality either Man or Woman can poffefs. Nor can there be, in my Opinion, a true Refpect where there is not a Diffidence of one's own Merit, and a high Opinion of the Perfon's we efteem.

To fay more on this Occafion, would little become me: To fay lefs, would look as if I knew not how to pay that Regard to modeft Merit, which modeft Merit only deferves.

You, Sir, beft know your own Heart; and if you are fincere and generous, will receive, as you ought, this Franknefs from, Sir,

Your humble Servant.

LETTER XXIV.

A Gentleman to a Lady, profeffing an Averfion to the tedious Formality in Courtship,

Dear Madam,

Remember that one of the Antients, in defcribing a Youth in Love, fays, he has neither Wifdom enough to fpeak, nor to hold his Tongue. If this be a juft Defeription, the Sincerity of my Paffion will admit of no Difpute: And whenever in your Company I behave like a Fool, forget not that you are anfwerable for my Folly. Having made bold to declare thus much, I muft prefume to fay, that a favourable Reception of this, will, I am certain, make me more worthy of your Notice; but your Difdain would be what I believe myself incapable ever to furmount. To try by idle Fallacies, and airy Compliments, to prevail on your Judgment, is a Folly for any Man to attempt who knows you. No, Madam, your good Senfe and Endowments have raised you far above the Neceffity of practifing the mean Artifices which prevail upon the lefs deferving of your Sex: You are not to be fo lightly deceived; and if you were;

give

give me leave to fay, I fhould not think you deferving of the Trouble that would attend fuch an Attempt.

This, I must own, is no fashionable Letter from one who, I am fure, loves up to the greateft Hero of Romance: But as I would hope, that the Happiness I fue for fhould be lafting, it is certainly most eligible to take no Step to procure it, but what will bear Reflection; for I fhould be happy to fee you mine, even when we have both outlived the Tafte of every Thing that has not Virtue and Reafon to fupport it. I am, Madain, notwithstanding this unpolifhed Addrefs,

Your moft refpectful Admirer,

And obedient humble Servant.

LETTER XXV.

The Lady's Answer, encouraging a farther Declaration. SIR,

IAM very little in love with the fashionable Me

thods of Courtship: Sincery with me is preferable to Compliments; yet I fee no reafon why common Decency fhould be difcarded. There is something fo odd in your Stile, that when I know whether you are in Jeft or Earneft, I fhall be lefs at a Lofs to anfwer you. Mean Time, as there is abundant Room for rifing, rather than finking, in your Complaifance, you may pof fibly have chofen wifely to begin first at the lower End. If this be the Cafe, I know not what your fucceeding Addreffes may produce: But I tell you fairly, that your present make no great Impreffion, yet perhaps as much as you intend, on,

Your humble Servant.

LETTER XXVI.

The Gentleman's Reply, more openly declaring his Paffion.

OW I have the Hope of being not more defpifed

Now for my acknowledged Affection, I declare to you

with all the Sincerity of a Man of Honour, that I have long had a most fincere Paffion for you; but I have feen

Gentlemen

Gentlemen led fuch Dances, when they have given up their Affections to the lovely Tyrants of their Hearts, and could not help themselves, that I had no Courage to begin an Addrefs in the ufual Forms, even to you, of whofe good Senfe and Generofity I nevertheless had a good Opinion. You have favoured me with a few Lines, which I moft kindly thank you for. And I do affure you, Madam, if you will be pleafed to encourage my honourable Suit, you fhall have so just an Account of my Circumftances and Pretenfions, as I hope will intitle me to your Favour in the honourable Light in which I profefs myfelf, dear Madam,

Your moft obliged and faithful Admirer. Be fo good as to favour me with one Line more to encourage my perfonal Attendance, if not difagreeable.

LETTER XXVII.

The Lady's Anfwer to his Reply, putting the Matter an a Sudden Iffue.

SIR,

as

A I Trouble, as well as unneceffary Compliments. I think proper to acquaint you that Mr. Dunford, of Winchefter, has the Management of all my Affairs; and is a Man of fuch Probity and Honour, that I do nothing in any Matters of Confequence without him. I have no Diflike to your Perfon; and if you approve of what Mr. Dunford can acquaint you with in Relation to me, and I approve of his Report in your Favour, I fhall be far from fhewing any Gentleman that I have either an infolent or a fordid Spirit, efpecially to fuch as do me the Honour of their good Opinion. I am, Sir,

Andover.

Your humble Servant.

LET.