ly rely. I will be fo fair and juft to you, as freely to acknowledge, that I have no objection to your perfon. If, therefore, you think proper to wait on him with your propofals, and I find that he approves them, I shall act without any mental refervation, and be very apt to encourage a paffion that I imagine both honourable and fincere. I am, Sir, your most humble fervant, M A LETTER VII. From an aunt to her nephew, who had complained of ill fuccefs in bis addreffes. I Dear Nephew, RECEIVED your doleful ditty, in regard to your ill fuccefs in your late love-adventure with Mifs Snow, No marble monument was ever half fo cold, or vestal virgin half fo coy! e turns a deaf ear, it feems, to your moit ardent vows! And what of all that? By your own account, it appears, fhe has given you no flat denial; neither has she peremptorily forbid your vifits. Really, nephew, I thought a young gentleman of your good fenfe and penetration, fhould be better verfed in the arts of love, than to be caft down all at once, and quit the field upon the firit repulfe. You should confider, that the is not only a beauty, but a very accomplished lady. You must furely be very vain to imagine, that one of her education, good fenfe, and real merit, fhould fall an eafy victim into your arms. Her affections must be gradually engaged; the looks upon matrimony as a very fericus affair, and will never give way, I am fully perfuaded, to the violence of an ill grounded paffion. For fhame, nephew; shake off that unbecoming, bafhfulaefs, and fhow yourfelf a man. Lovers, like foldiers thould endure fatigues. Be advifed; renew the attack with double vigour; for she is a lady worth your conqueft. The revolution of a day (ás the the ingenious Mr Rowe has it) may bring fuch turns as Heaven itself could fcarce have promised. Cheer up, dear nephew, under that thought. When I hear from you again, a few weeks hence, I am not without hopes, if you will follow my advice, of your carrying the fiege, and making her comply with your own terms of accommodation. In the mean time, depend upon it, no stone shall be left unturned on my part, that may any ways contribute towards your good fuccefs, as I cannot, without injustice to the lady, but approve your choice. I am your affectionate aunt. LETTER VIII. From a daughter to her father, wherein he dutifully expoftulates against a match he had propofed to her, with a gentleman much older than herself. Honoured Sir. HOUGH your injunctions fhould prove diametrically oppofite to my own fecret inclinations, yet I am not infenfible, that the duty which I owe you binds me to comply with them. Befides, I fhould be very ungrateful, should I prefume, in any point whatever, confidering your numberlefs acts of parental indulgence towards me, to conteft your will and pleasure. Though the confequences thereof fhould prove ever fo fatal, I am détermined to be all obedience, in cafe what I have to offer in my own defence fhould have no influence over you, or be thought an infufficient plea for my averfion to a match, which, unhappily for me, you seem to approve of. It is very poffible, Sir, the gentleman you recommend to my choice, may be poffeffed of all that fubftance, and all thofe good qualities, that bias you ftrongly in his favour; but, be not angry, dear Sir, when I remind you, that there is a vaft difproportion in our years. A lady of more experience, and of a more advanced age, would, in my humble opinion, be a much fo fitter help-mate for him. To be ingenious, (permit me, good Sir, to speak the sentiments of my heart, without referve, for once), a man, almoft in his grand climacteric, can never be an agreeable companion for me; nor can the natural gaiety of my temper, which has hitherto been indulged by yourself in every innocent amufement, be over agreeable to him. Though his fondness at first may connive at the little freedoms I fhall be apt to take; yet as foon as the edge of his appetite fhall be abated, he'll grow jealous, and for ever torment me without a cause. I shall be debarred of every diverfion suitable to my years, though ever fo harmless and inoffenfive; permitted to fee no company; hurried down, perhaps, to fome melancholy rural recefs; and there, like my lady Grace in the play, fit, penfive and alone, under a green tree. Your long-experienced goodness, and that tender regard which you have always expreffed for my eafe and fatisfaction, encourage me thus freely to expoftulate with you on an affair of fo great importance. If, however, after all, you shall judge the inequality of our age an infufficient plea in my favour, and that want of affection for a hufband is but a trifle, where there is a large fortune, and a coach and fix to throw into the fcale; if, in short, you fhall lay your peremptory commands upon me, to relign up all my real happiness and peace of mind, for the vanity of living in pomp and grandeur, I am ready to fubmit to your fuperior judgment. Give me leave, however, to obferve, that it is impoffible for me ever to love the man into whofe arms I am to be thrown: and that my compliance with fo detefted a propofition, is nothing more than the refult of the most inviolable duty to a father, who never made the leaft attempt before to thwart the inclinations of LETTER IX. From a young lady to a gentleman that courted her, whom She could not like, but was forced by her parents to receive his vifits, and think of none else for her husband. SIR, T is a very ill return which I make to the refpect you I have for me, when I acknowledge to you, that though the day of our marriage is appointed, I am incapable of loving you. You may have obferved, in the long converfation we have had at thofe times that we were left together, that fome fecret hung upon my mind. I was obliged to an ambiguous behaviour, and durft not reveal myself farther, because my mother, from a clofet near the place where we fat, could both hear and fee our converfation. I have ftrict commands from both my parents to receive you, and am undone for ever, except you will be fo kind and generous as to refuse me. Confider, Sir, the mifery of beftowing yourself upon one, who can have no profpect of happiness but from your death. This is a confeffion made, perhaps, with an offenfive fincerity; but that conduct is much to be preferred to a fecret diflike, which could not but pall all the sweets of life, by impofing on you a companion that dotes and languishes for another. I will not go fo far as to fay my paffion for the gentleman, whofe wife I am by promife, would lead me to any thing criminal against your honour. I know it is dreadful enough to a man of your fenfe to expect nothing but forced civilities in return for tender endearments, and cold esteem for unreferved love. you will, on this occafion, let reafon take place of paffion, I doubt not but Fate has in ftore for you fome worthier object of your affection, in recompenfe of your goodness to the only woman that could be infenfible of your merit. I am, Sir, If Your most humble fervant, LETTER X. From a young lady to a gentleman, who courts her, and whom he fufpects of infidelity. SIR, HE freedom and fincerity with which I have at all fome weight in my claim to a return of the fame confidence: but I have reason to fear, that the best of men do not always act as they ought. I write to you what it would be impoffible to fpeak: but, before I fee you, I defire you will either explain your conduct last night, or confefs that you have used me not as I have deserved of you. you I It is in vain to deny that you took pains to recom mend yourself to Mifs Peacock: your earneftness of difcourse alfo fhowed me that you were no ftranger to her. I defire to know, Sir, what fort of acquaintance you can wish to have with another person of character, after making me believe that wished to be married to me. write very plainly to you, because I expect a plain anfwer. I am not apt to be fufpicious, but this was too particular; and I must be either blind or indifferent to overlook it. Sir, I am neither; though, perhaps, it would be better for me if I were one or the other. I am, your's, &c. From a gentleman engaged to a lady, who had been feen talking to another, in answer to the foregoing. My deareft Jenny, W HAT can have put it into your thoughts to be fufpicious of me, whofe heart and foul you know are truly yours, and whofe whole thoughts and wishes are |