f I can I will."

Hycy, as we have stated before, had vast confidence in his own powers of
persuasion; and general influence with women, and on this occasion, his
really handsome features were made vulgar by a smirk of self-conceit
which he could not conceal, owing to his natural vanity and a
presentiment of success that is almost inseparable from persons of his
class, who can scarcely look even upon the most positive and decided
rejection by a woman as coming seriously from her heart. Even Harry
Clinton himself, though but a young man, thought, as he afterwards
stated to his sister, that he never saw Hycy have so much the appearance
of a puppy as upon that occasion. As had been proposed, he withdrew,
however, and the lover being left in the drawing-room with Miss Clinton
began, with a simper that was rather coxcombical, to make allusions to
the weather, but in such a way as if there was some deep but delightful
meaning veiled under his commonplaces. At length he came directly to the
'point.

"But passing from the weather, Miss Clinton, to a much more agreeable
topic, permit me to ask if you have ever turned your thoughts upon
matrimony?"

The hectic of a moment, as Sterne. says, accompanied by a look that
slightly intimated displeasure, or something like it, was the only reply
he received for a quarter of a minute, when she said, after the feeling
probably had passed away--"No, indeed, Mr. Burke, I have not."

"Come, come, Miss Clinton," said Hycy, with another smirk, "that won't
pass. Is it not laid down by the philosophers that you think of little
else from the time you are marriageable?"

"By what philosophers?"

"Why, let me see--by the philosophers in general--ha! ha! ha!"

"I was not aware of that," she replied; "but even if they have so ruled
it, I see no inference we can draw from that, except their ignorance of
the subject."

"It is so ruled, however," said Hycy, "and philosophy is against you."

"I am willing it should, Mr. Burke, provided we have truth with us."

"Very good, indeed, Miss Clinton--that was well said; but, seriously,
have you ever thought of marriage?"

"Doesn't philosophy say that we seldom think of anything else?" she
replied, smiling. Ask philosophy, then."

"But this really is a subject in which I feel a particular interest--a
personal interest; but, as for philosophy, I despise it--that is as it
is usually understood. The only philosophy of life is love, and that is
my doct