appeal to the delicacy of your own
sentiments, which can judge of my sufferings, and will,
doubtless, do justice to the self-denial of your forlorn
"P. Pickle."

Emilia, who knew the nicety of our hero's pride, had foreseen the
purport of this epistle before it came to her hands; she did not,
therefore, despair of success, nor desist from the prosecution of her
plan, which was no other than that of securing her own happiness, in
espousing the man upon whom she had fixed her unalterable affection.
Confident of his honour, and fully satisfied of the mutual passion with
which they were inspired, she gradually decoyed him into a literary
correspondence, wherein she attempted to refute the arguments on which
he grounded his refusal; and, without doubt, the young gentleman was not
a little pleased with the enjoyment of such delightful commerce, in the
course of which he had, more than ever, an opportunity of admiring the
poignancy of her wit, and the elegance of her understanding.

The contemplation of such excellency, while it strengthened the chains
with which she held him enslaved, added emulation to the other motives
that induced him to maintain the dispute; and much subtlety of reasoning
was expended upon both sides of this very particular question, without
any prospect of conviction on either part, till, at last, she began to
despair of making him a proselyte to her opinion by dint of argument;
and resolved for the future to apply herself chiefly to the irresistible
prepossessions of his love, which were not at all diminished or impaired
by the essays of her pen. With this view she proposed a conference,
pretending that it was impossible to convey all her reflections upon
this subject in a series of short letters; and Godfrey undertook to bail
him for the day. But, conscious of her power, he would not trust himself
in her presence, though his heart throbbed with all the eagerness of
desire to see her fair eyes disrobed of that resentment which they
had worn so long, and to enjoy the ravishing sweets of a fond
reconciliation.

Nature could not have held out against such powerful attacks, had not
the pride and caprice of his disposition been gratified to the full in
the triumph of his resistance; he looked upon the contest as altogether
original, and persevered with obstinacy, because he thought himself
sure of favourable terms, whenever he should be disposed to
capitu