thou, Belford, make the application. This I know, that I have given
greater joy to my beloved, than she had thought would so soon fall to her
share. And as the human life is properly said to be chequerwork, no
doubt but a person of her prudence will make the best of it, and set off
so much good against so much bad, in order to strike as just a balance as
possible.

[The Lady, in three several letters, acquaints her friend with the most
material passages and conversations contained in those of Mr. Lovelace's
preceding. These are her words, on relating what the commission of the
pretended Tomlinson was, after the apprehensions that his distant inquiry
had given her:]

At last, my dear, all these doubts and fears were cleared up, and
banished; and, in their place, a delightful prospect was opened to me.
For it comes happily out, (but at present it must be an absolute secret,
for reasons which I shall mention in the sequel,) that the gentleman was
sent by my uncle Harlowe [I thought he could not be angry with me for
ever]: all owing to the conversation that passed between your good Mr.
Hickman and him. For although Mr. Hickman's application was too harshly
rejected at the time, my uncle could not but think better of it
afterwards, and of the arguments that worthy gentleman used in my favour.

Who, upon a passionate repulse, would despair of having a reasonable
request granted?--Who would not, by gentleness and condescension,
endeavour to leave favourable impressions upon an angry mind; which, when
it comes cooly to reflect, may induce it to work itself into a
condescending temper? To request a favour, as I have often said, is one
thing; to challenge it as our due, is another. And what right has a
petitioner to be angry at a repulse, if he has not a right to demand what
he sues for as a debt?

[She describes Captain Tomlinson, on his breakfast-visit, to be, a grave,
good sort of man. And in another place, a genteel man of great gravity,
and a good aspect; she believes upwards of fifty years of age. 'I liked
him, says she, as soon as I saw him.'

As her projects are now, she says, more favourable than heretofore, she
wishes, that her hopes of Mr. Lovelace's so-often-promised reformation
were better grounded than she is afraid they can be.]

We have both been extremely puzzled, my dear, says she, to reconcile some
parts of Mr. Lovelace's character with other parts of it: his good with
his bad; such of the f