band, who always treated her
with great indulgence in hopes of fixing Harriot's good opinion; for
though despair had damped his passion, yet he still loved her with the
tenderest respect and reverence.

Towards the latter end of the second year of Mr Alworth's marriage, his
grandmother died, much regretted by Harriot, whom she left mistress of
her own fortune with the addition of four thousand pounds, part of it
the accumulated interest of her paternal inheritance, the rest Mrs
Alworth's legacy. Her grandson succeeded to her house and intreated
Harriot that he might find her there when he came to take possession.

Their correspondence had been regular but they had never met since his
marriage. Mrs Alworth was not fond of the conversation of an old lady;
and from seeing herself not very agreeable to her grandmother, felt an
uncommon awe in her presence. Harriot had received repeated invitations
from them, but could not be prevailed with to leave old Mrs Alworth, who
had no other companion.

The only relief she found in her affliction for the loss of so worthy a
parent was putting the house, and all belonging to it, in order for the
reception of her first friend, in whose society she expected to renew
the happiness she had so long enjoyed from it. Nor was she disappointed
in her hopes of finding him still her friend; they met with mutual joy,
and Mrs Alworth seemed at first as much pleased with her new possession
as they were with each other. But Harriot soon found her happiness
considerably damped. Mr Alworth, unwilling to let his grandmother know
the ill success of a union which he was sensible she disapproved, had
been silent on that subject in his letters, but he was too well
acquainted with the generosity of Harriot's temper to fear she would
triumph at the natural consequence of his ill-grounded passion, and
therefore concealed not from her any part of the uneasiness which his
wife's disposition gave him. He too late saw the difference between
sensible vivacity and animal spirits and found Mrs Alworth a giddy
coquette, too volatile to think, too vain to love; pleased with
admiration, insensible to affection, fond of flattery but indifferent to
true praise; imprudently vivacious in mixed companies, lifeless when
alone with him; and desirous of charming all mankind except her husband,
who of his whole sex seemed the only person of no consequence to her. As
her view was to captivate in public, she covered a very pret