ty
complexion with pearl-powder and rouge because they made her more
resplendent by candle-light and in public places. Mr Alworth had in
strong terms expressed his abhorence of that practice, but she was
surprised he should intermeddle in an affair that was no business of
his, surely she might wear what complexion she pleased. The natural turn
of his temper inclined him to rational society, but in that his wife
could bear no part. The little time she was at home was employed in
dressing and a multitude of coxcombs attended her toilet. Mr Alworth's
extreme fondness for her made him at first very wretched; he soon found
himself the most disregarded of all mankind and every man appeared his
rival; but on nearer observation he perceived his jealousy was
groundless and that she was too giddy to love any thing. This made his
pride easy, but his tenderness still had much to endure, till at length
contempt produced some degree of indifference and his sufferings became
less acute, though he lived in continual grief at finding himself
disappointed of all his airy hopes of happiness.

Harriot was scarcely less afflicted than himself, she endeavoured to
render him more contented with his situation, and attempted to teach Mrs
Alworth to think, but in both was equally unsuccessful. However, this
was not all she had to endure. When Mr Alworth began with unprejudiced
eyes to compare her he had lost with the woman for whom he relinquished
her; when he saw how greatly Harriot's natural beauty eclipsed Mrs
Alworth's notwithstanding the addition of all her borrowed charms, he
wondered what magic had blinded him to her superiority. But when he drew
a comparison between the admirable understanding of the one, her great
fund of knowledge, the inexhaustible variety in her conversation, with
the insipid dullness or unmeaning vivacity of the other, he was still
more astonished and could not forgive his strange infatuation. This
train of thought perhaps had no small share in giving rise to a passion
for Harriot which he had never felt, while it might have been the source
of much happiness to them both. In short, he became violently in love
with her and fell a prey to the most cruel regret and despair, sensible
that all he suffered was the consequence of his own folly.

Respect for Harriot made Mr Alworth endeavour to conceal his passion,
but could not prevent its daily increase. At this time I became
acquainted with her, during a visit I made in