erous of the two, and whips his net
over her, before she can cast her's over him; how, I would fain know, can
she cast her's over him; how, I would fain know, can she be justly
entitled to cry out upon cruelty, barbarity, deception, sacrifices, and
all the rest of the exclamatory nonsense, with which the pretty fools, in
such a case, are wont to din the ears of their conquerors? Is it not
just, thinkest thou, when she makes her appeal to gods and men, that both
gods and men should laugh at her, and hitting her in the teeth with her
own felonious intentions, bid her sit down patiently under her deserved
disappointment?'

In short, Sally's parents, as well as herself, encouraged Mr. Lovelace's
visits. They thought they might trust to a discretion in he which she
herself was too wise to doubt. Pride they knew she had; and that, in
these cases, is often called discretion.--Lord help the sex, says
Lovelace, if they had not pride!--Nor did they suspect danger from that
specious air of sincerity, and gentleness of manners, which he could
assume or lay aside whenever he pleased.

The second masquerade, which was no more than their third meeting abroad,
completed her ruin, from so practised, though so young a deceiver; and
that before she well knew she was in danger; for, having prevailed on her
to go off with him about twelve o'clock to his aunt Forbes's, a lady of
honour and fortune, to whom he had given reason to expect her future
niece, [the only hint of marriage he ever gave her,] he carried her off
to the house of the wicked woman, who bears the name of Sinclair in these
papers; and there, by promises, which she understood in the favourable
sense, (for where a woman loves she seldom doubts enough for her safety,)
obtained an easy conquest over a virtue that was little more than
nominal.

He found it not difficult to induce her to proceed in the guilty
commerce, till the effects of it became to apparent to be hid. Her
parents then (in the first fury of their disappointment, and vexation for
being deprived of all hopes of such a son-in-law) turned her out of
doors.

Her disgrace thus published, she became hardened; and, protected by her
seducer, whose favourite mistress she then was, she was so incensed
against her parents for an indignity so little suiting with her pride,
and the head they had always given her, that she refused to return to
them, when, repenting of their passionate treatment of her, they would
have