a suitor to her?--It could not be bashfulness (now she
thought of it) since he might have opened his mind to her uncle, if he
wanted courage to speak directly to her.--Not that she cared much for
the man neither: but it was right, surely, that a woman should be put
out of doubt early as to a man's intentions in such a case as this, from
his own mouth.--But, truly, she had begun to think, that he was more
solicitous to cultivate her mamma's good opinion, than hers!--Every
body, she owned, admired her mother's conversation; but he was mistaken
if he thought respect to her mother only would do with her. And
then, for his own sake, surely he should put it into her power to
be complaisant to him, if he gave her reason to approve of him. This
distant behaviour, she must take upon herself to say, was the more
extraordinary, as he continued his visits, and declared himself
extremely desirous to cultivate a friendship with the whole family; and
as he could have no doubt about her sense, if she might take upon her to
join her own with the general opinion; he having taken great notice of,
and admired many of her good things as they fell from her lips. Reserves
were painful, she must needs say, to open and free spirits, like hers:
and yet she must tell my aunt,' (to whom all this was directed) 'that
she should never forget what she owed to her sex, and to herself, were
Mr. Lovelace as unexceptionable in his morals as in his figure, and were
he to urge his suit ever so warmly.'

I was not of her council. I was still absent. And it was agreed upon
between my aunt Hervey and her, that she was to be quite solemn and shy
in his next visit, if there were not a peculiarity in his address to
her.

But my sister it seems had not considered the matter well. This was not
the way, as it proved, to be taken for matters of mere omission, with a
man of Mr. Lovelace's penetration. Nor with any man; since if love has
not taken root deep enough to cause it to shoot out into declaration, if
an opportunity be fairly given for it, there is little room to expect,
that the blighting winds of anger or resentment will bring it forward.
Then my poor sister is not naturally good-humoured. This is too
well-known a truth for me to endeavor to conceal it, especially from
you. She must therefore, I doubt, have appeared to great disadvantages
when she aimed to be worse tempered than ordinary.

How they managed it in their next conversation I know not. One would