im with great spirit in the interview between them; once,
when he thought a reflection was but implied on _Miss Howe_[50]; and
another time, when he imagined _himself_ treated contemptuously[51].
Miss Howe, it must be owned (tho' not to the credit of her own
character) treats him ludicrously on several occasions. But so she does
her Mother. And perhaps a Lady of her lively turn would have treated as
whimsically any man but a Lovelace. Mr. Belford speaks of him with
honour and respect[52]. So does Colonel Morden[53]. And so does Clarissa
on every occasion. And all that Miss Howe herself says of him, tends
more to his reputation than discredit[54], as Clarissa indeed tells
her[55].

"And as to Lovelace's treatment of him, the Reader must have observed,
that it was his way to treat every man with contempt, partly by way of
self exaltation, and partly to gratify the natural gaiety of his
disposition. He says himself to Belford[56], 'Thou knowest I love him
not, Jack; and whom we love not, we cannot allow a merit to; perhaps not
the merit they should be granted.' 'Modest and diffident men,' writes
Belford, to Lovelace, in praise of Mr. Hickman, 'wear not soon off those
little precisenesses, which the confident, if ever they had them,
presently get over[57].'

"But, as Miss Howe treats her Mother as freely as she does her Lover; so
does Mr. Lovelace take still greater liberties with Mr. Belford, than he
does with Mr. Hickman, with respect to his person, air, and address, as
Mr. Belford himself hints to Mr. Hickman[58]. And yet he is not so
readily believed to the discredit of Mr. Belford, by the Ladies in
general, as he is when he disparages Mr. Hickman. Whence can this
partiality arise?--

"_Mr. Belford had been a Rake: But was in a way of reformation._

"_Mr. Hickman had always been a good man._

"_And Lovelace_ confidently says, _That the women love a man whose
regard for them is founded in the knowlege of them_[59].

"Nevertheless, it must be owned, that it was not proposed to draw Mr.
Hickman, as the man of whom the Ladies in general were likely to be very
fond. Had it been so, _Goodness of heart_, and _Gentleness of manners_,
_great Assiduity_, and _inviolable_ and _modest_ Love, would not of
themselves have been supposed sufficient recommendations. He would not
have been allowed the least share of _preciseness_ or _formality_,
altho' those defects might have been imputed to his reverence for the
object of hi