nly think, that I have provocations sufficient
to justify me in all that I shall do to either.

Return the enclosed the moment thou hast perused it.

LETTER VIII

MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
SUNDAY NIGHT--MONDAY MORNING.

I went down with revenge in my heart, the contents of Miss Howe's letter
almost engrossing me, the moment that Miss Harlowe and Mrs. Moore
(accompanied by Miss Rawlins) came in: but in my countenance all the
gentle, the placid, the serene, that the glass could teach; and in my
behaviour all the polite, that such an unpolite creature, as she has
often told me I am, could put on.

Miss Rawlins was sent for home almost as soon as she came in, to
entertain an unexpected visiter; to her great regret, as well as to the
disappointment of my fair-one, as I could perceive from the looks of
both: for they had agreed, it seems, if I went to town, as I said I
intended to do, to take a walk upon the Heath, at least in Mrs. Moore's
garden; and who knows, what might have been the issue, had the spirit of
curiosity in the one met with the spirit of communication in the other?

Miss Rawlins promised to return, if possible: but sent to excuse herself:
her visiter intending to stay with her all night.

I rejoiced in my heart at her message; and, after much supplication,
obtained the favour of my beloved's company for another walk in the
garden, having, as I told her, abundance of things to say, to propose,
and to be informed of, in order ultimately to govern myself in my future
steps.

She had vouchsafed, I should have told thee, with eyes turned from me,
and in a half-aside attitude, to sip two dishes of tea in my company--
Dear soul!--How anger unpolishes the most polite! for I never saw Miss
Harlowe behave so awkwardly. I imagined she knew not how to be awkward.

When we were in the garden, I poured my whole soul into her attentive
ear; and besought her returning favour.

She told me, that she had formed her scheme for her future life: that,
vile as the treatment was which she had received from me, that was not
all the reason she had for rejecting my suit: but that, on the maturest
deliberation, she was convinced that she could neither be happy with me,
nor make me happy; and she injoined me, for both our sakes, to think no
more of her.

The Captain, I told her, was rid down post, in a manner, to forward my
wishes with her uncle.--Lady Betty and Miss Montague were undoubtedly
arrived in to