xander, have
sighed, if there had remained no other beau to conquer. Perhaps the
countenance of Mr. Hartley, of which he considered himself as securer than
ever, led him, like a wise general, to reflect, that in staking his life
against that of a lover, whose chance of success was almost wholly
precluded, he mould make a very unfair and unequal combat.

Be this as it will, Mr. Hartley had no such motives to overlook this new
occurrence. Just however as he had begun to take it into his mature
consideration, he received the compliments of Mr. Moreland, with an
intimation of his design to make him a visit that very afternoon.

At this message Mr. Hartley was a good deal surprised. Mr. Moreland he had
never but once seen, and in that visit, he thought he had had reason to be
offended with him. If that gentleman treated the company of Mr. Prattle
and lord Martin, persons universally admired, as not good enough for him,
it seemed unaccountable that he should have recourse to him. He was
neither distinguished by the elegance of his accomplishments, nor did he
much pride himself in the attainments of literature. After many
conjectures, he at length determined with infinite sagacity, to suspend
his judgement, till Mr. Moreland mould solve the enigma.

This determination was scarcely made before his visitor arrived. That
gentleman, who, though full of sensibility and benevolence, was not a man
of empty ceremony, immediately opened his business. Mr. Hartley, drew
himself up in his chair, and, with the dignity of a citizen of London, who
thinks that the first character in the world, cried, "Well, sir, and who
is this nephew of yours? I think I never heard of him." "He is the son,"
answered Mr. Moreland, "of lord Thomas Villiers." "Lord Thomas Villiers!
Then I suppose he is a great man. And pray now, sir, if this great man has
a mind that his son should marry my daughter, why does he not come and
tell me so himself?" "Why in truth," said the other, "lord Thomas Villiers
has no mind. But my nephew is his only son, and therefore cannot be
deprived of the principal part of his estate after his death. In the mean
time, I will take care that he shall have an income perfectly equal to the
fortune of Miss Hartley." "You will sir! And so in the first place, this
young spark would have me encourage him in disobedience, which is the
greatest crime upon God's earth, and in the second, he thinks that I, Bob
Hartley, as I sit here, will marry m