you writ about happened in this
place: the quarrel between my friends did not run so high as I find your
accounts have made it. The truth of the fact you shall have very
faithfully. You are to understand, that the persons concerned in this
scene were, Lady Autumn, and Lady Springly:[365] Autumn is a person of
good breeding, formality, and a singular way practised in the last age;
and Lady Springly, a modern impertinent of our sex, who affects as
improper familiarity, as the other does distance. Lady Autumn knows to a
hair's-breadth where her place is in all assemblies and conversations;
but Springly neither gives nor takes place of anybody, but understands
the place to signify no more, than to have room enough to be at ease
wherever she comes. Thus while Autumn takes the whole of this life to
consist in understanding punctilio and decorum, Springly takes
everything to be becoming which contributes to her ease and
satisfaction. These heroines have married two brothers, both knights.
Springly is the spouse of the elder, who is a baronet; and Autumn, being
a rich widow, has taken the younger, and her purse endowed him with an
equal fortune and knighthood of the same order. This jumble of titles,
you need not doubt, has been an aching torment to Autumn, who took place
of the other on no pretence, but her carelessness and disregard of
distinction. This secret occasion of envy broiled long in the breast of
Autumn; but no opportunity of contention on that subject happening, kept
all things quiet till the accident, of which you demand an account.

"It was given out among all the gay people of this place, that on the
9th instant several damsels, swift of foot, were to run for a suit of
head-clothes at the Old Wells. Lady Autumn on this occasion invited
Springly to go with her in her coach to see the race. When they came to
the place where the governor of Epsom and all his court of citizens were
assembled, as well as a crowd of people of all orders, a brisk young
fellow addresses himself to the younger of the ladies, viz., Springly,
and offers her his service to conduct her into the music-room. Springly
accepts the compliment, and is led triumphantly through the bowing
crowd, while Autumn is left among the rabble, and has much ado to get
back into her coach; but she did it at last: and as it is usual to see
by the horses my lady's present disposition, she orders John to whip
furiously home to her husband; where, when she enters,