ble of such. Methinks I am glad, for the sake of
human nature, that there could be but one such man in the world, as he
you and I know. But as to your kind offer, whatever it be, if you take
it not up, you will greatly disturb me. I have no need of your kindness.
I have effects enough, which I never can want, to supply my present
occasion: and, if needful, can have recourse to Miss Howe. I have
promised that I would--So, pray, Sir, urge not upon me this favour.--Take
it up yourself.--If you mean me peace and ease of mind, urge not this
favour.--And she spoke with impatience.

I beg, Madam, but one word----

Not one, Sir, till you have taken back what you have let fall. I doubt
not either the honour, or the kindness, of your offer; but you must not
say one word more on this subject. I cannot bear it.

She was stooping, but with pain. I therefore prevented her; and besought
her to forgive me for a tender, which, I saw, had been more discomposing
to her than I had hoped (from the purity of my intentions) it would be.
But I could not bear to think that such a mind as her's should be
distressed: since the want of the conveniencies she was used to abound in
might affect and disturb her in the divine course she was in.

You are very kind to me, Sir, said she, and very favourable in your
opinion of me. But I hope that I cannot now be easily put out of my
present course. My declining health will more and more confirm me in it.
Those who arrested and confined me, no doubt, thought they had fallen
upon the most ready method to distress me so as to bring me into all
their measures. But I presume to hope that I have a mind that cannot be
debased, in essential instances, by temporal calamities.

Little do those poor wretches know of the force of innate principles,
(forgive my own implied vanity, was her word,) who imagine, that a
prison, or penury, can bring a right-turned mind to be guilty of a wilful
baseness, in order to avoid such short-lived evils.

She then turned from me towards the window, with a dignity suitable to her
words; and such as showed her to be more of soul than of body at that
instant.

What magnanimity!--No wonder a virtue so solidly founded could baffle all
thy arts: and that it forced thee (in order to carry thy accursed point)
to have recourse to those unnatural ones, which robbed her of her
charming senses.

The women were extremely affected, Mrs. Lovick especially; who said,
whisperingly t