ading lady, and far gone in the pleasures of
friendship: she is always accompanied by a confidant, who is witness to
her daily protestations against our sex, and consequently a bar to her
first steps towards love, upon the strength of her own maxims and
declarations.

[Illustration: She began a Discourse to me concerning Love and Honour]

"However, I must needs say this accomplished mistress of mine has
distinguished me above the rest, and has been known to declare Sir Roger
de Coverley was the tamest and most humane[89] of all the brutes in the
country. I was told she said so, by one who thought he rallied[90] me;
but upon the strength of this slender encouragement of being thought
least detestable, I made new liveries, new-paired my coach-horses, sent
them all to town to be bitted, and taught to throw their legs well, and
move all together, before I pretended[91] to cross the country, and wait
upon her. As soon as I thought my retinue suitable to the character of my
fortune and youth, I set out from hence to make my addresses. The
particular skill of this lady has ever been to inflame your wishes, and
yet command respect. To make her mistress of this art, she has a greater
share of knowledge, wit, and good sense, than is usual even among men of
merit. Then she is beautiful beyond the race of women. If you will not
let her go on with a certain artifice with her eyes, and the skill of
beauty, she will arm herself with her real charms, and strike you with
admiration instead of desire. It is certain that if you were to behold
the whole woman, there is that dignity in her aspect, that composure in
her motion, that complacency in her manner, that if her form makes you
hope, her merit makes you fear. But then again she is such a desperate
scholar, that no country gentleman can approach her without being a jest.
As I was going to tell you, when I came to her house I was admitted to
her presence with great civility; at the same time she placed herself to
be first seen by me in such an attitude, as I think you call the posture
of a picture, that she discovered[92] new charms, and I at last came
towards her with such an awe as made me speechless. This she no sooner
observed but she made her advantage of it, and began a discourse to me
concerning love and honour, as they both are followed by pretenders, and
the real votaries to them. When she discussed these points in a
discourse, which I verily believe was as learned as the best