e wills of father, mother, uncles, the most indulgent;
over family-interests, family-views; and preferring her own will to
every body's! and this for a transitory preference to person only; there
being no comparison between the men in their morals.'

Thus complied with, and perhaps blessed, by your father and mother, and
the consequences of your disobedience deprecated in the solemnest manner
by your inimitable mother, your generosity would have been appealed to,
since your duty would have been fount too weak an inducement, and you
would have been bid to withdraw for one half hour's consideration. Then
would the settlements have been again tendered for your signing, by
the person least disobliging to you; by your good Norton perhaps; she
perhaps seconded by your father again; and, if again refused, you
would have again have been led in to declare such your refusal. Some
restrictions which you yourself had proposed, would have been insisted
upon. You would have been permitted to go home with me, or with your
uncle Antony, (with which of us was not agreed upon, because they hoped
you might be persuaded,) there to stay till the arrival of your cousin
Morden; or till your father could have borne to see you; or till assured
that the views of Lovelace were at an end.

This the intention, your father so set upon your compliance, so much in
hopes that you would have yielded, that you would have been prevailed
upon by methods so condescending and so gentle; no wonder that he, in
particular, was like a distracted man, when he heard of your flight--of
your flight so premeditated;--with your ivy summer-house dinings, your
arts to blind me, and all of us!--Naughty, naughty, young creature!

I, for my part, would not believe it, when told of it. Your uncle Hervey
would not believe it. We rather expected, we rather feared, a still more
desperate adventure. There could be but one more desperate; and I
was readier to have the cascade resorted to, than the garden
back-door.--Your mother fainted away, while her heart was torn between
the two apprehensions.--Your father, poor man! your father was
beside himself for near an hour--What imprecations!--What dreadful
imprecations!--To this day he can hardly bear your name: yet can
think of nobody else. Your merits, my dear, but aggravate your
fault.--Something of fresh aggravation every hour.--How can any favour
be expected?

I am sorry for it; but am afraid nothing you ask will be complied