advantage. You may easily imagine to yourself
what appearance I made, who am pretty tall, rid well, and was very well
dressed, at the head of a whole county, with musick before me, a feather
in my hat, and my horse well bitted. I can assure you I was not a little
pleased with the kind looks and glances I had from all the balconies and
windows as I rode to the hall where the assizes were held. But when I
came there, a beautiful creature in a widow's habit sat in court, to
hear the event of a cause concerning her dower. This commanding creature
(who was born for the destruction of all who behold her) put on such a
resignation in her countenance, and bore the whispers of all around the
court with such a pretty uneasiness, I warrant you, and then recovered
herself from one eye to another, till she was perfectly confused by
meeting something so wistful in all she encountered, that at last, with
a murrain to her, she cast her bewitching eye upon me. I no sooner met
it, but I bowed like a great surprised booby; and knowing her cause to
be the first which came on, I cried, like a captivated calf as I was!
'Make way for the defendant's witnesses.' This sudden partiality made
all the county see the sheriff also was become a slave to the fine
widow. During the time her cause was upon trial, she behaved herself,
I warrant you, with such a deep attention to her business, took
opportunities to have little billets handed to her counsel, then would
be in such a pretty confusion, occasioned, you must know, by acting
before so much company, that not only I but the whole court was
prejudiced in her favour; and all that the next heir to her husband had
to urge, was thought so groundless and frivolous, that when it came
to her counsel to reply, there was not half so much said as every one
besides in the court thought he could have urged to her advantage. You
must understand, Sir, this perverse woman is one of those unaccountable
creatures, that secretly rejoice in the admiration of men, but indulge
themselves in no further consequences. Hence it is that she has ever had
a train of admirers, and she removes from her slaves in town to those
in the country, according to the seasons of the year. She is a reading
lady, and far gone in the pleasures of friendship. She is always
accompanied by a confident, 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