much as she writes, and at all hours, that not one sleepy or
forgetful moment has offered in our favour!

A fair contention, thou seest: nor plead thou in her favour her youth,
her beauty, her family, her fortune, CREDULITY, she has none; and with
regard to her TENDER YEARS, Am I not a young fellow myself? As to
BEAUTY; pr'ythee, Jack, do thou, to spare my modesty, make a comparison
between my Clarissa for a woman, and thy Lovelace for a man. For her
FAMILY; that was not known to its country a century ago: and I hate them
all but her. Have I not cause?--For her FORTUNE; fortune, thou knowest,
was ever a stimulus with me; and this for reasons not ignoble. Do not
girls of fortune adorn themselves on purpose to engage our attention?
Seek they not to draw us into their snares? Depend they not, generally,
upon their fortunes, in the views they have upon us, more than on their
merits? Shall we deprive them of the benefit of their principal
dependence?--Can I, in particular, marry every girl who wishes to obtain
my notice? If, therefore, in support of the libertine principles for
which none of the sweet rogues hate us, a woman of fortune is brought to
yield homage to her emperor, and any consequences attend the subjugation,
is not such a one shielded by her fortune, as well from insult and
contempt, as from indigence--all, then, that admits of debate between my
beloved and me is only this--which of the two has more wit, more
circumspection--and that remains to be tried.

A sad life, however, this life of doubt and suspense, for the poor lady
to live, as well as for me; that is to say, if she be not naturally
jealous--if she be, her uneasiness is constitutional, and she cannot help
it; nor will it, in that case, hurt her. For a suspicious temper will
make occasion for doubt, if none were to offer to its hand. My fair one
therefore, if naturally suspicious, is obliged to me for saving her the
trouble of studying for these occasions--but, after all, the plainest
paths in our journeys through life are the safest and best I believe,
although it is not given me to choose them; I am not, however, singular
in the pursuit of the more intricate paths; since there are thousands,
and ten thousands, who had rather fish in troubled waters than in smooth.

LETTER XXI

MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
TUESDAY, MAY 9.

I am a very unhappy man. This lady is said to be one of the sweetest-
tempered creatures in the world: