alled her cruel; inveighed
against her relations; doubted her love. Every favour I asked of her
denied me. Yet my behaviour to her as pure and delicate when alone, as
when before them. Hinted at something that had passed between us that
very day, that shewed her indifference to me in so strong a light, that I
could not bear it. But that I would ask her for her company to the play
of Venice Preserved, given out for Sunday night as a benefit-play; the
prime actors to be in it; and this, to see if I were to be denied every
favour.--Yet, for my own part, I loved not tragedies; though she did, for
the sake of the instruction, the warning, and the example generally given
in them.

'I had too much feeling, I said. There was enough in the world to make
our hearts sad, without carrying grief in our diversions, and making the
distresses of others our own.'

True enough, Belford; and I believe, generally speaking, that all the men
of our cast are of my mind--They love not any tragedies but those in
which they themselves act the parts of tyrants and executioners; and,
afraid to trust themselves with serious and solemn reflections, run to
comedies, in order to laugh away compunction on the distresses they have
occasioned, and to find examples of men as immoral as themselves. For
very few of our comic performances, as thou knowest, give us good ones.--
I answer, however, for myself--yet thou, I think, on recollection, lovest
to deal in the lamentable.

Sally answered for Polly, who was absent; Mrs. Sinclair for herself, and
for all her acquaintance, even for Miss Partington, in preferring the
comic to the tragic scenes.--And I believe they are right; for the
devil's in it, if a confided-in rake does not give a girl enough of
tragedy in his comedy.

'I asked Sally to oblige my fair-one with her company. She was engaged,
[that was right, thou'lt suppose]. I asked Mrs. Sinclair's leave for
Polly. To be sure, she answered, Polly would think it an honour to
attend Mrs. Lovelace: but the poor thing was tender-hearted; and as the
tragedy was deep, would weep herself blind.

'Sally, meantime, objected Singleton, that I might answer the objection,
and save my beloved the trouble of making it, or debating the point with
me; and on this occasion I regretted that her brother's projects were not
laid aside; since, if they had been given up, I would have gone in person
to bring up the ladies of my family to attend my spouse.

'I th