l part of your character. If my son (and he shall
not be encouraged in his hopes, if he sees you not, mind as well as
person, with his mother's eyes) should not be able to check himself by
the apprehensions he has had reason for, of being but a second man in the
favour of the object of his wishes [We, my dear, have our delicacies];
could you not allow him a second place in your favour, that might, in
time, as he should merit, and as you should subdue your prepossessions,
give him a first?--Hush--my dear, for one moment--Your honour, your
piety, are my just dependence; and will be his.--And now speak: it is to
me, my dear: speak your whole heart: let not any apprehended difficulty--
I am a woman as well as you. And prepared to indulge--

Your goodness, madam, and nothing else, interrupted I, gives me
difficulty.--My Lord D---- seems to me to be a man of merit, and not a
disagreeable man in his person and manners. What he said of Sir Charles
Grandison, and of his emulation being fired by his example, gave him
additional merit with me. He must have a good mind. I wish him
acquainted with Sir Charles, for his own sake, and for the sake of the
world, which might be benefited by his large power, so happily directed!
--But as to myself, I should forfeit the character of frankness of heart,
which your ladyship's goodness ascribes to me, if I did not declare, that
although I cannot, and, I think ought not to entertain a hope with regard
to Sir Charles Grandison, since there is a lady who deserved him by
severe sufferings before I knew him; yet is my heart so wholly attached,
that I cannot think it just to give the least encouragement to any other
proposal.

You are an excellent young woman: but, my dear, if Sir Charles Grandison
is engaged--your mind will, it must change. Few women marry their first
loves. Your heart--

O, madam! it is already a wedded heart: it is wedded to his merits; his
merits will be always the object of my esteem: I can never think of any
other, as I ought to think of the man to whom I give my hand.

Like merits, my dear, as person is not the principal motive, may produce
like attachments. My Lord D---- will be, in your hands, another Sir
Charles Grandison.

How good you are, my dear Lady D----! But allow me to repeat, as the
strongest expression I can use, because I mean it to carry in it all the
force that can be given it, that my heart is already a wedded heart.

You have spoken with great force: