him upon the terms he has proposed; and from
which, having himself proposed them, Sir Charles Grandison cannot recede.

His heart, it is evident, is at Bologna. Well, and so it ought to be.
And yet I could not forbear being sensibly touched by the following
words, which I overheard him say to Lord L----, in answer to something my
lord said to him:

'I am impatient to be abroad. Had I not waited for Mr. Lowther, the last
letters I received from Italy should have been answered in person.'

But as honour, compassion, love, friendship (still nobler than love!)
have demands upon him, let him obey the call. He has set me high in his
esteem. Let me be worthy of his friendship. Pangs I shall occasionally
feel; but who that values one person above the rest of the world, does
not?

Sir Charles, as we sat at tea, mentioned his cousin Grandison to Lord
L----: It is strange, my lord, said he, that we hear nothing of our
cousin Everard, since he was seen at White's. But whenever he emerges,
Charlotte, if I am absent, receive him without reproaches: yet I should
be glad that he could have rejoiced with us. Must I leave England, and
not see him?

It has been, it seems, the way of this unhappy man, to shut himself up
with some woman in private lodgings, for fear his cousin should find him
out; and in two or three months, when he has been tired of his wicked
companion, emerge, as Sir Charles called it, to notice, and then seek for
his cousin's favour and company, and live for as many more months in a
state of contrition. And Sir Charles, in his great charity, believes,
that till some new temptation arises, he is in earnest in his penitence;
and hopes, that in time he will see his errors.

Oh, Lucy! What a poor creeping, mean wretch is a libertine, when one
looks down upon him, and up to such a glorious creature as Sir Charles
Grandison!

Sir Charles was led to talk of his engagement for to-morrow, on the
triple marriage in the Danby family. We all gave him joy of the happy
success that had rewarded his beneficent spirit, with regard to that
family. He gave us the characters of the three couples greatly to their
advantage, and praised the families on both sides, which were to be so
closely united on the morrow; not forgetting to mention kindly honest Mr.
Sylvester the attorney.

He told us, that he should set out on Friday early for Windsor, in order
to attend Lord W---- in his first visit to Mansfield-house. You, Lady
L----, w