essen the little merit he has, by giving
him, on all occasions, more than I think he can deserve, and entering
him into comparisons in which it is impossible but he must be a
sufferer. And now [preposterous partiality!] she thought for her part,
that Mr. Hickman, bating that his face indeed was not so smooth, nor his
complexion quite so good, and saving that he was not so presuming and
so bold (which ought to be no fault with a modest woman) equaled Mr.
Lovelace at any hour of the day.

To avoid entering further into such an incomparable comparison, I said,
I did not believe, had they left you to your own way, and treated you
generously, that you would have had the thought of encouraging any man
whom they disliked--

Then, Nancy, catching me up, the excuse is less--for if so, must there
not be more of contradiction, than love, in the case?

Not so, neither, Madam: for I know Miss Clarissa Harlowe would prefer
Mr. Lovelace to all men, if morals--

IF, Nancy!--That if is every thing.--Do you really think she loves Mr.
Lovelace?

What would you have had me say, my dear?--I won't tell you what I did
say: But had I not said what I did, who would have believed me?

Besides, I know you love him!--Excuse me, my dear: Yet, if you deny it,
what do you but reflect upon yourself, as if you thought you ought not
to allow yourself in what you cannot help doing?

Indeed, Madam, said I, the man is worthy of any woman's love [if, again,
I could say]--But her parents--

Her parents, Nancy--[You know, my dear, how my mother, who accuses her
daughter of quickness, is evermore interrupting one!]

May take wrong measures, said I--

Cannot do wrong--they have reason, I'll warrant, said she--

By which they may provoke a young woman, said I, to do rash things,
which otherwise she would not do.

But, if it be a rash thing, [returned she,] should she do it? A prudent
daughter will not wilfully err, because her parents err, if they were to
err: if she do, the world which blames the parents, will not acquit the
child. All that can be said, in extenuation of a daughter's error in
this case, arises from a kind consideration, which Miss Clary's letter
to Lady Drayton pleads for, to be paid to her daughter's youth and
inexperience. And will such an admirable young person as Miss Clarissa
Harlowe, whose prudence, as we see, qualifies her to be an advisor of
persons much older than herself, take shelter under so poor a covert?

Let her k