well as of the manner in which that act of
violence was committed; and this as briefly as I can.

My aunt, who (as well as Mr. Solmes, and my two uncles) lives here, I
think, came up to me, and said, she would fain have me hear what Mr.
Solmes had to say of Mr. Lovelace--only that I may be apprized of
some things, that would convince me what a vile man he is, and what a
wretched husband he must make. I might give them what degree of credit
I pleased; and take them with abatement for Mr. Solmes's interestedness,
if I thought fit. But it might be of use to me, were it but to question
Mr. Lovelace indirectly upon some of them, that related to myself.

I was indifferent, I said, about what he could say of me; and I was sure
it could not be to my disadvantage; and as he had no reason to impute to
me the forwardness which my unkind friends had so causelessly taxed me
with.

She said, That he gave himself high airs on account of his family; and
spoke as despicably of ours as if an alliance with us were beneath him.

I replied, That he was a very unworthy man, if it were true, to speak
slightingly of a family, which was as good as his own, 'bating that
it was not allied to the peerage: that the dignity itself, I thought,
conveyed more shame than honour to descendants, who had not merit to
adorn, as well as to be adorned by it: that my brother's absurd pride,
indeed, which made him every where declare, he would never marry but to
quality, gave a disgraceful preference against ours: but that were I
to be assured, that Mr. Lovelace was capable of so mean a pride as to
insult us or value himself on such an accidental advantage, I should
think as despicably of his sense, as every body else did of his morals.

She insisted upon it, that he had taken such liberties, it would be but
common justice (so much hated as he was by all our family, and so
much inveighed against in all companies by them) to inquire into the
provocation he had to say what was imputed to him; and whether the value
some of my friends put upon the riches they possess (throwing perhaps
contempt upon every other advantage, and even discrediting their own
pretensions to family, in order to depreciate his) might not provoke him
to like contempts. Upon the whole, Madam, said I, can you say, that the
inveteracy lies not as much on our side, as on his? Can he say any thing
of us more disrespectful than we say of him?--And as to the suggestion,
so often repeated, that