ion!--I am not capable of arts so
low.] But the moment you are down with your poultry, or advancing upon
your garden-walk, and, as you imagine, out of every body's sight, it is
seem how nimbly you trip along; and what an alertness governs all your
motions.

I should hate myself, said I, were I capable of such poor artifices as
these. I must be a fool to use them, as well as a mean creature; for
have I not had experience enough, that my friends are incapable of being
moved in much more affecting instances?--But you'll see how I shall be
by Tuesday.

My dear, you will not offer any violence to your health?--I hope, God
has given you more grace than to do that.

I hope he has, Madam. But there is violence enough offered, and
threatened, to affect my health; and so it will be found, without my
needing to have recourse to any other, or to artifice either.

I'll only tell you one thing, my dear: and that is, ill or well, the
ceremony will probably be performed before Wednesday night:--but this,
also, I will tell you, although beyond my present commission, That Mr.
Solmes will be under an engagement (if you should require it of him as
a favour) after the ceremony is passed, and Lovelace's hopes thereby
utterly extinguished, to leave you at your father's, and return to his
own house every evening, until you are brought to a full sense of your
duty, and consent to acknowledge your change of name.

There was no opening of my lips to such a speech as this. I was dumb.

And these, my dear Miss Howe, are they who, some of them at least, have
called me a romantic girl!--This is my chimerical brother, and wise
sister; both joining their heads together, I dare say. And yet, my aunt
told me, that the last part was what took in my mother: who had, till
that last expedient was found out, insisted, that her child should not
be married, if, through grief or opposition, she should be ill, or fall
into fits.

This intended violence my aunt often excused, by the certain information
they pretended to have, of some plots or machinations, that were
ready to break out, from Mr. Lovelace:* the effects of which were thus
cunningly to be frustrated.

* It may not be amiss to observe in this place, that Mr.
Lovelace artfully contrived to drive the family on, by
permitting his and their agent Leman to report machinations,
which he had neither intention nor power to execute.

FRIDAY, NINE O'CLOCK.

And now, my dear