o is out of
doors the moment you are out of your father's house. I know how justly
severe you have been upon those inexcusable creatures, whose giddiness
and even want of decency have made them, in the same hour as I may
say, leap from a parent's window to a husband's bed--but considering
Lovelace's character, I repeat my opinion, that your reputation in the
eye of the world requires no delay be made in this point, when once you
are in his power.

I need not, I am sure, make a stronger plea to you.

You say, in excuse for my mother, (what my fervent love for my friend
very ill brooks,) that we ought not to blame any one for not doing what
she has an opinion to do, or to let alone. This, in cases of friendship,
would admit of very strict discussion. If the thing requested be of
greater consequence, or even of equal, to the person sought to, and it
were, as the old phrase has it, to take a thorn out of one's friend's
foot to put in into one's own, something might be said.--Nay, it would
be, I will venture to say, a selfish thing in us to ask a favour of
a friend which would subject that friend to the same or equal
inconvenience as that from which we wanted to be relieved, The requested
would, in this case, teach his friend, by his own selfish example, with
much better reason, to deny him, and despise a friendship so merely
nominal. But if, by a less inconvenience to ourselves, we could relieve
our friend from a greater, the refusal of such a favour makes the
refuser unworthy of the name of friend: nor would I admit such a one,
not even into the outermost fold of my heart.

I am well aware that this is your opinion of friendship, as well as
mine: for I owe the distinction to you, upon a certain occasion; and it
saved me from a very great inconvenience, as you must needs remember.
But you were always for making excuses for other people, in cases
wherein you would not have allowed of one for yourself.

I must own, that were these excuses for a friend's indifference, or
denial, made by any body but you, in a case of such vast importance to
herself, and of so comparative a small one to those for whose protection
she would be thought to wish; I, who am for ever, as you have often
remarked, endeavouring to trace effects to their causes, should be
ready to suspect that there was a latent, unowned inclination, which
balancing, or preponderating rather, made the issue of the alternative
(however important) sit more lightly upon