I have been very earnest with Lord and Lady L. and Miss Grandison, that they do not suffer their friendship for me to lay me under any difficulties with their brother. They all took my meaning, and promised to consult my punctilio, as well as my inclina — tion. Miss Grandison was more kindly in earnest, in her assurances of this nature, than I was afraid she would be: and my lord said, It was fit that I should find even niceness gratified in this particular.

[I absolutely confide in you, Lucy, to place hooks where I forget to put them; and where, in your delicate mind, you think 1 ought to put them: that they may direct your eye (when you come to read out before my uncle) to omit those passages which very few men have delicacy or seriousness enough to be trusted with. Yet, a mighty piece of sagacity, to find out a girl of little more than twenty, in love, as it is called! and to make a jest of her for it!] [But I am peevish, as well as saucy. This also goes between hooks.]

Adieu, my dear.

Letter XIIL

Sir Charles Grandison to Dr. Bartlett.

Monday night, March 20. I AM very much dissatisfied with myself, my dear Dr. Bartlett. What pains have I taken, to conquer those sudden gusts of passion, to which, from my early youth, I have been subject, as you have often heard me confess! yet to find, at times, that I am unequal to myself, shall I say? To myself! will say; since I have been so much artiended by your precepts and example. But I will give you the occasion.

My guests, and you, had but just left me, when the wretched Jervois, and her O’Hara, and another bullying man, desired to speak with me.

I bade the servant shew the woman into the drawing-room next my study, and the men into the ad — joining parlour; but they both followed her into the drawing-room. I went to her, and, after a little stiff civility (I could not help it) asked, If these gentlemen had business with me?

That gentleman is Major O’Hara, Sir: he is my husband. That gentleman is Captain Salmonet: he is the Major’s brother-inlaw. He is an officer of equal worth and bravery.

They gave themselves airs of importance and fa-miliarity; and the major motioned, as if he would have taken my hand.

I encouraged not the motion. Will you, gentle-men, walk this way?

I led the way to my study. “The woman arose and would have come with them.

If you please to stay where you are, madam, I will attend you presently.

They entered; and, as if they would have me think them connoisseurs, began to admire the globes, the orrery, the pictures, and busts.

I took off that sort of attention Pray, gentlemen, what are your commands with me?

I am called Major O’Hara, Sir; I am the hus-band of the lady in the next room, as she told you.