Back Sir Charles Grandison
Chapters (10)
  1. SIR CHARLES GRANDISON
  2. PREFACE.
  3. NAMES OF THE PRINCIPAL PERSONS.
  4. VOLUME I.
  5. VOLUME II.
  6. VOLUME III.
  7. VOLUME IV.
  8. VOLUME V.
  9. VOLUME VI.
  10. VOLUME VII.

And now, that I am at Naples, let me say, that if you are determined, contrary to all my hopes, to accompany me to Rome, or elsewhere, on my re-turn, with an unfriendly purpose; such, and no other, shall be my behaviour to you if the power be given me to shew it. I will rely on my own innocence, and hope by generosity to overcome a generous man. Let the guilty secure themselves by violence and murder.

Superlative pride; angrily said he, and stood still, measuring me with his eye; And could you hope for such an advantage?

While I, my lord, was calm, and determined only upon self-defence; while you were passionate and perhaps rash, as aggressors generally are; I did not doubt it: but could I have avoided drawing, and preserved your good opinion, I would not have drawn. Your lordship cannot but know my prin-ciples.

Grandison, I do know them; and also the general report in your favour for skill and courage. Do you think I would have heard with patience of the once proposed alliance, had not your character And then he was pleased to say many things in my favour, from the report of persons who had weight with him; some of whom he named.

But still, Grandison, said he, this poor girl! She could not have beto so deeply affected, had not some lover-like arts

Let me, my lord, interrupt you .1 cannot bear an imputation of this kind. Had such arts been used, the lady could 7iot have been so much affect-ed. Cannot you think of your noble sister, as a daughter of the two houses from which you sprang? Cannot you see her, as by Mrs. Beaumont’s means we now so lately have been able to see her, strug-gling nobly with her own heart [Why am I put upon this tender subject?] because of her duty and her religion; and resolved to die rather than encourage a wish that was not warranted by both? I cannot, my lord, urge this subject; but there never was a passion so nobly contended with. There never was a man more disinterested, and so circum-stanced. Remember only, my voluntary departure from Bologna, against persuasion; and the great behaviour of your sister on that occasion, great, as it came out to be, when Mrs. Beaumont brought her to acknowledge what would have been my glory to have known, could it have been encouraged; but is now made my heaviest concern.

Indeed, Grandison, she ever was a noble girl!

We are too apt perhaps to govern ourselves by events without looking into causes: but the access you had to her; such a man! and who became known to us from circumstances so much in his favour, both as a man of principle and bravery

This, my lord, interrupted I, is still judging from events. You have seen Mrs. Beaumont’s letter. Surely you cannot have a nobler monument of magnanimity in woman! And to that I refer, for a proof of my own integrity.