The Captain and I have agreed,
that it shall be so insinuated occasionally--And what's thy opinion,
Jack? She certainly hates Hickman; and girls who are disengaged seldom
hate, though they may not love: and if she had rather have another, why
not that other ME? For am I not a smart fellow, and a rake? And do not
your sprightly ladies love your smart fellow, and your rakes? And where
is the wonder, that the man who could engage the affections of Miss
Harlowe, should engage those of a lady (with her* alas's) who would be
honoured in being deemed her second?

* See Letter XX. of this volume, where Miss Howe says, Alas! my dear, I
know you loved him!

Nor accuse thou me of SINGULAR vanity in this presumption, Belford. Wert
thou to know the secret vanity that lurks in the hearts of those who
disguise or cloke it best, thou wouldst find great reason to acquit, at
least, to allow for me: since it is generally the conscious over-fulness
of conceit, that makes the hypocrite most upon his guard to conceal it.
Yet with these fellows, proudly humble as they are, it will break out
sometimes in spite of their clokes, though but in self-denying,
compliment-begging self-degradation.

But now I have undervalued myself, in apologizing to thee on this
occasion, let me use another argument in favour of my observation, that
the ladies generally prefer a rake to a sober man; and of my presumption
upon it, that Miss Howe is in love with me: it is this: common fame says,
That Hickman is a very virtuous, a very innocent fellow--a male-virgin, I
warrant!--An odd dog I always thought him. Now women, Jack, like not
novices. Two maidenheads meeting together in wedlock, the first child
must be a fool, is their common aphorism. They are pleased with a love
of the sex that is founded in the knowledge of it. Reason good; novices
expect more than they can possibly find in the commerce with them. The
man who knows them, yet has ardours for them, to borrow a word from Miss
Howe,* though those ardours are generally owing more to the devil within
him, than to the witch without him, is the man who makes them the highest
and most grateful compliment. He knows what to expect, and with what to
be satisfied.

* See Vol. IV. Letters XXIX. and XXXIV.

Then the merit of a woman, in some cases, must be ignorance, whether real
or pretended. The man, in these cases, must be an adept. Will it then
be wondered at, that a woman prefers a liber