tles of wine, and other products of his
lordship's liberality were there consumed!

In the midst of these nocturnal festivals, and of this innocent
commerce, a relation of Killegrew's came up to London about a lawsuit:
he gained his cause, but nearly lost his senses.

He was a country gentleman, who had been a widower about six months,
and was possessed of fifteen or sixteen thousand pounds a-year: the good
man, who had no business at court, went thither merely to see his cousin
Killegrew, who could have dispensed with his visits. He there saw
Miss Warmestre; and at first sight fell in love with her. His passion
increased to such a degree that, having no rest either by day or night,
he was obliged to have recourse to extraordinary remedies; he therefore
early one morning called upon his cousin Killegrew, told him his case,
and desired him to demand Miss Warmestre in marriage for him.

Killegrew was struck with wonder and astonishment when he heard his
design: nor could he cease wondering at what sort of creature, of all
the women in London, his cousin had resolved upon marrying. It was some
time before Killegrew could believe that he was in earnest; but when
he was convinced that he was, he began to enumerate the dangers and
inconveniences attending so rash an enterprise. He told him that a girl
educated at court, was a terrible piece of furniture for the country;
that to carry her thither against her inclination, would as effectually
rob him of his happiness and repose, as if he was transported to hell;
that if he consented to let her stay, he needed only to compute what
it would cost him in equipage, table, clothes, and gaming-money, to
maintain her in London according to her caprices; and then to cast up
how long his fifteen thousand a-year would last.

His cousin had already formed this computation; but, finding his reason
less potent than his love, he remained fixed in his resolution; and
Killegrew, yielding at length to his importunities, went and offered
his cousin, bound hand and foot, to the victorious fair. As he dreaded
nothing more than a compliance on her part, so nothing could astonish
him more than the contempt with which she received his proposal. The
scorn with which she refused him, made him believe that she was sure of
Lord Taaffe, and wonder how a girl like her could find out two men who
would venture to marry her. He hastened to relate this refusal, with all
the most aggravating circumstances, as