ance, which preserved her from that insipidity
which is frequently an attendant on a complexion so extremely fair.
Her mouth was not the smallest, but it was the handsomest mouth in the
world. Nature had endowed her with all those charms which cannot be
expressed, and the graces had given the finishing stroke to them. The
turn of her face was exquisitely fine, and her swelling neck was as
fair and as bright as her face. In a word, her person gave the idea of
Aurora, or the goddess of the spring, "such as youthful poets fancy when
they love." But as it would have been unjust that a single person should
have engrossed all the treasures of beauty without any defect, there
was something wanting in her hands and arms to render them worthy of the
rest: her nose was not the most elegant, and her eyes gave some relief,
whilst her mouth and her other charms pierced the heart with a thousand
darts.

With this amiable person she was full of wit and sprightliness, and all
her actions and motions were unaffected and easy: her conversation was
bewitching, when she had a mind to please; piercing and delicate when
disposed to raillery; but as her imagination was subject to flights,
and as she began to speak frequently before she had done thinking, her
expressions did not always convey what she wished; sometimes exceeding,
and at others falling short of her ideas.

Miss Temple, nearly of the same age, was brown compared with the other:
she had a good shape, fine teeth, languishing, eyes, a fresh complexion,
an agreeable smile, and a lively air. Such was the outward form; but it
would be difficult to describe the rest; for she was simple and vain,
credulous and suspicious, coquettish and prudent, very self-sufficient
and very silly.

As soon as these new stars appeared at the duchess's court, all eyes
were fixed upon them, and every one formed some design upon one or other
of them, some with honourable, and others with dishonest intentions.
Miss Jennings soon distinguished herself, and left her companions no
other admirers but such as remained constant from hopes of success: her
brilliant charms attracted at first sight, and the charms of her wit
secured her conquests.

The Duke of York having persuaded himself that she was part of his
property, resolved to pursue his claim by the same title whereby his
brother had appropriated to himself the favours of Miss Wells; but he
did not find her inclined to enter into his service, though sh