bliged,
at a very great expense, to support his claim to estates, which were his
principal inducement to make his addresses to her; but which, to this
day, he has not recovered; nor is likely to recover; having powerful
adversaries to contend with, and a title to assert, which admits of
litigation; and he not blessed with so much patience as is necessary to
persons embarrassed in law.

What is further observable, with regard to him, is, that the match was
entirely of his own head, against the advice of his father, mother, and
uncles, who warned him of marrying in this lady a law-suit for life. His
ungenerous behaviour to his wife, for what she cannot help, and for what
is as much her misfortune as his, has occasioned such estrangements
between them (she being a woman of spirit) as, were the law-suits
determined, even more favourably than probably they will be, must make
him unhappy to the end of his life. He attributes all his misfortunes,
when he opens himself to the few friends he has, to his vile and cruel
treatment of his angelic sister. He confesses these misfortunes to be
just, without having temper to acquiesce in the acknowledged justice.
One month in every year he puts on mourning, and that month commences
with him on the 7th of September, during which he shuts himself up from
all company. Finally, he is looked upon, and often calls himself,

THE MOST MISERABLE OF BEINGS.

ARABELLA'S fortune became a temptation to a man of quality to make his
addresses to her: his title an inducement with her to approve of him.
Brothers and sisters, when they are not friends, are generally the
sharpest enemies to each other. He thought too much was done for in the
settlements. She thought not enough. And for some years past, they have
so heartily hated each other, that if either know a joy, it is in being
told of some new misfortune or displeasure that happens to the other.
Indeed, before they came to an open rupture, they were continually
loading each other, by way of exonerating themselves (to the additional
disquiet of the whole family) with the principal guilt of their
implacable behaviour and sordid cruelty to their admirable sister.--May
the reports that are spread of this lady's farther unhappiness from her
lord's free life; a fault she justly thought so odious in Mr. Lovelace
(though that would not have been an insuperable objection with her to his
addresses); and of his public slights and contempt of her