er. A contrivance I never had
occasion for before, and had not thought of now, if Mrs. Sinclair had not
proposed it to me: to whom I left the management of it: and I have done
nothing but curse her ever since, lest the quantity should have for ever
dampened her charming intellects.

Hence my concern--for I think the poor lady ought not to have been so
treated. Poor lady, did I say?--What have I to do with thy creeping
style?--But have not I the worst of it; since her insensibility has made
me but a thief to my own joys?

I did not intend to tell thee of this little innocent trick; for such I
designed it to be; but that I hate disingenuousness: to thee, especially:
and as I cannot help writing in a more serious vein than usual, thou
wouldst perhaps, had I not hinted the true cause, have imagined that I
was sorry for the fact itself: and this would have given thee a good deal
of trouble in scribbling dull persuasives to repair by matrimony; and me
in reading thy cruel nonsense. Besides, one day or other, thou mightest,
had I not confessed it, have heard of it in an aggravated manner; and I
know thou hast such an high opinion of this lady's virtue, that thou
wouldst be disappointed, if thou hadst reason to think that she was
subdued by her own consent, or any the least yielding in her will. And
so is she beholden to me in some measure, that, at the expense of my
honour, she may so justly form a plea, which will entirely salve her's.

And now is the whole secret out.

Thou wilt say I am a horrid fellow!--As the lady does, that I am the
unchained Beelzebub, and a plotting villain: and as this is what you both
said beforehand, and nothing worse can be said, I desire, if thou wouldst
not have me quite serious with thee, and that I should think thou meanest
more by thy tilting hint than I am willing to believe thou dost, that
thou wilt forbear thy invectives: For is not the thing done?--Can it be
helped?--And must I not now try to make the best of it?--And the rather
do I enjoin to make thee this, and inviolable secrecy; because I begin
to think that my punishment will be greater than the fault, were it to be
only from my own reflection.

LETTER XVI

MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
FRIDAY, JUNE 16.

I am sorry to hear of thy misfortune; but hope thou wilt not long lie by
it. Thy servant tells me what narrow escape thou hadst with thy neck, I
wish it may not be ominous: but I think thou seemest not to be i