a bridge alone; and involved himself
in a thousand difficulties, the natural consequences of an error in the
first concoction, which, though he plainly saw it, he had not resolution
enough to avoid.

Such was the character of Squire Sycamore, who professed himself the
rival of Sir Launcelot Greaves in the good graces of Miss Aurelia Darnel.
He had in this pursuit persevered with more constancy and fortitude than
he ever exerted in any other instance. Being generally needy from
extravagance, he was stimulated by his wants, and animated by his vanity,
which was artfully instigated by his followers, who hoped to share the
spoils of his success. These motives were reinforced by the incessant
and eager exhortations of Anthony Darnel, who seeing his ward in the last
year of her minority, thought there was no time to be lost in securing
his own indemnification, and snatching his niece for ever from the hopes
of Sir Launcelot, whom he now hated with redoubled animosity. Finding
Aurelia deaf to all his remonstrances, proof against ill usage, and
resolutely averse to the proposed union with Sycamore, he endeavoured to
detach her thoughts from Sir Launcelot, by forging tales to the prejudice
of his constancy and moral character; and, finally, by recapitulating the
proofs and instances of his distraction, which he particularised with the
most malicious exaggerations.

In spite of all his arts, he found it impracticable to surmount her
objections to the proposed alliance, and therefore changed his battery.
Instead of transferring her to the arms of his friend, he resolved to
detain her in his own power by a legal claim, which would invest him with
the uncontrolled management of her affairs. This was a charge of lunacy,
in consequence of which he hoped to obtain a commission, to secure a jury
to his wish, and be appointed sole committee of her person, as well as
steward on her estate, of which he would then be heir-apparent.

As the first steps towards the execution of this honest scheme, he had
subjected Aurelia to the superintendency and direction of an old duenna,
who had been formerly the procuress of his pleasures; and hired a new set
of servants, who were given to understand, at their first admission, that
the young lady was disordered in her brain.

An impression of this nature is easily preserved among servants, when the
master of the family thinks his interest is concerned in supporting the
imposture. The melancholy