fore, I am not sorry for it: now will she not have any body to
compare notes with: any body to alarm her: and I may be saved the guilt
and disobligation of inspecting into a correspondence that has long made
me uneasy.

How every ting works for me!--Why will this charming creature make such
contrivances necessary, as will increase my trouble, and my guilt too, as
some will account it? But why, rather I should ask, will she fight
against her stars?

LETTER XV

MR. BELFORD, TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ.
EDGWARE, TUESDAY NIGHT, MAY 2.

Without staying for the promised letter from you to inform us what the
lady says of us, I write to tell you, that we are all of one opinion with
regard to her; which is, that there is not of her age a finer woman in
the world, as to her understanding. As for her person, she is at the age
of bloom, and an admirable creature; a perfect beauty: but this poorer
praise, a man, who has been honoured with her conversation, can hardly
descend to give; and yet she was brought amongst us contrary to her will.

Permit me, dear Lovelace, to be a mean of saving this excellent creature
from the dangers she hourly runs from the most plotting heart in the
world. In a former, I pleaded your own family, Lord M.'s wishes
particularly; and then I had not seen her: but now, I join her sake,
honour's sake, motives of justice, generosity, gratitude, and humanity,
which are all concerned in the preservation of so fine a woman. Thou
knowest not the anguish I should have had, (whence arising, I cannot
devise,) had I not known before I set out this morning, that the
incomparable creature had disappointed thee in thy cursed view of getting
her to admit the specious Partington for a bed-fellow.

I have done nothing but talk of this lady ever since I saw her. There is
something so awful, and yet so sweet, in her aspect, that were I to have
the virtues and the graces all drawn in one piece, they should be taken,
every one of them, from different airs and attributes in her. She was
born to adorn the age she was given to, and would be an ornament to the
first dignity. What a piercing, yet gentle eye; every glance I thought
mingled with love and fear of you! What a sweet smile darting through
the cloud that overspread her fair face, demonstrating that she had more
apprehensions and grief at her heart than she cared to express!

You may think what I am going to write too flighty: but, by my faith, I
have conc