more of his machinations. The person, it seems, was
curious to know the day that the ceremony was performed. But Dorcas
refused to give him any other particulars than that we were married; and
she was the more reserved, as he declined to tell her the motives of his
inquiry.

LETTER LI

MR. LOVELACE, TO JOHN BELFORD, ESQ.
MAY 24.

The devil take this uncle of mine! He has at last sent me a letter which
I cannot show, without exposing the head of our family for a fool. A
confounded parcel of pop-guns has he let off upon me. I was in hopes he
had exhausted his whole stock of this sort in his letter to you.--To keep
it back, to delay sending it, till he had recollected all this farrago of
nonsense--confound his wisdom of nations, if so much of it is to be
scraped together, in disgrace of itself, to make one egregious simpleton!
--But I am glad I am fortified with this piece of flagrant folly,
however; since, in all human affairs, the convenient are so mingled, that
there is no having the one without the other.

I have already offered the bill enclosed in it to my beloved; and read to
her part of the letter. But she refused the bill: and, as I am in cash
myself, I shall return it. She seemed very desirous to peruse the whole
letter. And when I told her, that, were it not for exposing the writer,
I would oblige her, she said, it would not be exposing his Lordship to
show it to her; and that she always preferred the heart to the head. I
knew her meaning; but did not thank her for it.

All that makes for me in it I will transcribe for her--yet, hang it, she
shall have the letter, and my soul with it, for one consenting kiss.

***

She has got the letter from me without the reward. Deuce take me, if I
had the courage to propose the condition. A new character this of
bashfulness in thy friend. I see, that a truly modest woman may make
even a confident man keep his distance. By my soul, Belford, I believe,
that nine women in ten, who fall, fall either from their own vanity or
levity, or for want of circumspection and proper reserves.

***

I did intend to take my reward on her returning a letter so favourable
to us both. But she sent it to me, sealed up, by Dorcas. I might have
thought that there were two or three hints in it, that she would be too
nice immediately to appear to. I send it to thee; and here will stop,
to give thee time to read it. Return it as soon as thou hast perused it.