really a good young man, my dear,] that (against my
advice, I own,) he would have me introduce him into your company. I see
by his looks, that he could admire you above all women. He never was in
love: I should be sorry if he were disappointed in his first love. I
hope his promised prudence will be his guard, if there be no prospect of
his succeeding with you--She paused--I was still silent--

It will be a mark of your frankness of heart, my dear, if, when you take
my full meaning, you prevent me speaking more than I need.--I would not
oppress you, my sweet love--Such a delicacy, and such a frankness
mingled, have I never seen in young woman--But tell me, my dear, has Sir
Charles Grandison made his addresses to you?

It was a grievous question for me to answer--But why was it so, my Lucy,
when all the hopes I ever had, proceeded from my own presumption,
confirmed (that's true, of late!) by his sisters partiality in my favour;
and when his unhappy Clementina has such a preferable claim?

What says Miss Byron?

She says, madam, that she reveres Lady D----, and will answer any
questions that she puts to her, however affecting--Sir Charles Grandison
has not.

Once I thought, proceeded she, that I never would make a second motion,
were the woman a princess, who had confessed a prior love, or even
liking: but the man is Sir Charles Grandison, whom all women must esteem;
and the woman is Miss Byron, whom all men must love. Let me ask you, my
dear--Have you any expectation, that the first of men (I will call him
so) and the loveliest and most amiable-minded of women, can come
together?--You sighed, you know, when you mentioned, that Sir Charles was
soon to leave England; and you own that he has not made addresses to you
--Don't be uneasy, my love!--We women, in these tender cases, see into
each other's hearts from small openings--Look upon me as your mother--
What say you, love?

Your ladyship compliments me with delicacy and frankness--It is too hard
a question, if I have any of the first, to answer without blushes. A
young woman to be supposed to have an esteem for a man, who has made no
declarations, and whose behaviour to her is such only as shews a
politeness to which he is accustomed, and only the same kind of
tenderness as he shews to his sisters;--and whom sometimes he calls
sister--as if--Ah, madam, how can one answer?

You have answered, my dear, and with that delicacy and frankness too,
which make a principa