ainst me. My cousin Morden is the
other--he is in Italy, and very probably may be set against me too.
My brother has declared, that they are resolved to carry their points
before he arrives: so that, as they drive on, all will probably be
decided before I can have an answer from him, were I to write: and,
confined as I am, were the answer to come in time, and they did not like
it, they would keep it from me.

In the next place, parents have great advantages in every eye over the
child, if she dispute their pleasure in the disposing of her: and so
they ought; since out of twenty instances, perhaps two could not be
produced, when they were not in the right, the child in the wrong.

You would not, I am sure, have me accept of Mr. Lovelace's offered
assistance in such a claim. If I would embrace any other person's, who
else would care to appear for a child against parents, ever, till of
late, so affectionate?==But were such a protector to be found, what a
length of time would it take up in a course of litigation! The will and
the deeds have flaws in them, they say. My brother sometimes talks
of going to reside at The Grove: I suppose, with a design to make
ejectments necessary, were I to offer at assuming; or, were I to marry
Mr. Lovelace, in order to give him all the opposition and difficulty the
law would help him to give.

These cases I have put to myself, for argument-sake: but they are
all out of the question, although any body were to be found who would
espouse my cause: for I do assure you, I would sooner beg my bread, than
litigate for my right with my father: since I am convinced, that whether
the parent do his duty by the child or not, the child cannot be excused
from doing hers to him. And to go to law with my father, what a
sound has that! You will see, that I have mentioned my wish (as an
alternative, and as a favour) to be permitted, if I must be put out of
his house, to go thither: but not one step further can I go. And you see
how this is resented.

Upon the whole, then, what have I to hope for, but a change in my
father's resolution?--And is there any probability of that; such an
ascendancy as my brother and sister have obtained over every body;
and such an interest to pursue the enmity they have now openly avowed
against me?

As to Mr. Lovelace's approbation of your assumption-scheme, I wonder not
at. He very probably penetrates the difficulties I should have to bring
it to effect, without his assist