LETITIA

By what I can pick out of your flowery description,
your brother is no beau.


CHARLOTTE

No, indeed; he makes no pretension to the char-
acter. He'd ride, or rather fly, an hundred miles to
relieve a distressed object, or to do a gallant act in the
service of his country; but should you drop your fan
or bouquet in his presence, it is ten to one that some
beau at the farther end of the room would have the
honour of presenting it to you before he had observed
that it fell. I'll tell you one of his antiquated, anti-
gallant notions. He said once in my presence, in a
room full of company,--would you believe it?--in a
large circle of ladies, that the best evidence a gentle-
man could give a young lady of his respect and affec-
tion was to endeavour in a friendly manner to rectify
her foibles. I protest I was crimson to the eyes, upon
reflecting that I was known as his sister.


LETITIA

Insupportable creature! tell a lady of her faults! if
he is so grave, I fear I have no chance of captivating