sufficiently distinguished by its expression of invincible
assurance; his person, too, though neither striking for its grace
nor its deformity, attracted notice from the insolence of his
deportment. His manners, haughty and supercilious, marked the high
opinion he cherished of his own importance; and his air and address,
at once bold and negligent, announced his happy perfection in the
character at which he aimed, that of an accomplished man of the
town.

The moment Cecilia appeared, she became the object of his attention,
though neither with the look of admiration due to her beauty, nor
yet with that of curiosity excited by her novelty, but with the
scrutinizing observation of a man on the point of making a bargain,
who views with fault-seeking eyes the property he means to cheapen.

Cecilia, wholly unused to an examination so little ceremonious,
shrunk abashed from his regards: but his conversation was not less
displeasing to her than his looks; his principal subjects, which
were horse-racing, losses at play, and disputes at gaming-tables,
could afford her but little amusement, because she could not
understand them; and the episodes with which they were occasionally
interspersed, consisting chiefly of comparative strictures upon
celebrated beauties, hints of impending bankruptcies, and witticisms
upon recent divorces, were yet more disagreeable to her, because
more intelligible. Wearied, therefore, with uninteresting anecdotes,
and offended with injudicious subjects of pleasantry, she waited
with impatience for the moment of retiring; but Mrs Harrel, less
eager, because better entertained, was in no haste to remove, and
therefore she was compelled to remain quiet, till they were both
obliged to arise, in order to fulfil their engagement with Mrs