declaration, if an opportunity be fairly given for it, there is little
room to expect, that the blighting winds of anger or resentment will
bring it forward. Then my poor sister is not naturally good-humoured.
This is too well-known a truth for me to endeavor to conceal it,
especially from you. She must therefore, I doubt, have appeared to
great disadvantages when she aimed to be worse tempered than ordinary.

How they managed it in their next conversation I know not. One would
be tempted to think by the issue, that Mr. Lovelace was ungenerous
enough to seek the occasion given,* and to improve it. Yet he thought
fit to put the question too:--But, she says, it was not till, by some
means or other (she knew not how) he had wrought her up to such a
pitch of displeasure with him, that it was impossible for her to
recover herself at the instant. Nevertheless he re-urged his
question, as expecting a definitive answer, without waiting for the
return of her temper, or endeavouring to mollify her; so that she was
under a necessity of persisting in her denial: yet gave him reason to
think she did not dislike his address, only the manner of it; his
court being rather made to her mother than to herself, as if he was
sure of her consent at any time.


* See Mr. Lovelace's Letter, No. XXXI, in which he briefly accounts for
his conduct in this affair.


A good encouraging denial, I must own: as was the rest of her plea; to
wit, 'A disinclination to change her state. Exceedingly happy as she
was: she never could be happier!' And such-like consenting negatives,
as I may call them, and yet not intend a reflection upon my sister: