been his general character) that his temper is naturally haughty and
violent; and I had seen too much of that untractable spirit in my
brother to like it in one who hoped to be still more nearly related to
me.

I had a little specimen of this temper of his upon the very occasion I
have mentioned: For after he had sent me a third particular letter
with the general one, he asked me the next time he came to Harlowe-
Place, if I had not received such a one from him?--I told him I should
never answer one so sent; and that I had waited for such an occasion
as he had now given me, to tell him so: I desired him therefore not to
write again on the subject; assuring him, that if he did, I would
return both, and never write another line to him.

You can't imagine how saucily the man looked; as if, in short, he was
disappointed that he had not made a more sensible impression upon me:
nor, when he recollected himself (as he did immediately), what a
visible struggle it cost him to change his haughty airs for more
placid ones. But I took no notice of either; for I thought it best to
convince him, by the coolness and indifference with which I repulsed
his forward hopes (at the same time intending to avoid the affectation
of pride or vanity) that he was not considerable enough in my eyes to
make me take over-ready offence at what he said, or at his haughty
looks: in other words, that I had not value enough for him to treat
him with peculiarity either by smiles or frowns. Indeed he had
cunning enough to give me, undesignedly, a piece of instruction which
taught me this caution; for he had said in conversation once, 'That if
a man could not make a woman in courtship own herself pleased with
him, it was as much and oftentimes more to his purpose to make her
angry with him.'