great plotter, and a great writer: That he lived a wild life in town,
by what he had heard: had six or seven companions as bad as himself;
whom now and then he brought down with him; and the country was always
glad when they went up again. He would have it, that although
passionate, he was good-humoured; loved as well to take a jest as to
give one; and would rally himself upon occasion the freest of any man
he ever knew.'

This was his character from an enemy; for, as my aunt observed, every
thing the man said commendably of him came grudgingly, with a must
needs say--to do him justice, &c. while the contrary was delivered
with a free good-will. And this character, as a worse was expected,
though this was bad enough, not answering the end of inquiring after
it, my brother and sister were more apprehensive than before, that his
address would be encouraged, since the worst part of it was known, or
supposed, when he was first introduced to my sister.

But, with regard to myself, I must observe in his disfavour, that,
notwithstanding the merit he wanted to make with me for his patience
upon my brother's ill-treatment of him, I owed him no compliments for
trying to conciliate with him. Not that I believe it would have
signified any thing if he had made ever such court either to him or to
my sister: yet one might have expected from a man of his politeness,
and from his pretensions, you know, that he would have been willing to
try. Instead of which, he shewed such a contempt both of my brother
and my sister, especially my brother, as was construed into a defiance
of them. And for me to have hinted at an alteration in his behaviour
to my brother, was an advantage I knew he would have been proud of;
and which therefore I had no mind to give him. But I doubted not that
having so very little encouragement from any body, his pride would