young men. I found it necessary to _reform_ my manners. If I had not taken
heart of grace, and publicly abjured the heresies of _false delicacy_, I
should have been excommunicated. Lady Delacour's sprightly elegance--allow
me to speak of myself in the style in which the newspaper writers talk of
me--Lady Delacour's sprightly elegance was but pale, not to say _faded_
pink, compared with the scarlet of Mrs. Freke's dashing audacity. As my
rival, she would on certain ground have beat me hollow; it was therefore
good policy to make her my friend: we joined forces, and nothing could
stand against us. But I have no right to give myself credit for good
policy in forming this intimacy; I really followed the dictates of my
heart or my imagination. There was a frankness in Harriot's manner which I
mistook for artlessness of character: she spoke with such unbounded
freedom on certain subjects, that I gave her credit for unbounded
sincerity on all subjects: she had the talent of making the world believe
_that_ virtue to be invulnerable by nature which disdained the common
outworks of art for its defence. I, amongst others, took it for granted,
that the woman who could make it her sport to 'touch the brink of all we
hate,' must have a stronger head than other people. I have since been
convinced, however, of my mistake. I am persuaded that few can touch the
brink without tumbling headlong down the precipice. Don't apply this, my
dear, _literally_, to the person of whom we were speaking; I am not base
enough to betray her secrets, however I may have been provoked by her
treachery. Of her character and history you shall hear nothing but what is
necessary for my own justification. The league of amity between us was
scarcely ratified before my Lord Delacour came, with his wise
remonstrating face, to beg me 'to consider what was due to my own honour
and his.' Like the cosmogony-man in the Vicar of Wakefield, he came out
over and over with this cant phrase, which had once stood him in stead.
'Do you think, my lord,' said I, 'that because I gave up poor Lawless to
oblige you, I shall give up all common sense to suit myself to your taste?