animosity of your relations to them, as well as to their kinsman. I laid
hold of the opportunity, and he satisfied me, by reading some passages of
a letter he had about him, from Lord M. That an alliance with you, and
that on the foot of your own single merit, would be the most desirable
event to them that could happen: and so far to the purpose of your wished
inquiry does his Lordship go in this letter, that he assures him, that
whatever you suffer in fortune from the violence of your relations on his
account, he and Lady Sarah and Lady Betty will join to make it up to him.
And yet that the reputation of a family so splendid, would, no doubt, in
a case of such importance to the honour of both, make them prefer a
general consent.

I told him, as you yourself I knew had done, that you were extremely
averse to Mr. Solmes; and that, might you be left to your own choice, it
would be the single life. As to himself, I plainly said, That you had
great and just objections to him on the score of his careless morals:
that it was surprising, that men who gave themselves the liberties he was
said to take, should presume to think, that whenever they took it into
their heads to marry, the most virtuous and worthy of the sex were to
fall to their lot. That as to the resumption, it had been very strongly
urged by myself, and would be still further urged; though you had been
hitherto averse to that measure: that your chief reliance and hopes were
upon your cousin Morden; and that to suspend or gain time till he
arrived, was, as I believed, your principal aim.

I told him, That with regard to the mischief he threatened, neither the
act nor the menace could serve any end but theirs who persecuted you; as
it would give them a pretence for carrying into effect their compulsory
projects; and that with the approbation of all the world; since he must
not think the public would give its voice in favour of a violent young