LETTER LVIII.

MRS. DARNLEY to LADY DIANA FRANKLIN.

London.

I CANNOT deny myself the pleasure of informing your ladyship that young Lord Deanport has of late shown so much attention to my niece Horatia, that I am convinced he means to make her a proposal of marriage.

Independent of his rank and fortune, he is handsome, extremely polite, and was pretty generally allowed to have danced the second best minuet at the last birth-day ball. He never speaks in parliament, not being of a talkative disposition: besides, I am told that all speaking there is considered now as superfluous. His lordship has no great taste for politics-partly, I believe, because it has of late been the prevailing taste of the vulgar. There is a report that he is speedily to be appointed to an important office; but whether in the cabinet or household is not certain.

Your ladyship must be sensible of the many advantages of such a match to the dear girl in whose welfare I know you take so sincere an interest; but you will be surprised and concerned to hear, that, with all her understanding, she herself seems to be less moved by those advantages than her best friends could wish; though of late, indeed, she behaves with more respect to the young nobleman than she did at first: but in a private conversation I had with her last night, she betrayed so great a disregard of his endowments, and a blindness to the other advantages of such a connection, as distresses me extremely. Your ladyship knows that Horatia refused a man of still greater fortune than his lordship when she was abroad with her father. He was only a commoner, indeed, though rich enough to have made three peers. But it was not on account of his not being a peer that she refused him. I have reason to believe it was merely because she thought rather meanly of his understanding; though, in other points, an exceeding respectable man.

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As my dear brother never blamed his daughter for this, I shall not take on me to condemn her: but this I must say, that if several women of my acquaintance, who are very comfortably married, had possessed a particle of the same scruple, they would never have been united to their present husbands. So Horatia ought not to allow a prejudice of this nature to have too much weight,

As your ladyship has more influence with her than any body, I thought it right to acquaint you with what I conceive to be Lord Deanport's intention, that you may prevent her from falling into an error similar to the former, if the former was an error; because it would be more inexcusable now, when she is of a riper age, and ought to have acquired more wisdom.

I have not spoken on this subject to my husband, because I cannot say that Lord Deanport has directly made a proposal of marriage to my niece; but I have a thousand reasons for believing that it is her fault, and not his. Those reasons I am not fond of stating circumstantially to my husband, because men in general do not fully comprehend such matters, and no man in particular less than Mr. Darnley, though, in most other things, he has a very clear judgment.

I am convinced, from your ladyship's acknowledged good sense, and from the friendship you have always shown my niece, that you will not delay to warn her against the folly and danger of keeping a person of Lord Deanport's rank long in suspense, particularly as I have reason to believe that his mother wishes him to court the rich Miss Moyston, who, in conjunction with her ladyship, is doing all in her power to engage his affections.The countess, I know, is reckoned a proud and designing woman; and, notwithstanding her polite behaviour in your presence, I dare say you are not ignorant of her real sentiments respecting you. But, when Horatia is married, she will certainly have more influence with her husband than the countess can be supposed to have; and she will then, no doubt, be proud to live on a good footing with your ladyship.

I am extremely glad to hear that Mrs. Denham is better. I beg you will present my best compliments to her I remain, your ladyship's most obedient humble servant,

E. DARNLEY.

Do you not think that Horatia would be using your ladyship and her other friends very ill, if she were to give Lord Deanport, or any other man who may pay his addresses to her, a refusal, without informing them, and taking their advice? If that is your ladyship's opinion, I dare say you will think it right to express it in your letter to her.

LETTER LIX.

LADY DIANA FRANKLIN to MRS. DARNLEY.

MY DEAR MADAM,

As the person you mention has not hitherto made any proposal to our young friend, it would be improper for me to write or speak to her on the subject. Indeed, I should take no notice of it to her, though I were hereafter to be informed that he had actually made proposals, unless she herself asked my opinion or advice. From what I know of the character and disposition of your niece, I am persuaded that she will not give her hand to any man, without informing Mr, Darnley and you, and endeavouring to obtain your approbation. This, I think, ought to satisfy all her relations and friends; especially as she really never has given any proof of caprice, or want of discernment, in her likings or dislikings. As for the gentleman to whom you allude, whom she refused to marry when she was only seventeen, the debasing tastes which he has since displayed, and the wretched figure he makes in life, should prevent either herself or her friends from regretting her rejection of him. Assuredly, my dear madam, you have not been informed of his present style

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of life and you have too much penetration not to have observed that the most affluent fortune would be no compensation to a woman of Horatia's turn of mind, for having a ridiculous, an ignorant, or even a well-meaning weak man, to her husband. She never will marry, I am fully persuaded, until she is asked by a man whom she highly esteems, independent of his fortune, his rank, and his disposition. She must have a man of understanding for her husband.

You hint that I have reason to complain of Lady Deanport's sentiments of me. While she refrains from injurious actions I shall remain indifferent about her sentiments.

If ever Horatia should consult me on the subject of your letter, you may rest satisfied that my advice shall be given without any consideration of that lady's prejudice against me.

Mrs. Denham is better, but not so well as to allow me to think of leaving her. She has supported a severe and tedious illness with resignation and fortitude; and has given proofs of a most amiable,—and, what is more, of a Christian disposition. She will have reason to say, it is good for me that I have been afflicted.'

I remain, my dear madam, with respectful compliments to Mr. Darnley, your most obedient humble servant,

DIANA FRANKLIN.

In answer to the question in your postscript, I think nọ young woman ought to give her consent to a proposal of marriage without consulting her friends. But, if she is determined to refuse the proposal, she acts with delicacy to the man in concealing it; because no man likes to have it known that he has been rejected. She also acts with delicacy to her own relations; because, though they should think her objections frivolous, she might feel them to be insurmountable.

LETTER LX.

JAMES GRINDILL, Esq. to the COUNTESS of DEANPOrt.

South Wales.

I ENTER warmly into your ladyship's resentment against

Miss Clifford.

Your having appeared in good-humour the morning after the scene at the assembly was necessary for retaining your influence with Lord Deanport, and for giving weight to the inuendos you threw out. Had you seemed displeased, or permitted any upbraiding expression to fall from you, on account of his attachment to Miss Clifford, the effect would have been to have made him pay his court to her more assiduously than ever. Your ladyship must have observed that nothing is so apt to make some people adhere to whatever whim they take into their head than opposing it. Argument, however strong, instead of convincing, irritates: and, even when convinced that the measure they are inclined to is pernicious, the pleasure of crossing the disapprovers, though they may be their best friends, overcomes, in the minds of people of this character, every consideration of decorum, or even of interest. But why do I mention this to your ladyship, who understands character so well; and who, I am sure, will never be so much off your guard as, from heat or want of temper, to provoke a person it is so much your interest to manage? The motive to which you imputed all his attentions, and the hints that they would be successful, flattered his vanity without showing disapprobation of his taste, and will, probably, stimulate him to what he might not otherwise have had hardihood sufficient to undertake. Notwithstanding the cautions in my last against any rough attack on the lady's character, the ingenious manner in which you conducted it, I imagine, will answer one or the other of the purposes you proposed. I also approve of your abstaining, on that occasion, from all praises of the lady's wit or understanding, because they might have given him a suspicion of your having a personal ma