The Contrast [4]
have. At this time, I really believe she thought she loved him; and had they been married, I doubt not they might have jogged on, to the end of the chapter, a good kind of a sing-song lack-a-daysaical life, as other honest married folks do.
CHARLOTTE
Why did they not then marry?
LETITIA
Upon the death of his father, Billy went to England to see the world and rub off a little of the patroon rust. During his absence, Maria, like a good girl, to keep herself constant to her nown true-love, avoided company, and betook herself, for her amusement, to her books, and her dear Billy's letters. But, alas! how many ways has the mischievous demon of incon- stancy of stealing into a woman's heart! Her love was destroyed by the very means she took to support it.
CHARLOTTE
How?--Oh! I have it--some likely young beau found the way to her study.
LETITIA
Be patient, Charlotte; your head so runs upon beaux. Why, she read Sir Charles Grandison, Clarissa Harlow, Shenstone, and the Sentimental Journey; and between whiles, as I said, Billy's letters. But, as her taste improved, her love declined. The contrast was so striking betwixt the good sense of her books and the flimsiness of her love-letters, that she discovered she had unthinkingly engaged her hand without her heart; and then the whole transaction, managed by the old folks, now appeared so unsentimental, and looked so like bargaining for a bale of goods, that she found she ought to have rejected, according to every rule of romance, even the man of her choice, if im- posed upon her in that manner. Clary Harlow would have scorned such a match.
CHARLOTTE
Well, how was it on Mr. Dimple's return? Did he meet a more favourable reception than his letters?
LETITIA
Much the same. She spoke of him with respect abroad, and with contempt in her closet. She watched his conduct and conversation, and found that he had by travelling, acquired the wickedness of Lovelace without his wit, and the politeness of Sir Charles Gran- dison without his generosity. The ruddy youth, who washed his face at the cistern every morning, and swore and looked eternal love and constancy, was now metamorphosed into a flippant, palid, polite beau, who devotes the morning to his toilet, reads a few pages of Chesterfield's letters, and then minces out, to put the infamous principles in practice upon every woman he meets.
CHARLOTTE
But, if she is so apt at conjuring up these senti- mental bugbears, why does she not discard him at once?
LETITIA
Why, she thinks her word too sacred to be trifled with. Besides, her father, who has a great respect for the memory of his deceased friend, is ever tell- ing her how he shall renew his years in their union, and repeating the dying injunctions of old Van Dumpling.
CHARLOTTE
A mighty pretty story! And so you would make me believe that the sensible Maria would give up Dumpling manor, and the all-accomplished Dimple as a husband, for the absurd, ridiculous reason, forsooth, because she despises and abhors him. Just as if a lady could not be privileged to spend a man's fortune, ride in his carriage, be called after his name, and call him her nown dear lovee when she wants money, with- out loving and respecting the great he-creature. Oh! my dear girl, you are a monstrous prude.
LETITIA
I don't say what I would do; I only intimate how I suppose she wishes to act.
CHARLOTTE
No, no, no! A fig for sentiment. If she breaks, or wishes to break, with Mr. Dimple, depend upon it, she has some other man in her eye. A woman rarely dis- cards one lover until she is sure of another. Letitia little thinks what a clue I have to Dimple's conduct. The generous man submits to render himself disgust- ing to Maria, in order that she may leave him at lib- erty to address me. I must change the subject. [Aside, and rings a bell.
Enter SERVANT.
Frank, order the horses to.--Talking of marriage, did you hear that Sally Bloomsbury is going to be married next week to Mr. Indigo, the rich Carolinian?
LETITIA
CHARLOTTE
Why did they not then marry?
LETITIA
Upon the death of his father, Billy went to England to see the world and rub off a little of the patroon rust. During his absence, Maria, like a good girl, to keep herself constant to her nown true-love, avoided company, and betook herself, for her amusement, to her books, and her dear Billy's letters. But, alas! how many ways has the mischievous demon of incon- stancy of stealing into a woman's heart! Her love was destroyed by the very means she took to support it.
CHARLOTTE
How?--Oh! I have it--some likely young beau found the way to her study.
LETITIA
Be patient, Charlotte; your head so runs upon beaux. Why, she read Sir Charles Grandison, Clarissa Harlow, Shenstone, and the Sentimental Journey; and between whiles, as I said, Billy's letters. But, as her taste improved, her love declined. The contrast was so striking betwixt the good sense of her books and the flimsiness of her love-letters, that she discovered she had unthinkingly engaged her hand without her heart; and then the whole transaction, managed by the old folks, now appeared so unsentimental, and looked so like bargaining for a bale of goods, that she found she ought to have rejected, according to every rule of romance, even the man of her choice, if im- posed upon her in that manner. Clary Harlow would have scorned such a match.
CHARLOTTE
Well, how was it on Mr. Dimple's return? Did he meet a more favourable reception than his letters?
LETITIA
Much the same. She spoke of him with respect abroad, and with contempt in her closet. She watched his conduct and conversation, and found that he had by travelling, acquired the wickedness of Lovelace without his wit, and the politeness of Sir Charles Gran- dison without his generosity. The ruddy youth, who washed his face at the cistern every morning, and swore and looked eternal love and constancy, was now metamorphosed into a flippant, palid, polite beau, who devotes the morning to his toilet, reads a few pages of Chesterfield's letters, and then minces out, to put the infamous principles in practice upon every woman he meets.
CHARLOTTE
But, if she is so apt at conjuring up these senti- mental bugbears, why does she not discard him at once?
LETITIA
Why, she thinks her word too sacred to be trifled with. Besides, her father, who has a great respect for the memory of his deceased friend, is ever tell- ing her how he shall renew his years in their union, and repeating the dying injunctions of old Van Dumpling.
CHARLOTTE
A mighty pretty story! And so you would make me believe that the sensible Maria would give up Dumpling manor, and the all-accomplished Dimple as a husband, for the absurd, ridiculous reason, forsooth, because she despises and abhors him. Just as if a lady could not be privileged to spend a man's fortune, ride in his carriage, be called after his name, and call him her nown dear lovee when she wants money, with- out loving and respecting the great he-creature. Oh! my dear girl, you are a monstrous prude.
LETITIA
I don't say what I would do; I only intimate how I suppose she wishes to act.
CHARLOTTE
No, no, no! A fig for sentiment. If she breaks, or wishes to break, with Mr. Dimple, depend upon it, she has some other man in her eye. A woman rarely dis- cards one lover until she is sure of another. Letitia little thinks what a clue I have to Dimple's conduct. The generous man submits to render himself disgust- ing to Maria, in order that she may leave him at lib- erty to address me. I must change the subject. [Aside, and rings a bell.
Enter SERVANT.
Frank, order the horses to.--Talking of marriage, did you hear that Sally Bloomsbury is going to be married next week to Mr. Indigo, the rich Carolinian?
LETITIA