LETTER XV
MR. BELFORD, TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ.EDGWARE, TUESDAY NIGHT, MAY 2.
Without staying for the promised letter from you to inform us what thelady says of us, I write to tell you, that we are all of one opinion withregard to her; which is, that there is not of her age a finer woman inthe world, as to her understanding. As for her person, she is at the ageof bloom, and an admirable creature; a perfect beauty: but this poorerpraise, a man, who has been honoured with her conversation, can hardlydescend to give; and yet she was brought amongst us contrary to her will.
Permit me, dear Lovelace, to be a mean of saving this excellent creaturefrom the dangers she hourly runs from the most plotting heart in theworld. In a former, I pleaded your own family, Lord M.'s wishesparticularly; and then I had not seen her: but now, I join her sake,honour's sake, motives of justice, generosity, gratitude, and humanity,which are all concerned in the preservation of so fine a woman. Thouknowest not the anguish I should have had, (whence arising, I cannotdevise,) had I not known before I set out this morning, that theincomparable creature had disappointed thee in thy cursed view of gettingher to admit the specious Partington for a bed-fellow.
I have done nothing but talk of this lady ever since I saw her. There issomething so awful, and yet so sweet, in her aspect, that were I to havethe virtues and the graces all drawn in one piece, they should be taken,every one of them, from different airs and attributes in her. She wasborn to adorn the age she was given to, and would be an ornament to thefirst dignity. What a piercing, yet gentle eye; every glance I thoughtmingled with love and fear of you! What a sweet smile darting throughthe cloud that overspread her fair face, demonstrating that she had moreapprehensions and grief at her heart than she cared to express!
You may think what I am going to write too flighty: but, by my faith, Ihave conceived such a profound reverence for her sense and judgment,that, far from thinking the man excusable who should treat her basely,I am ready to regret that such an angel of a woman should even marry.She is in my eye all mind: and were she to meet with a man all mindlikewise, why should the charming qualities she is mistress of beendangered? Why should such an angel be plunged so low as into thevulgar offices of a domestic life? Were she mine, I should hardly wishto see her a mother, unless there were a kind of moral certainty, thatminds like hers could be propagated. For why, in short, should not thework of bodies be left to mere bodies? I know, that you yourself havean opinion of her little less exalted. Belton, Mowbray, Tourville, areall of my mind; are full of her praises; and swear, it would be a millionof pities to ruin a woman in whose fall none but devils can rejoice.
What must that merit and excellence be which can extort this from us,freelivers, like yourself, and all of your just resentments against therest of her family, and offered our assistance to execute your vengeanceon them? But we cannot think it reasonable that you should punish aninnocent creature, who loves you so well, and who is in your protection, andhas suffered so much for you, for the faults of her relations.
And here let me put a serious question or two. Thinkest thou, trulyadmirable as this lady is, that the end thou proposest to thyself, ifobtained, is answerable to the means, to the trouble thou givest thyself,and to the perfidies, tricks, stratagems, and contrivances thou hasalready been guilty of, and still meditatest? In every real excellenceshe surpasses all her sex. But in the article thou seekest to subdue herfor, a mere sensualist, a Partington, a Horton, a Martin, would make asensualist a thousand times happier than she either will or can.
Sweet are the joys that come with willingness.
And wouldst thou make her unhappy for her whole life, and thyself nothappy for a single moment?
Hitherto, it is not too late; and that perhaps is as much as can be said,if thou meanest to preserve her esteem and good opinion, as well asperson; for I think it is impossible she can get out of thy hands now sheis in this accursed house. O that damned hypocritical Sinclair, as thoucallest her! How was it possible she should behave so speciously as shedid all the time the lady staid with us!--Be honest, and marry; and bethankful that she will condescend to have thee. If thou dost not, thouwilt be the worst of men; and wilt be condemned in this world and thenext: as I am sure thou oughtest, and shouldest too, wert thou to bejudged by one, who never before was so much touched in a woman's favour;and whom thou knowest to be
Thy partial friend,J. BELFORD.
Our companions consented that I should withdraw to write to the aboveeffect. They can make nothing of the characters we write in; and so Iread this to them. They approve of it; and of their own motion each manwould set his name to it. I would not delay sending it, for fear of somedetestable scheme taking place. THOMAS BELTON, RICHARD MOWBRAY, JAMES TOURVILLE.
Just now are brought me both yours. I vary not my opinion, nor forbearmy earnest prayers to you in her behalf, notwithstanding her dislike ofme.