dislike me, and prejudiced against all my past actions. His sister, too,

is, I hope, convinced how little the ungenerous representations of anyone
to the disadvantage of another will avail when opposed by the immediate

influence of intellect and manner. I see plainly that she is uneasy at my
progress in the good opinion of her brother, and conclude that nothing will

be wanting on her part to counteract me; but having once made him doubt the
justice of her opinion of me, I think I may defy, her. It has been

delightful to me to watch his advances towards intimacy, especially to
observe his altered manner in consequence of my repressing by the cool

dignity of my deportment his insolent approach to direct familiarity. My
conduct has been equally guarded from the first, and I never behaved less

like a coquette in the whole course of my life, though perhaps my desire of
dominion was never more decided. I have subdued him entirely by sentiment

and serious conversation, and made him, I may venture to say, at least
half in love with me, without the semblance of the most commonplace

flirtation. Mrs. Vernon's consciousness of deserving every sort of revenge
that it can be in my power to inflict for her ill-offices could alone

enable her to perceive that I am actuated by any design in behaviour so
gentle and unpretending. Let her think and act as she chooses, however. I

have never yet found that the advice of a sister could prevent a young
man's being in love if he chose. We are advancing now to some kind of

confidence, and in short are likely to be engaged in a sort of platonic
friendship. On my side you may be sure of its never being more, for if I

were not attached to another person as much as I can be to anyone, I should
make a point of not bestowing my affection on a man who had dared to think

so meanly of me. Reginald has a good figure and is not unworthy the praise
you have heard given him, but is still greatly inferior to our friend at

Langford. He is less polished, less insinuating than Mainwaring, and is
comparatively deficient in the power of saying those delightful things

which put one in good humour with oneself and all the world. He is quite
agreeable enough, however, to afford me amusement, and to make many of

those hours pass very pleasantly which would otherwise be spent in
endeavouring to overcome my sister-in-law's reserve, and listening to the

insipid talk of her husband. Your account of Sir James is most
satisfactory, and I mean to give Miss Frederica a hint of my intentions

very soon.
Yours, &c.,

S. VERNON.
XI

MRS. VERNON TO LADY DE COURCY
Churchhill

I really grow quite uneasy, my dearest mother, about Reginald, from
witnessing the very rapid increase of Lady Susan's influence. They are now

on terms of the most particular friendship, frequently engaged in long
conversations together; and she has contrived by the most artful coquetry

to subdue his judgment to her own purposes. It is impossible to see the
intimacy between them so very soon established without some alarm, though I

can hardly suppose that Lady Susan's plans extend to marriage. I wish you
could get Reginald home again on any plausible pretence; he is not at all

disposed to leave us, and I have given him as many hints of my father's
precarious state of health as common decency will allow me to do in my own

house. Her power over him must now be boundless, as she has entirely
effaced all his former ill-opinion, and persuaded him not merely to forget

but to justify her conduct. Mr. Smith's account of her proceedings at
Langford, where he accused her of having made Mr. Mainwaring and a young

man engaged to Miss Mainwaring distractedly in love with her, which
Reginald firmly believed when he came here, is now, he is persuaded, only a

scandalous invention. He has told me so with a warmth of manner which spoke
his regret at having believed the contrary himself. How sincerely do I

grieve that she ever entered this house! I always looked forward to her
coming with uneasiness; but very far was it from originating in anxiety for

Reginald. I expected a most disagreeablecompanion for myself, but could
not imagine that my brother would be in the smallest danger of being

captivated by a woman with whose principles he was so well acquainted, and
whose character he so heartily despised. If you can get him away it will be

a good thing.
Yours, &c.,

CATHERINE VERNON.
XII

SIR REGINALD DE COURCY TO HIS SON
Parklands.

I know that young men in general do not admit of any enquiry even from
their nearest relations into affairs of the heart, but I hope, my dear

Reginald, that you will be superior to such as allow nothing for a father's
anxiety, and think themselves privileged to refuse him their confidence and

slight his advice. You must be sensible that as an only son, and the
representative of an ancient family, your conduct in life is most

interesting to your connections; and in the very important concern of
marriage especially, there is everything at stake--your own happiness, that

of your parents, and the credit of your name. I do not suppose that you
would deliberately form an absoluteengagement of that nature without

acquainting your mother and myself, or at least, without being convinced
that we should approve of your choice; but I cannot help fearing that you

may be drawn in, by the lady who has lately attached you, to a marriage
which the whole of your family, far and near, must highly reprobate. Lady

Susan's age is itself a material objection, but her want of character is
one so much more serious, that the difference of even twelve years becomes

in comparison of small amount. Were you not blinded by a sort of
fascination, it would be ridiculous in me to repeat the instances of great

misconduct on her side so very generally known.
Her neglect of her husband, her encouragement of other men, her

extravagance and dissipation, were so gross and notorious that no one could
be ignorant of them at the time, nor can now have forgotten them. To our

family she has always been represented in softened colours by the
benevolence of Mr. Charles Vernon, and yet, in spite of his generous

endeavours to excuse her, we know that she did, from the most selfish
motives, take all possible pains to prevent his marriage with Catherine.

My years and increasing infirmities make me very desirous of seeing you
settled in the world. To the fortune of a wife, the goodness of my own will

make me indifferent, but her family and character must be equally
unexceptionable. When your choice is fixed so that no objection can be

made to it, then I can promise you a ready and cheerful consent; but it is
my duty to oppose a match which deep art only could render possible, and

must in the end make wretched. It is possible her behaviour may arise only
from vanity, or the wish of gaining the admiration of a man whom she must

imagine to be particularly prejudiced against her; but it is more likely
that she should aim at something further. She is poor, and may naturally

seek an alliance which must be advantageous to herself; you know your own
rights, and that it is out of my power to prevent your inheriting the

family estate. My ability of distressing you during my life would be a
species of revenge to which I could hardly stoop under any circumstances.

I honestly tell you my sentiments and intentions: I do not wish to work
on your fears, but on your sense and affection. It would destroy every

comfort of my life to know that you were married to Lady Susan Vernon; it
would be the death of that honest pride with which I have hitherto

considered my son; I should blush to see him, to hear of him, to think of
him. I may perhaps do no good but that of relieving my own mind by this

letter, but I felt it my duty to tell you that your partiality for Lady
Susan is no secret to your friends, and to warn you against her. I should

be glad to hear your reasons for disbelieving Mr. Smith's intelligence; you
had no doubt of its authenticity a month ago. If you can give me your

assurance of having no design beyond enjoying the conversation of a clever
woman for a short period, and of yielding admiration only to her beauty and

abilities, without being blinded by them to her faults, you will restore me
to happiness ;but, if you cannot do this, explain to me, at least, what has

occasioned so great an alteration in your opinion of her.
I am, &c., &c,

REGINALD DE COURCY
XIII

LADY DE COURCY TO MRS. VERNON
Parklands.

My dear Catherine,--Unluckily I was confined to my room when your last
letter came, by a cold which affected my eyes so much as to prevent my

reading it myself, so I could not refuse Your father when he offered to
read it to me, by which means he became acquainted, to my great vexation,

with all your fears about your brother. I had intended to write to Reginald
myself as soon as my eyes would let me, to point out, as well as I could,

the danger of an intimateacquaintance, with so artful a woman as Lady
Susan, to a young man of his age, and high expectations. I meant,

moreover, to have reminded him of our being quite alone now, and very much