abhorrence against her, and which Reginald himself was entirely disposed to

credit. His opinion of her, I am sure, was as low as of any woman in



England; and when he first came it was evident that he considered her as

one entitled neither to delicacy nor respect, and that he felt she would be



delighted with the attentions of any man inclined to flirt with her. Her

behaviour, I confess, has been calculated to do away with such an idea; I



have not detected the smallest impropriety in it--nothing of vanity, of

pretension, of levity; and she is altogether so attractive that I should



not wonder at his being delighted with her, had he known nothing of her

previous to this personal acquaintance; but, against reason, against



conviction, to be so well pleased with her, as I am sure he is, does really

astonish me. His admiration was at first very strong, but no more than was



natural, and I did not wonder at his being much struck by the gentleness

and delicacy of her manners; but when he has mentioned her of late it has



been in terms of more extraordinary praise; and yesterday he actually said

that he could not be surprised at any effect produced on the heart of man



by such loveliness and such abilities; and when I lamented, in reply, the

badness of her disposition, he observed that whatever might have been her



errors they were to be imputed to her neglected education and early

marriage, and that she was altogether a wonderful woman. This tendency to



excuse her conduct or to forget it, in the warmth of admiration, vexes me;

and if I did not know that Reginald is too much at home at Churchhill to



need an invitation for lengthening his visit, I should regret Mr. Vernon's

giving him any. Lady Susan's intentions are of course those of absolute



coquetry, or a desire of universaladmiration; I cannot for a moment

imagine that she has anything more serious in view; but it mortifies me to



see a young man of Reginald's sense duped by her at all.

I am, &c.,



CATHERINE VERNON.

IX



MRS. JOHNSON TO LADY S. VERNON

Edward Street.



My dearest Friend,--I congratulate you on Mr. De Courcy's arrival, and I

advise you by all means to marry him; his father's estate is, we know,



considerable, and I believe certainly entailed. Sir Reginald is very

infirm, and not likely to stand in your way long. I hear the young man well



spoken of; and though no one can really deserve you, my dearest Susan, Mr.

De Courcy may be worth having. Mainwaring will storm of course, but you



easily pacify him; besides, the most scrupulous point of honour could not

require you to wait for HIS emancipation. I have seen Sir James; he came to



town for a few days last week, and called several times in Edward Street. I

talked to him about you and your daughter, and he is so far from having



forgotten you, that I am sure he would marry either of you with pleasure. I

gave him hopes of Frederica's relenting, and told him a great deal of her



improvements. I scolded him for making love to Maria Mainwaring; he

protested that he had been only in joke, and we both laughed heartily at



her disappointment; and, in short, were very agreeable. He is as silly as

ever.



Yours faithfully,

ALICIA.



X

LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MRS. JOHNSON



Churchhill.

I am much obliged to you, my dear Friend, for your advice respecting Mr.



De Courcy, which I know was given with the full conviction of its

expediency, though I am not quite determined on following it. I cannot



easily resolve on anything so serious as marriage; especially as I am not

at present in want of money, and might perhaps, till the old gentleman's



death, be very little benefited by the match. It is true that I am vain

enough to believe it within my reach. I have made him sensible of my power,



and can now enjoy the pleasure of triumphing over a mind prepared to

• description [di´skripʃən] n.描写 (初中英语单词)


• countenance [´kauntinəns] n.面部表情；脸色；面容 (初中英语单词)


• absolutely [´æbsəlu:tli] ad.绝对地；确实 (初中英语单词)


• contrary [´kɔntrəri] a.相反的 n.相反 (初中英语单词)


• bitterly [´bitəli] ad.悲痛地；憎恨地 (初中英语单词)


• neglect [ni´glekt] vt.&n.疏忽；忽视；忽略 (初中英语单词)


• wholly [´həul-li] ad.完全，十足；统统 (初中英语单词)


• strongly [´strɔŋli] ad.强烈地；强有力地 (初中英语单词)


• operate [´ɔpəreit] v.(使)运转；操作；经营 (初中英语单词)


• generous [´dʒenərəs] a.慷慨的；丰盛的 (初中英语单词)


• submit [səb´mit] vt.使服从；使忍受 (初中英语单词)


• reality [ri´æliti] n.现实(性)；真实；逼真 (初中英语单词)


• grateful [´greitful] a.感谢的；令人愉快的 (初中英语单词)


• warmth [wɔ:mθ] n.温暖；热情；激动 (初中英语单词)


• affection [ə´fekʃən] n.友爱；慈爱 (初中英语单词)


• stupid [´stju:pid] a.愚蠢的；糊涂的 (初中英语单词)


• recommend [,rekə´mend] vt.推荐；使受欢迎 (初中英语单词)


• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)


• account [ə´kaunt] vi.说明 vt.认为 n.帐目 (初中英语单词)


• portion [´pɔ:ʃən] n.嫁妆；命运 vt.分配 (初中英语单词)


• infant [´infənt] n.&a.婴(幼)儿 (初中英语单词)


• advocate [´ædvəkit] n.辩护者 (初中英语单词)


• mistress [´mistris] n.女主人；情妇；女能手 (初中英语单词)


• italian [i´tæliən] a.意大利 n.意大利人 (初中英语单词)


• flatter [´flætə] vt.阿谀，奉承；胜过 (初中英语单词)


• thoroughly [´θʌrəli] ad.完全地，彻底地 (初中英语单词)


• foundation [faun´deiʃən] n.建立；基金；地基 (初中英语单词)


• application [,æpli´keiʃən] n.申请；申请书；应用 (初中英语单词)


• meanwhile [´mi:n´wail] n.&ad.其间；同时 (初中英语单词)


• occasionally [ə´keiʒənəli] ad.偶然地；非经常地 (初中英语单词)


• extremely [ik´stri:mli] ad.极端地；非常地 (初中英语单词)


• instance [´instəns] n.例子，实例，例证 (初中英语单词)


• measure [´meʒə] n.量度；范围 vt.测量 (初中英语单词)


• amusement [ə´mju:zmənt] n.娱乐；文娱设施 (初中英语单词)


• dislike [dis´laik] vt.&n.不喜爱，厌恶 (初中英语单词)


• acknowledge [ək´nɔlidʒ] vt.(公开)承认；感谢 (初中英语单词)


• endeavour [in´devə] n.&v.努力，试图，尽力 (初中英语单词)


• humble [´hʌmbəl] a.谦卑的 vt.贬抑 (初中英语单词)


• convince [kən´vins] vt.使确信；使认识错误 (初中英语单词)


• persuade [pə´sweid] v.(被)说服；使相信 (初中英语单词)


• project [prə´dʒekt, ´prɔdʒekt] v.设计；投掷 n.计划 (初中英语单词)


• dreadful [´dredful] a.可怕的；讨厌的 (初中英语单词)


• invitation [,invi´teiʃən] n.邀请；请帖；吸引 (初中英语单词)


• actually [´æktʃuəli] ad.事实上；实际上 (初中英语单词)


• evident [´evidənt] a.明显的，明白的 (初中英语单词)


• confess [kən´fes] vt.供认；坦白；承认 (初中英语单词)


• vanity [´væniti] n.虚荣；自负；空虚 (初中英语单词)


• altogether [,ɔ:ltə´geðə] ad.完全；总而言之 (初中英语单词)


• attractive [ə´træktiv] a.有吸引力；诱人的 (初中英语单词)


• acquaintance [ə´kweintəns] n.相识；熟人，相识的人 (初中英语单词)


• admiration [,ædmə´reiʃən] n.赞赏，钦佩 (初中英语单词)


• extraordinary [ik´strɔ:dinəri] a.非常的；额外的 (初中英语单词)


• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)


• disposition [,dispə´ziʃən] n.安排；性情；倾向 (初中英语单词)


• whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)


• tendency [´tendənsi] n.趋势；倾向 (初中英语单词)


• universal [,ju:ni´və:səl] a.宇宙的；普遍的 (初中英语单词)


• arrival [ə´raivəl] n.到达；到达的人(物) (初中英语单词)


• estate [i´steit] n.财产；庄园；等级 (初中英语单词)


• deserve [di´zə:v] v.应受；值得 (初中英语单词)


• disappointment [,disə´pɔintmənt] n.失望；挫折 (初中英语单词)


• agreeable [ə´gri:əbəl] a.适合的；符合的 (初中英语单词)


• conviction [kən´vikʃən] n.定罪；确信，信服 (初中英语单词)


• resolve [ri´zɔlv] v.决心 n.决心；刚毅 (初中英语单词)


• sensible [´sensəbəl] a.感觉得到的 (初中英语单词)


• dismal [´dizməl] a.灰暗的；阴郁的 (高中英语单词)


• cruelty [´kru:əlti] n.残忍；残酷行为 (高中英语单词)


• hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)


• affectionate [ə´fekʃənit] a.亲爱的 (高中英语单词)


• assurance [ə´ʃuərəns] n.保证；自信；信任 (高中英语单词)


• unfortunately [ʌn´fɔ:tʃunitli] ad.不幸；不朽；可惜 (高中英语单词)


• tenderness [´tendənis] n.娇嫩；柔软；温柔 (高中英语单词)


• successive [sək´sesiv] a.相继的；接连的 (高中英语单词)


• removal [ri´mu:vəl] a.可移动的；可去除的 (高中英语单词)


• regularly [´regjuləli] ad.有规律地；经常地 (高中英语单词)


• consequently [´kɔnsikwəntli] ad.因此，所以 (高中英语单词)


• applause [ə´plɔ:z] n.鼓掌；欢呼；称赞 (高中英语单词)


• unpleasant [ʌn´plezənt] a.不愉快的；不合意的 (高中英语单词)


• commend [kə´mend] vt.把…交托给；称赞 (高中英语单词)


• reconcile [´rekənsail] vt.调和；使和谐 (高中英语单词)


• contrive [kən´traiv] v.发明；设计；图谋 (高中英语单词)


• exquisite [ik´skwizit] a.精巧的；敏锐的 (高中英语单词)


• separation [,sepə´reiʃən] n.分离；分开；分居 (高中英语单词)


• prolong [prə´lɔŋ] vt.延长；拉长；拖延 (高中英语单词)


• communicate [kə´mju:nikeit] vi.通讯；传达；传播 (高中英语单词)


• fortnight [´fɔ:tnait] n.两星期 (高中英语单词)


• originally [ə´ridʒənəli] ad.本来；独创地 (高中英语单词)


• perfectly [´pə:fiktli] ad.理想地；完美地 (高中英语单词)


• delicacy [´delikəsi] n.精美；娇弱，微妙 (高中英语单词)


• congratulate [kən´grætjuleit] vt.祝贺 (高中英语单词)


• heartily [´hɑ:tili] ad.衷心地；亲切地 (高中英语单词)


• delicately [´delikitli] ad.精美地；微妙地 (英语四级单词)


• uncommon [ʌn´kɔmən] a.非常的，非凡的，罕见的 (英语四级单词)


• recollect [rekə´lekt] v.重新集合；恢复 (英语四级单词)


• retirement [ri´taiəmənt] n.退休；撤退；幽静处 (英语四级单词)


• reputation [repju´teiʃən] n.名誉；名声；信誉 (英语四级单词)


• drawing [´drɔ:iŋ] n.画图；制图；图样 (英语四级单词)


• superficial [,su:pə´fiʃəl, ,sju:-] a.表面的，肤浅的 (英语四级单词)


• attachment [ə´tætʃmənt] n.附着；附件；爱慕 (英语四级单词)


• tiresome [´taiəsəm] a.令人厌倦的；讨厌的 (英语四级单词)


• fascination [,fæsi´neiʃən] n.魅力；强烈爱好 (英语四级单词)


• delighted [di´laitid] a.高兴的；喜欢的 (英语四级单词)


• loveliness [´lʌvlinis] n.美丽，可爱 (英语四级单词)


• improper [im´prɔpə] a.不恰当的；不正确的 (英语六级单词)


• governess [´gʌvənis] n.女家庭教师 (英语六级单词)


• propriety [prə´praiəti] n.正当；合适；礼貌 (英语六级单词)


• taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)


• exacting [ig´zæktiŋ] a.苛求的；严格的 (英语六级单词)


• prevailing [pri´veiliŋ] a.占优势的；主要的 (英语六级单词)


• familiarity [fə,mili´æriti] n.熟悉；新近；随便 (英语六级单词)


• hunting [´hʌntiŋ] n.打猎 (英语六级单词)


• emancipation [i,mænsi´peiʃən] n.解放，翻身 (英语六级单词)


• respecting [ri´spektiŋ] prep.由于；鉴于 (英语六级单词)