I cannot but say, Mr. Hickman, but you have cause to be dissatisfied--to
be out of humour--to be displeased--with Nancy--but, upon my word; but
indeed--What shall I say?--Yet this I will say, that you good young
gentlemen know nothing at all of our sex. Shall I tell you--but why
should I? And yet I will, that if Nancy did not think well of you upon
the main, she is too generous to treat you so freely as she does.--Don't
you think she has courage enough to tell me, she would not see you, and
to refuse at any time seeing you, as she knows on what account you come,
if she had not something in her head favourable to you?--Fie! that I am
forced to say thus much in writing, when I have hinted it to you twenty
and twenty times by word of mouth!
But if you are so indifferent, Mr. Hickman--if you think you can part
with her for her skittish tricks--if my interest in your favour--Why,
Mr. Hickman, I must tell you that my Nancy is worth bearing with. If she
be foolish--what is that owing to?--Is it not to her wit? Let me tell
you, Sir, you cannot have the convenience without the inconvenience.
What workman loves not a sharp tool to work with? But is there not more
danger from a sharp tool than from a blunt one? And what workman will
throw away a sharp tool, because it may cut his fingers? Wit may be
likened to a sharp tool. And there is something very pretty in wit, let
me tell you. Often and often have I been forced to smile at her arch
turns upon me, when I could have beat her for them. And, pray, don't I
bear a great deal from her?--And why? because I love her. And would you
not wish me to judge of your love for her by my own? And would not you
bear with her?--Don't you love her (what though with another sort of
love?) as well as I do? I do assure you, Sir, that if I thought you did
not--Well, but it is plain that you don't!--And is it plain that you
don't?--Well, then, you must do as you think best.
Well might the merit of your passion be doubted, you say, if, like Mr.
Solmes--fiddle-faddle!--Why, you are a captious man, I think!--Has Nancy
been so plain in her repulses of you as Miss Clary Harlowe has been to
Mr. Solmes?--Does Nancy love any man better than you, although she may
not shew so much love to you as you wish for?--If she did, let me tell
you, she would have let us all hear of it.--What idle comparisons then!
But it mat be you are tired out. It may be you have seen somebody
else--it may be you would wish to change mistresses with that gay wretch
Mr. Lovelace. It may be too, that, in that case, Nancy would not be
sorry to change lovers--The truly-admirable Miss Clarissa Harlowe!--Good
lack!-but take care, Mr. Hickman, that you do not praise any woman
living, let her be as admirable and as excellent as she will, above your
own mistress. No polite man will do that, surely. And take care
too, that you do not make her or me think you are in earnest in your
anger--just though it may be, as anger only--I would not for a thousand
pounds, that Nancy should know that you can so easily part with her, if
you have the love for her which you declare you have. Be sure, if you
are not absolutely determined, that you do not so much as whisper the
contents of this your letter to your own heart, as I may say.
Her treatment of you, you say, does no credit either to her education
or fine sense. Very home put, truly! Nevertheless, so say I. But is not
hers the disgrace, more than yours? I can assure you, that every body
blames her for it. And why do they blame her?--Why? because they think
you merit better treatment at her hands: And is not this to your credit?
Who but pities you, and blames he? Do the servants, who, as you observe,
see her skittish airs, disrespect you for them? Do they not, at such
times, look concerned for you? Are they not then doubly officious in
their respects and services to you?--I have observed, with pleasure,
that they are.
But you are afraid you shall be thought tame, perhaps, when married.
That you shall not be though manly enough, I warrant!--And this was poor
Mr. Howe's fear. And many a tug did this lordly fear cost us both, God
knows!--Many more than needed, I am sure:--and more than ought to have
been, had he known how to bear and forbear; as is the duty of those who
pretend to have most sense--And, pray, which would you have to have most
sense, the woman or the man?
Well, Sir, and now what remains, if you really love Nancy so well as you
say you do?--Why, I leave that to you. You may, if you please, come to
breakfast with me in the morning. But with no full heart, nor resenting
looks, I advise you; except you can brave it out. That have I, when
provoked, done many a time with my husband, but never did I get any
thing by it with my daughter: much less will you. Of which, for your
observation, I thought fit to advise you. As from
Your friend, Anabella Howe.