LETTER VII

MISS BYRON.--IN CONTINUATION

SUNDAY NIGHT, APRIL 2.

Dr. Bartlett has received from Sir Charles an account of what passed last

Friday between him and Sir Harry and Lady Beauchamp. By the doctor's

allowance, I enclose it to you.

In this letter, Lucy, you will see him in a new light; and as a man whom

there is no resisting, when he resolves to carry a point. But it

absolutely convinces me, of what indeed I before suspected, that he has

not an high opinion of our sex in general: and this I will put down as a

blot in his character. He treats us, in Lady Beauchamp, as perverse

humoursome babies, loving power, yet not knowing how to use it. See him

so delicate in his behaviour and address to Miss Mansfield, and carry in

your thoughts his gaiety and adroit management to Lady Beauchamp, as in

this letter, and you will hardly think him the same man. Could he be

any thing to me, I should be more than half afraid of him: yet this may

be said in his behalf;--He but accommodates himself to the persons he has

to deal with:--He can be a man of gay wit, when he pleases to descend, as

indeed his sister Charlotte has as often found, as she has given occasion

for the exercise of that talent in him:--Yet, that virtue, for its own

sake, is his choice; since, had he been a free liver, he would have been

a dangerous man.

But I will not anticipate too much: read it here, if you please.

The History of Sir Charles Grandison, Volume 4 (of 7) · 第 40 / 187 题