MISS BYRON, TO MISS SELBY
ST. JAMES'S-SQUARE, FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL 7.
Sir Charles Grandison set out early this morning for Lord W----'s, in his
way to Lady Mansfield's. I am here with this whimsical Charlotte.
Lady L----, Miss Jervois, myself, and every female of the family, or who
do business for both sisters out of it, are busy in some way or other,
preparatory to the approaching Tuesday.
Miss Grandison is the only idle person. I tell her, she is affectedly
so.
The earl has presented her, in his son's name, with some very rich
trinkets. Very valuable jewels are also bespoke by Lord G----, who takes
Lady L----'s advice in every thing; as one well read in the fashions.
New equipages are bespoke; and gay ones they will be.
Miss Grandison confounded me this morning by an instance of her
generosity. She was extremely urgent with me to accept, as her third
sister, of her share of her mother's jewels. You may believe, that I
absolutely refused such a present. I was angry with her; and told her,
she had but one way of making it up with me; and that was, that since she
would be so completely set out from her lord, she would unite the two
halves, by presenting hers to Lady L----, who had refused jewels from her
lord on her marriage; and who then would make an appearance,
occasionally, as brilliant as her own.
She was pleased with the hint; and has actually given them (unknown to
any body but me) to her jeweller; who is to dispose them in such figures,
as shall answer those she herself is to have, which Lady L---- has not.
And by this contrivance, which will make them in a manner useless to
herself, she thinks she shall oblige her sister, however reluctant, to
accept of them.
Lady Gertrude is also preparing some fine presents for her niece elect:
but neither the delighted approbation of the family she is entering into,
nor the satisfaction expressed by her own friends, give the perverse
Charlotte any visible joy, nor procure for Lord G---- the distinction
which she ought to think of beginning to pay him. But, for his part,
never was man so happy. He would, however, perhaps, fare better from
her, if he could be more moderate in the outward expression of his joy;
which she has taken it into her head to call an insult upon her.
She does not, however, give the scope she did before the day was fixed,
to her playful captiousness. She is not quite so arch as she was.
Thoughtfulness, and a seeming carelessness of what we are employed in,
appear in her countenance. She saunters about, and affects to be
diverted by her harpsichord only. What a whimsical thing is Charlotte
Grandison! But still she keeps Lord G---- at distance. I told her an
hour ago, that she knows not how to condescend to him with that grace
which is so natural to her in her whole behaviour to every body else.
I have been talking to Dr. Bartlett, about Sir Charles's journey to
Italy. Nobody knows, he says, what a bleeding heart is covered by a
countenance so benign and cheerful. Sir Charles Grandison, said he, has
a prudence beyond that of most young men; but he has great sensibilities.
I take it for granted, sir, that he will for the future be more an
Italian than Englishman.
Impossible, madam! A prudent youth, by travelling, reaps this advantage
--From what he sees of other countries, he learns to prefer his own. An
imprudent one the contrary. Sir Charles's country is endeared to him by
his long absence from it. Italy in particular is called the garden of
Europe; but it is rather to be valued for what it was, and might be, than
what it is. I need not tell a lady who has read and conversed as you
have done, to what that incomparable difference is owing. Sir Charles
Grandison is greatly sensible of it. He loves his country, with the
judgment of a wise man; and wants not the partiality of a patriot.
But, doctor, he has offered, you know, to reside--There I stopt.
True, madam--And he will not recede from his offers, if they are claimed.
But this uncertainty it is that disturbs him.
I pity my patron, proceeded he. I have often told you he is not happy.
What has indiscretion to expect, when discretion has so much to suffer?
His only consolation is, that he has nothing to reproach himself with.
Inevitable evils he bears as a man should. He makes no ostentation of
his piety: but, madam, Sir Charles Grandison is a CHRISTIAN.
You need not, sir, say more to me to exalt him: and, let me add, that I
have no small pleasure in knowing that Clementina is a lady of strict
piety, though a Roman Catholic.
And let me assure you, madam, that Sir Charles's regard for Miss Byron
(his more than regard for her, why should I not say? since every body
sees it) is founded upon her piety, and upon the amiable qualities of her
mind. Beauty, madam, is an accidental and transient good. No man better
knows how to distinguish between admiration and love, than my patron.
His virtue is virtue upon full proof, and against sensibilities, that it
is heroic to overcome. Lady Olivia knows this: and here I must
acknowledge myself a debtor to you for three articles out of your ten. I
hope soon to discharge the obligation.
Your own time, doctor: but I must say, that whenever you give me Lady
Olivia's story, I shall be pained, if I find that a Clementina is
considered by a beauty of an unhappier turn, as her rival in the love of
Sir Charles Grandison.
Lady Olivia, madam, admires him for his virtue; but she cannot, as he has
made it his study to do, divide admiration from love. What offers has
she not refused?--But she declares, that she had rather be the friend of
Sir Charles Grandison, than the wife of the greatest prince on earth.
This struck me: Have not I said something like it? But surely with
innocence of heart. But here the doctor suggests, that Olivia has put
his virtue to the proof: Yet I hope not.
The FRIEND, Dr. Bartlett!--I hope that no woman who is not quite given up
to dishonour, will pollute the sacred word, by affixing ideas to it, that
cannot be connected with it. A friend is one of the highest characters
that one human creature can shine in to another. There may be love, that
though it has no view but to honour, yet even in wedlock, ripens not into
friendship. How poor are all such attachments! How much beneath the
exalted notion I have of that noblest, that most delicate union of souls!
You wonder at me, Dr. Bartlett. Let me repeat to you, sir, (I have it by
heart,) Sir Charles Grandison's tender of friendship to the poor Harriet
Byron, which has given me such exalted ideas of this disinterested
passion; but you must not take notice that I have. I repeated those
words, beginning, 'My heart demands alliance with hers'--and ending with
these--'So long as it shall be consistent with her other attachments.'*
* See page 110 of this Volume.
The doctor was silent for a few moments. At last, What a delicacy is
there in the mind of this excellent man! Yet how consistent with the
exactest truth! The friendship he offers you, madam, is indeed
friendship. What you have repeated can want no explanation: yet it is
expressive of his uncertain situation. It is--
He stopt of a sudden.
Pray, doctor, proceed: I love to hear you talk.
My good young lady!--I may say too much. Sir Charles in these nice
points must be left to himself. It is impossible for any body to express
his thoughts as he can express them. But let me say, that he justly, as
well as greatly, admires Miss Byron.
My heart rose against myself. Bold Harriet, thought I, how darest thou
thus urge a good man to say more than he has a mind to say of the secrets
of a friend, which are committed to his keeping? Content thyself with
the hopes, that the worthiest man in the world would wish to call thee
his, were it not for an invincible obstacle. And noble, thrice noble
Clementina, be thine the preference even in the heart of Harriet Byron,
because justice gives it to thee; for, Harriet, hast thou not been taught
to prefer right and justice to every other consideration? And, wouldst
thou abhor the thought of a common theft, yet steal an heart that is the
property, and that by the dearest purchase, of another?