Amelia -- Volume 1

Matthews begin

the inside as securely as it was before b

ry few had ever more reason for it. Indeed, Will, you was a charming fellow in those days; nay, you are not much altered for the worse now, at least in the opinion of some women; for your complexion and features are grown much more masculine than they were." Here Booth made her a low bow, most probably with a compliment; and after a little hesitation she again proceeded.--"Do you remember a contest which happened at an assembly, betwixt myself and Miss Johnson, about standing uppermost? you was then my partner; and young Williams danced with the other lady. The particulars are not now worth mentioning, though I suppose you have long

as, till that night, entirely indifferent to all mankind: I mean, then, that she was my rival for praise, for beauty, for dress, for fortune, and consequently for admiration. My triumph on this conquest is not to be expressed any more than my delight in the person to whom I chiefly owed i

hould do me so much unmerited honour, and I should

you not more quick-sighted?-I will answer for you-your affections were more happily disposed of to a much better woman than myself, whom you married soon af

sion, and begged her to omit all former matters, and acquaint him

particular a manner recommended himself to the poor old gentleman (I cannot think of him without tears), that our house became his principal habitation, and he was rarely at his quarters, unless when his superior officers obliged him to be there. I shall say nothing of his person, nor could that be any recommendation to a man; it was such, however, as no woman could have made an objection to. Nature had certainly wrapt up her odious work in a most beautiful covering. To say the truth, he was the handsomest man, except one only, that I ever saw-I assure you, I have seen a handsomer--but- well.-He had, besides, all the qualificat

much difficulty I was prevailed on to learn to play on the harpsichord, in which I had made a very slender progress. As this man, therefore, was frequently the occasion of my being im

d sufficient address to convert that very circumstance which had at f

tty play on the harpsichord; she was, indeed,

reality, perhaps, I despised all perfection of this kind: at least, as I had neither s

eater abilities of the musical kind than my sister, and that I might with the greatest ease, if I p

ich before I had disregarded, became more and more nauseous in my ears; and the rather, as, music being the favourite passion of my fathe

I soon began to perform in a tolerable manner. I do not absolutely say I excelled my sister,

o; and one day, when I was playing to him alone, he affected to burst into a rapture of admiration, and, squeezing me gently by the hand, said, There

to hate all the admirers of my sister, to be uneasy at every commendation bestowed on her

do, with great innocence, and even with great indifference, converse with men of the finest persons; but this I am confident may be affirmed with truth, that, when once a wom

ed on a sudden to shun me in the most apparent manner. He wore the most melancholy air in my presence, and, by his dejected looks and sighs, firm

and at the same time trembling whenever we met with the apprehension of this very declaration, th

me; and yet she is as finished a coquette as if she had the highest beauty to support that character.

and then she proceeded as