 which he might have the good fortune
to inspire. He was, moreover, deterred from declaring his love, by the fate of
her former admirers, who seemed to have been wound up to a degree of enthusiasm,
that looked more like the effect of inchantment, than the inspiration of human
attractions; an extasy of passion which he durst not venture to undergo;
therefore resolved to combat with the impressions he had already received, and,
if possible, cultivate her friendship without soliciting her affection: but,
before he could fix upon this determination, he desired to know the predicament
in which he stood in her opinion; and by the intelligence of Crabtree, obtained
in the usual manner, understood that her sentiments of him were very favourable,
though without the least tincture of love. He would have been transported with
joy, had her thoughts of him been of a more tender texture; though his reason
was better pleased with the information he received; in consequence of which, he
mustered up the ideas of his first passion, and set them in opposition to those
of this new and dangerous attachment; by which means, he kept the balance in
equilibrio, and his bosom tolerably quiet.
 

                                 Chapter LXXXIX

Peregrine amuses his Imagination, by slight Incursions upon the Territory of
Vice and Folly; reforms a back-sliding Brother, and sends a celebrated Sharper
into Exile
 
His heart being thus, as it were, suspended between two objects that lessened
the force of each other's attraction, he took this opportunity of enjoying some
respite, and for the present detached his sentiments from both; resolving to
indulge himself in the exercise of that practical satire, which was so agreeable
and peculiar to his disposition. In this laudable determination he was confirmed
by the repeated suggestions of his friend Cadwallader, who taxed him with
letting his talents rust in indolence, and stimulated his natural vivacity, with
a succession of fresh discoveries in the world of scandal.
    Thus reinforced, they took the field, and performed various exploits, to the
mortification, astonishment and dismay of all those coxcombs, whether male or
female, fierce or feeble, insolent or tame, that hang like tatters on the skirts
of gallantry, and bring the fashion into disgrace. As I might trespass upon the
patience of the reader, in giving a minute detail of each adventure of this kind
which they atchieved, I shall content myself with relating two only, to which
indeed all the rest bore some resemblance.
    Peregrine's intelligencer, who (as we have already observed) was a
privileged person in all parties, happened one morning to breakfast with a sort
of
