 believe, and are of course undone.
Finding all hopes of regaining his perfidious heart at an end, I at once determined to deceive him in my turn. I could not stoop to reproaches; scorned to gratify his vanity so far as to give him so clear a proof that he had it in his power to mortify mine. I took a different method, and flatter myself he is the dupe of my artifice.
Spare yourself the trouble, my dear Sommerville, said I one day, (while he was endeavouring to persuade me of what he well knew was a falsity;) why this reserve with your friends? I am not to learn that we cannot command our affections, I know it by experience; mine has betrayed me into a weakness which those destitute of my sensibility would undoubtedly condemn; perhaps I ought to condemn myself—that you did love me, I have had many prooss; but that you now love another, is no less clear to me.
Ah! my charming Lady Stanley, cried he, attempting to take my hand.—

Do not interrupt what I am saying, nor fancy an apology either necessary or possible to excuse you for what most women would style your perfidious conduct—I scorn to reproach you; nay, I am sensible the crime is as involuntary as were your professions to me of an everlasting attachment; you then believed what you swere; I was happy while that attachment continued: but do not fancy me so unreasonable a creature as to blame you for what I know it is not in your power to help.
Inconsistency is rooted in our nature, it is vain to deny it. You have only got the start of me, my good friend; for, do not flatter yourself, my passion for you could have retained its first fervour much longer; I might, indeed, have followed your example, and have attempted to deceive you. I will also add, I think I should have been more successful too; for you men are sad bunglers in these matters; but my nature is open, frank, and honest.
Since love is then at an end, let us at least continue friends; I will not swear I shall not look out for another Adonis to supply your place; a woman must have

somebody to say civil things to her; perhaps I may not easily find one who is so well qualified for the employment as yourself; perhaps too, I wish you had not quite so soon resigned it: but, as I said before, I am, for a woman, a tolerably reasonable being.
Now, Sommerville, (giving him
