 her with want of candour, in suppressing some
circumstances of her life, which he thought essential in the consideration of
her character.
    She reddened at this peremptory charge, which had an evident effect upon the
countenances of the whole audience, when the accuser proceeded to explain his
imputation, by observing, that, in the course of her narration, she had omitted
to mention a thousand acts of uncommon charity, of which he himself knew her to
be guilty; that she had concealed a great many advantageous proposals of
marriage, which she might have accepted, before she was engaged; that she had
not spoke one word of her first husband's debts, which, to his certain
knowledge, she had paid out of her own privy purse, after her second marriage,
and on that account received the thanks of lord W--'s elder brother, who, though
he had undertaken to discharge them, delayed the execution of his purpose longer
than she thought they should remain unpaid: and that, in relating her
inducements for leaving Mr. S-, (whether out of forgetfulness, or from
tenderness to a lover once so dear to her, he would not pretend to say) she had
omitted a very cogent motive for her own conduct; for as he had first courted
her favour in her rising fortune, and left her in its decline, she could not
avoid reflecting, that, after this precipitate re-engagement, when the first
transports of their meeting were over, he would again act the same conduct, as
soon as her tranquillity should be disturbed by the persecution of her lord.
    The company were agreeably undeceived by this explanation; which her
ladyship acknowledged in very polite terms, as a compliment equally genteel and
unexpected: and our hero, after having testified the sense he had of her
complaisance and condescension, in regaling him with such a mark of her
confidence and esteem, took his leave, and went home in a state of confusion and
perplexity; for, from the circumstances of the tale he had heard, he plainly
perceived, that her ladyship's heart was too delicate to receive such incense,
as he, in the capacity of an admirer, could at present pay; because, though he
had in some measure abridged the empire of Emilia in his own breast, it was not
in his power to restrain it so effectually, but that it would interfere with any
other sovereign whom his thoughts should adopt: and, unless lady -- could
ingross his whole love, time and attention, he foresaw, that it would be
impossible for him to support the passion
