
lucky, he said, to have no particular Engagement that whole Evening.
    We remarked before, that his Lordship, at the first Interview with Amelia,
had distinguished her by a more particular Address from the other Ladies; but
that now appeared to be rather owing to his perfect good Breeding, as she was
then to be considered as the Mistress of the House, than from any other
Preference. His present Behaviour made this still more manifest; for as he was
now in Mrs. Ellison's Apartment, tho' she was his Relation and old Acquaintance,
he applied his Conversation rather more to her than to Amelia. His Eyes indeed
were now and then guilty of the contrary Distinction, but this was only by
Stealth; for they constantly withdrew the Moment they were discovered. In short,
he treated Amelia with the greatest Distance, and at the same time with the most
profound and awful Respect; his Conversation was so general, so lively, and so
obliging, that Amelia, when she added to his Agreeableness the Obligations she
had to him for his Friendship to Booth, was certainly as much pleased with his
Lordship, as any virtuous Woman can possibly be with any Man, besides her own
Husband.
 

                                  Chapter VII

                          Containing various Matters.

We have already mentioned the good Humour in which Booth returned home; and the
Reader will easily believe it was not a little encreased by the good Humour in
which he found his Company. My Lord received him with the utmost Marks of
Friendship and Affection, and told him that his Affairs went on as well almost
as he himself could desire, and that he doubted not very soon to wish him Joy of
a Company.
    When Booth had made a proper Return to all his Lordship's unparallelled
Goodness, he whispered Amelia that the Colonel was entirely out of Danger, and
almost as well as himself. This made her Satisfaction complete, threw her into
such Spirits, and gave such a Lustre to her Eyes, that her Face, as Horace says,
was too dazzling to be looked at; it was certainly too handsome to be looked at
without the highest Admiration.
    His Lordship departed about ten o'Clock, and left the Company in Raptures
with him, especially the two Ladies, of whom it is difficult to say which
exceeded the other in his Commendations. Mrs. Ellison swore she believed he was
the best of all Humankind; and Amelia, without making any Exception, declared he
was the finest Gentleman, and most agreeable Man she had ever seen in her Life;
adding, it was great pity he should remain single. »That's
