great integrity and benevolence of
disposition. But he was too ardent a lover to be able always to preserve the
affability of his temper. The admirers, whose addresses were a source of
gratification to his mistress, were a perpetual uneasiness to him. Placing his
whole happiness in the possession of this imperious beauty, the most trifling
circumstances were capable of alarming him for the security of his pretensions.
But most of all he was jealous of the English cavalier. Marquis Pisani, who had
spent many years in France, was by no means partial to the suspicious
precautions of Italian fathers, and indulged his daughter in considerable
freedoms. His house and his daughter, within certain judicious restraints, were
open to the resort of male visitants. But above all Mr. Falkland, as a
foreigner, and a person little likely to form pretensions to the hand of
Lucretia, was received upon a footing of great familiarity. The lady herself,
conscious of her innocence, entertained no scruple about trifles, and acted with
the confidence and frankness of one who is superior to suspicion.
    Mr. Falkland, after a residence of several weeks at Rome, proceeded to
Naples. Mean while certain incidents occurred that delayed the intended nuptials
of the heiress of Pisani. When he returned to Rome count Malvesi was absent.
Lady Lucretia, who had been considerably amused before with the conversation of
Mr. Falkland, and who had an active and enquiring mind, had conceived in the
interval between his first and second residence at Rome a desire to be
acquainted with the English language, inspired by the lively and ardent
encomiums of our best authors that she had heard from their countryman. She had
provided herself with the usual materials for that purpose, and made some
progress during his absence. But upon his return she was forward to make use of
the opportunity which, if missed, might never occur again with equal advantage,
of reading select passages of our poets in company with an Englishman of
uncommon taste and capacity.
    This proposal necessarily led to a more frequent intercourse. When count
Malvesi returned, he found Mr. Falkland established almost as an inmate of the
Pisani palace. His mind could not fail to be struck with the criticalness of the
situation. He was perhaps secretly conscious that the qualifications of the
Englishman were superior to his own, and he trembled for the progress that each
party might have made in the affection of the other, even before they were aware
of the danger. He believed that the match was in every respect such as to
flatter the ambition of Mr. Falkland, and he was stung even to madness by the
idea of being