CHAPTER IV.

An extraordinary scene between Sophia and her aunt.

THE lowing heifer, and the bleating ewe, in herds and flocks, may ramble safe and unregarded through the pastures. These are, indeed, hereafter doomed to be the prey of man; yet many years are they suffered to enjoy their liberty undisturbed. But if a plump doe be discovered to have escaped from the forest, and to repose herself in some field or grove, the whole parish is presently alarmed, every man is ready to set his dogs after her; and if she is preserved from the rest by the good squire, it is only that he may secure her for his own eating.

I have often considered a very fine young woman of fortune and fashion, when first found strayed from the pale of her nursery, to be pretty much in the same situation with this doe. The town is immediately in an uproar, she is hunted from park to play, from court to assembly, from assembly to her own chamber, and rarely escapes a single season from the jaws of some devourer or other; for if her friends protect her from some, it is only to deliver her over to one of their own chusing, often more disagreeable to her than any of the rest; while whole herds or flocks of other women securely, and scarce regarded, traverse the park, the play, the opera, and the assembly; and though, for the most part at least, they are at last devoured, yet for a long time do they wanton in liberty, without disturbance or control.

Of all these paragons none ever tasted more of this persecution than poor Sophia. Her ill stars were not contented with all that she had suffered on account of

Blifil, they now raised another pursuer, who seemed likely to torment her no less than the other had done. For though her aunt was less violent, she was no less assiduous in teasing her, than her father had been before.

The servants were no sooner departed after dinner, than Mrs. Western, who had opened the matter to Sophia, informed her, that she expected his lordship that very afternoon, and intended to take the first opportunity of leaving her alone with him. If you do, Madam,' answered Sophia, with some spirit, 'I shall take the first 'opportunity of leaving him by himself.'-'How! 'Madam!' cries the aunt; is this the return you 'make me for my kindness, in relieving you from your 'confinement at your father's?'-'You know, Madam,' said Sophia, the cause of that confinement was a refusal 'to comply with my father, in accepting a man I de'tested; and will my dear aunt, who hath relieved me 'from that distress, involve me in another equally bad?'

And do you think then, Madam,' answered Mrs. Western, that there is no difference between my Lord Fellamar and Mr. Blifil?'-'Very little, in my opinion,' cries Sophia: 'and if I must be condemned 'to one, I would certainly have the merit of sacrificing myself to my father's pleasure.'-'Then my pleasure, I 'find,' said the aunt, 'hath very little weight with you; 'but that consideration shall not move me. I act from ' nobler motives. The view of aggrandizing my family, ' of ennobling yourself, is what I proceed upon. Have you no sense of ambition? Are there no charms in the thoughts of having a coronet on your coach?' 'None, upon my honour,' said Sophia. A pincushion upon 'my coach would please me just as well.' 'Never ' mention honour,' cries the aunt. It becomes not the 'mouth of such a wretch. I am sorry, niece, you force 'me to use these words; but I cannot bear to hear your

'groveling temper; you have none of the blood of the 'Westerns in you. But, however mean and base your เ own ideas are, you shall bring no imputation on mine. 'I will never suffer the world to say of me, that I เ encouraged you in refusing one of the best matches in England; a match which, besides its advantage in เ fortune, would do honour to almost any family, and

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hath, indeed, in title, the advantage of ours. Surely,' says Sophia, 'I am born deficient, and have not the เ senses with which other people are blessed; there must 'be certainly some sense which can relish the delights ' of sound and show, which I have not; for surely man'kind would not labour so much, nor sacrifice so much for the obtaining, nor would they be so elate and proud 'with possessing, what appeared to them, as it doth to me, the most insignificant of all trifles.'

'No, no, Miss;' cries the aunt; 'you are born with as many senses as other people; but I assure you, you are not born with a sufficient understanding to make a fool เ of me, or to expose my conduct to the world, so I declare thus to you upon my word, and you know, I 'believe, how fixed my resolutions are, unless you agree เ to see his lordship this afternoon, I will, with my own hands, deliver you to-morrow morning to my brother, and will never henceforth interfere with you, nor see เ your face again.' Sophia stood a few moments silent after this speech, which was uttered in a most angry and peremptory tone; and then bursting into tears, she cried, Do with me, Madam, whatever you please; I am the 'most miserable undone wretch upon earth; if my dear 'aunt forsakes me, where shall I look for a protector?'— My dear niece,' cries she, 'you will have a very good protector in his lordship; a protector, whom nothing 'but a hankering after that vile fellow Jones can make เ you decline.' Indeed, Madam,' said Sophia, 'you

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wrong me. How can you imagine, after what you 'have shewn me, if I had ever any such thoughts, that 'I should not banish them for ever. If it will satisfy you, I will receive the sacrament upon it, never to see 'his face again.'-' But, child, dear child,' said the aunt, 'be reasonable; can you invent a single objection?''I have already, I think, told you a sufficient objection,' answered Sophia.-'What,' cries the aunt; 'I re'member none.' เ Sure, Madam,' said Sophia, 'I told he had used me in the rudest and vilest manner.' 'Indeed, child,' answered she, 'I never heard you, or 'did not understand you:- -But what do you mean

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by this rude, vile manner?' 'Indeed, Madam,' said Sophia, 'I am almost ashamed to tell you. He caught เ me in his arms, pulled me down upon the settee, and 'thrust his hand into my bosom, and kissed me with 'such violence, that I have the mark upon my left breast ' at this moment.'-' Indeed!' said Mrs. Western. Yes, indeed, Madam,' answered Sophia; 'my father luckily 'came in at that instant, or heaven knows what rudeness 'he intended to have proceeded to.' 'I am astonished ' and confounded,' cries the aunt. No woman of the เ name of Western hath been ever treated so, since we 'were a family. I would have torn the eyes of a prince out, if he had attempted such freedoms with me. It is impossible; sure, Sophia, you must invent this to raise my indignation against him.' 'I hope, Madam,' said Sophia, you have too good an opinion of me, to imagine me capable of telling an untruth. Upon my soul, it is true.' 'I should have stabbed him to the heart, had 'I been present,' returned the aunt. Yet surely he 'could have no dishonourable design; it is impossible! 'he durst not: besides, his proposals shew he had not; 'for they are not only honourable, but generous. I 'don't know; the age allows too great freedoms. A

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'distant salute is all I would have allowed before the เ ceremony. I have had lovers I have had lovers formerly, not so long

ago neither; several lovers, though I never would conเ sent to marriage, and I never encouraged the least เ freedom. It is a foolish custom, and what I never 'would agree to. to. No man kissed more of me than my cheek. It is as much as one can bring one's self to เ give lips up to a husband; and, indeed, could I ever 'have been persuaded to marry, I believe I should not 'have soon been brought to endure so much.' 'You will

pardon me, dear Madam,' said Sophia, if I make one 'observation: You own you have had many lovers, and 'the world knows it, even if you should deny it. You 'refused them all, and, I am convinced, one coronet at 'least among them.' 'You say true, dear Sophy,' answered she; 'I had once the offer of a title.' 'Why then,' said Sophia, will you not suffer me to refuse this once?' 'It is true, child,' said she, 'I have refused the 'offer of a title but it was not so good an offer; that is, 'not so very, very good an offer.'-'Yes, Madam,' said Sophia; but you have had very great proposals from men of vast fortunes. It was not the first, the second, เ nor the third advantageous match that offered itself.' 'I own it was not,' said she. 'Well, Madam,' continued Sophia, and why may not I expect to have a second, perhaps, better than this? You are now but a young woman, and I am convinced would not promise to yield to the first lover of fortune, nay, or of title too. I am 'a very young woman, and sure I need not despair.' 'Well, my dear, dear Sophy,' cries the aunt, what 'would you have me say?' 'Why, I only beg that I เ may not be left alone, at least this evening; grant me ' that, and I will submit, if you think, after what is past, I ought to see him in your company.' 'Well, I will grant it,' cries the aunt. Sophy, you know I love you,