The business of every one was now the choice of a partner.  But as one object had engrossed the attention of all, they were willing to see the election he would make, though every one feared to lose the partner he had destined for himself.  Damon was therefore, however unwilling to distinguish himself in so particular a manner, constrained to advance the foremost.  He passed slightly along before a considerable number, who sat in expectation.  At length he approached the seat of Delia.  He bowed to her in the most graceful manner, and intreated to be honoured with her hand.  She smiled assent, and they crossed the room among a croud of envious rivals.  Besides the lovers we had mentioned, there were four others, who had secretly determined to dance with Delia.

But if the gentlemen were disappointed, to whose eyes the beauty of Delia, however unrivalled, was familiar, the disappointment and envy of the fair sex upon the loss of Damon, whose external and natural recommendations had beside the grace of novelty, were inexpressible.  The daughter of Mr. Griskin, an eminent butcher in Clare-market, who had indeed from nature, the grace of being cross-eyed, now looked in ten thousand more various directions than she ever did before.  Miss Prim, agitated in every limb, cracked her fan into twenty pieces.  Miss Gawky, who had unfortunately been initiated by the chamber maid in the art of snuff-taking, plied her box with more zeal than ever.  Miss Languish actually fainted, and was with some difficulty conveyed into the air.  Such was the confusion occasioned in the ball at Southampton, by the election of Damon.

Affairs being now somewhat adjusted, the dances began.  Damon at every interval addressed himself to his lovely partner in the easiest and most elegant conversation.  He talked with fluency, and his air and manner gave a grace and dignity to the most trifling topics.  The heart of Delia, acknowledged the charms of youthful beauty and graceful deportment, and secretly confessed that it had never before encountered so formidable an enemy.

When the usual topics of conversation had been exhausted, the behaviour of Damon became insensibly more particular, he pressed her hand with the most melting ardour, and a sigh ever and anon escaped from his breast.  He paid her several very elegant compliments, though they were all of them confined within the limits of decorum.  Delia, on the other hand, though she apparently received them with the most gay indifference, in reality drank deep of the poison of love, and the words of Damon made an impression upon her heart, that was not easily to be erased.