Sparkling eyes, Jack, when the poetical tribe have said all they can for them, are an infallible sign of a rogue, or room for a rogue, in the heart.

Thou mayest go on with thy preachments, and Lord M. with his wisdom of nations, I am now more assured of her than ever.  And now my revenge is up, and joined with my love, all resistance must fall before it.  And most solemnly do I swear, that Miss Howe shall come in for her snack.

And here, just now, is another letter brought from the same little virulent devil.  I hope to procure scripts from that too, very speedily, if it be put to the test; for the saucy fair-one is resolved to go to church this morning; no so much from a spirit of devotion, I have reason to think, as to try whether she can go out without check, controul, or my attention.

***

I have been denied breakfasting with her.  Indeed she was a little displeased with me last night:  because, on our return from the play, I obliged her to pass the rest of the night with the women and me, in their parlour, and to stay till near one.  She told me at parting, that she expected to have the whole next day to herself.  I had not read the extracts then; so I had resolved to begin a new course, and, if possible, to banish all jealousy and suspicion from her heart:  and yet I had no reason to be much troubled at her past suspicions; since, if a woman will continue with a man whom she suspects, when she can get from him, or thinks she can, I am sure it is a very hopeful sign.

***

She is gone.  Slipt down before I was aware.  She had ordered a chair, on purpose to exclude my personal attendance.  But I had taken proper precautions.  Will. attended her by consent; Peter, the house-servant, was within Will.’s call.

I had, by Dorcas, represented her danger from Singleton, in order to dissuade her from going at all, unless she allowed me to attend her; but I was answered, with her usual saucy smartness, that if there were no cause of fear of being met with at the playhouse, when there were but two playhouses, surely there was less at church, when there were so many churches.  The chairmen were ordered to carry her to St. James’s Church.

But she would not be so careless of obliging me, if she knew what I have already come at, and how the women urge me on; for they are continually complaining of the restraint they lie under in their behaviour; in their attendance; neglecting all their concerns in the front house; and keeping this elegant back one entirely free from company, that she may have no suspicion of them.  They doubt not my generosity, they say:  But why for my own sake, in Lord M.’s style, should I make so long a harvest of so little corn?

Women, ye reason well.  I think I will begin my operations the moment she comes in.

***