What, therefore, I am thinking of, is this—­’Suppose Mr. Hickman, whose good character has gained him every body’s respect, should put himself in my uncle Harlowe’s way?  And (as if from your knowledge of the state of things between Mr. Lovelace and me) assure him not only of the above particulars, but that I am under no obligations that shall hinder me from taking his directions?’

I submit the whole to your consideration, whether to pursue it at all, or in what manner.  But if it be pursued, and if my uncle refuses to interest himself in my favour upon Mr. Hickman’s application as from you, (for so, for obvious reasons, it must be put,) I can then have no hope; and my next step, in the mind I am in, shall be to throw myself into the protection of the ladies of his family.

It were an impiety to adopt the following lines, because it would be throwing upon the decrees of Providence a fault too much my own.  But often do I revolve them, for the sake of the general similitude which they bear to my unhappy, yet undersigned error.

      To you, great gods!  I make my last appeal: 
      Or clear my virtue, or my crimes reveal. 
      If wand’ring in the maze of life I run,
      And backward tread the steps I sought to shun,
      Impute my error to your own decree: 
      My feet are guilty:  but my heart is free.

[The Lady dates again on Monday, to let Miss Howe know, that Mr.
   Lovelace, on observing her uneasiness, had introduced to her Mr.
   Mennell, Mrs. Fretchville’s kinsman, who managed all her affairs.  She
   calls him a young officer of sense and politeness, who gave her an
   account of the house and furniture, to the same effect that Mr.
   Lovelace had done before;* as also of the melancholy way Mrs.
   Fretchville is in.

* See Letter IV. of this volume.

She tells Miss Howe how extremely urgent Mr. Lovelace was with the
   gentleman, to get his spouse (as he now always calls her before
   company) a sight of the house:  and that Mr. Mennell undertook that
   very afternoon to show her all of it, except the apartment Mrs.
   Fretchville should be in when she went.  But that she chose not to
   take another step till she knew how she approved of her scheme to have
   her uncle sounded, and with what success, if tried, it would be
   attended.

Mr. Lovelace, in his humourous way, gives his friend an account of the
   Lady’s peevishness and dejection, on receiving a letter with her
   clothes.  He regrets that he has lost her confidence; which he
   attributes to his bringing her into the company of his four
   companions.  Yet he thinks he must excuse them, and censure her for
   over-niceness; for that he never saw men behave better, at least not
   them.

Mentioning his introducing Mr. Mennell to her,]

Now, Jack, says he, was it not very kind of Mr. Mennell [Captain Mennell I sometimes called him; for among the military there is no such officer, thou knowest, as a lieutenant, or an ensign—­was it not very kind in him] to come along with me so readily as he did, to satisfy my beloved about the vapourish lady and the house?