He has some reason for his animosity to all the men, and to one woman of your family.  He has always shown you, and his own family too, that he prefers his pride to his interest.  He is a declared marriage-hater; a notorious intriguer; full of his inventions, and glorying in them.—­As his vanity had made him imagine that no woman could be proof against his love, no wonder that he struggled like a lion held in toils,* against a passion that he thought not returned.** Hence, perhaps, it is not difficult to believe, that it became possible for such a wretch as this to give way to his old prejudices against marriage; and to that revenge which had always been a first passion with him.***

* See Letter XX. of this volume. ** Ibid. *** Ibid.

[And hence we may account for] his delays—­his teasing ways—­his bringing you to bear with his lodging in the same house—­his making you pass to the other people of it as his wife—­his bringing you into the company of his libertine companions—­the attempt of imposing upon you that Miss Partington for a bedfellow, &c.

[My reasons for a contrary opinion, to wit, that he is now resolved to do you all the justice in his power to do you,] are these:—­That he sees that all his own family* have warmly engaged themselves in your cause:  that the horrid wretch loves you; with such a love, however, as Herod loved his Mariamne:  that, on inquiry, I find it to be true, that Counsellor Williams, (whom Mr. Hickman knows to be a man of eminence in his profession,) has actually as good as finished the settlements:  that two draughts of them have been made; one avowedly to be sent to this very Captain Tomlinson:—­and I find, that a license has actually been more than once endeavoured to be obtained, and that difficulties have hitherto been made, equally to Lovelace’s vexation and disappointment.  My mother’s proctor, who is very intimate with the proctor applied to by the wretch, has come at this information in confidence; and hints, that, as Mr. Lovelace is a man of high fortunes, these difficulties will probably be got over.

* See Letter XX. of this volume.

[I had once resolved to make strict inquiry about Tomlinson; and still, if you will, your uncle’s favourite housekeeper may be sounded at a distance.]

[I know that the matter is so laid,*] that Mrs. Hodges is supposed to know nothing of the treaty set on foot by means of Captain Tomlinson.  But your uncle is an—­

* See Letter XX. of this volume.

But your uncle is an old man;* and old men imagine themselves to be under obligation to their paramours, if younger than themselves, and seldom keep any thing from their knowledge.—­Yet, methinks, there can be no need; since Tomlinson, as you describe him, is so good a man, and so much of a gentleman; the end to be answered by his being an impostor so much more than necessary, if Lovelace has villany in his head.—­And thus what he communicated to