A Gossip's Story, and a Legendary Tale; By the Author of Advantages of Education. in Two Volumes. (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: the Dudleys, having determined to fpend a few weeks with an intimate friend, previous to her defign of fixing her abode under the paternal roof. CHAP. Ill, A fine in/lance of modern fufceptibility introduces a delicate difcujjion, which is left to fame brighter genius to determine. rROM this excurfive view of cha- raflers above the general level, I return with the delight of a bird flying to her neft, to common life, and the dear fociety in which I fpend my hours. I fuppofe it was from perceiving even the voluble fpirit of female converfation droop when unfupported by the prefence of gentlemen, that the ancient mythologifts con- ftantly grouped Cupid with the Graces, and introduced Apollo into the circle of the Mu- fes. Though the comparifon will not perhaps apply in all parts, we ladies of Danbury B 6 hadhad our converfations enlivened by the pre- fence of a Cupid and an Apollo too, in the perfons of Captain Target, a militia officer, firft coufin to a Baronet, a gentleman of un- queftionable honour; and of Mr. Alfop, the heir of an eminent Attorney, who having amafled a confiderable fortune by bufinefe, educated his fon in what he efteemed the dif- tinguifhing mark of a gentleman, Idlenefs. Againft thefe Beaux the fair Cardamum planted all the artillery of love. She long ago, on examining her own heart upon the grand queftion, had determined marriage to be eflential to her happinefs; but on advancing to the next point in debate, wbo mould be the man, me found herfelf totally unable to decide, and her heart wandered from oi.e to the other as local circumftances directed. Every one knows that the parifh church in the country anfwers the end of places of publick refortin London, by giving fafhion- able people opportunities of fporting a whim, making critical obfervat...