Consider then, madam, continued I, hand upon her's laying my That grave people hate love for the name's sake That selfish people hate it for their own— And that all of us, both old and young, being ten times worse frightened than hurt by the very report-what a want of knowledge in this branch of commerce a man betrays, who ever lets the word come out of his lips, till an hour or two at least after the time that his silence upon it becomes tormenting. A course of small, quiet attentions, not so pointed as to alarm-nor so vague as to be misunderstood-with now and then a look of kindness, and little or nothing said upon itleaves Nature for your mistress, and she fashions it to her mind Then I solemnly declare, said the lady, blushing you have been making love to me all this while. MONSIEUR Dessein came back to let us out of the chaise, and acquaint the lady, the Count de L, her brother, was just arrived at the hotel. Though I had infinite good will for the lady, I cannot say that I rejoiced in my heart at the event—and could not help telling her so -for it was fatal to a proposal, Madame, said I, that I was going to make to you. You need not tell me what the proposal was, said she, laying her hand upon both mine, as she interrupted me-A man, my good Sir, has seldom an offer of kindness to make to a woman, but she has a presentiment of it some moments before. Nature arms her with it, said I, for immediate preservation-But I think, said she, looking in my face, I had no evil to apprehend—and to deal frankly with you, had determined to accept it.-If I had— (she stopped a moment)-I believe your good will would have drawn a story from me, which would have made pity the only dangerous thing in the journey. In saying this, she suffered me to kiss her hand twice, and with a look of sensibility, mixed with concern, she got out of the chaise, and bid adieu. IN THE STREET. I CALAIS. NEVER finished a twelve guinea bargain so expeditiously in my life; my time seemed heavy upon the loss of the lady, and knowing every moment of it would be as two, till I put myself in motionI ordered post horses directly, and walked towards the hotel. Lord! said I, hearing the town clock strike four, and recollecting that I had been little more than a single hour in Calais What a large volume of adventures may be grasped within this little span of life, by him who interests his heart in every thing, and who, having eyes to see what time and chance are perpetually holding out to him as he journeyeth on his way, misses nothing he can fairly lay his hands on. If this won't turn out something, another will-no matter-'tis an essay upon human nature-I get my labour for my pains 'tis enough-the pleasure of the experiment has kept my senses, and the best part of my blood awake, and laid the gross to sleep. I pity the man who can travel from Dan to Beersheba, and cry, 'tis all barren-and so it is; and so is all the world to him who will not cultivate the fruits it offers. I declare, said I, clapping my hands cheerily together, that was I in a desert, I would find out wherewith in it to call forth my affections. If I could not do better, I would fasten them upon some sweet myrtle, or seek some melancholy cypress to connect myself to. I would court their shade, and greet them kindly for their protection. I would cut my name upon them, and swear they were the loveliest trees throughout the desert; if their leaves withered, I would teach myself to mourn; and when they rejoiced, I would rejoice along with them. The learned SMELFUNGUS travelled from Boulogne to Paris, from Paris to Rome, and so on-but he set out with the spleen and jaundice, and every object he passed by was discoloured or distorted. |