A sentiment which, if it deals but little in refinement, deals,
however, much in substance; and is less capricious, and perhaps less
ill-natured and selfish, than the desires of those females who can
be contented enough to abstain from the possession of their lovers,
provided they are sufficiently satisfied that no one else possesses
them.
Chapter 7
Containing a fuller account of Mrs. Waters, and by what means she
came into that distressful situation from which she was rescued by
Jones
Though Nature hath by no means mixed up an equal share either of
curiosity or vanity in every human composition, there is perhaps no
individual to whom she hath not allotted such a proportion of both
as requires much arts, and pains too, to subdue and keep under;- a
conquest, however, absolutely necessary to every one who would in
any degree deserve the characters of wisdom or good breeding.
As Jones, therefore, might very justly be called a well-bred man, he
had stifled all that curiosity which the extraordinary manner in which
he had found Mrs. Waters must be supposed to have occasioned. He
had, indeed, at first thrown out some few hints to the lady; but, when
he perceived her industriously avoiding any explanation, he was
contented to remain in ignorance, the rather as he was not without
suspicion that there were some circumstances which must have raised
her blushes, had she related the whole truth.
Pages:
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627