You have a rival, my lord, and a rival who, though I blush to
name him, neither you, nor all the world, will ever be able to
conquer." "Upon my word, Lady Bellaston," cries he, "you have struck a
damp to my heart, which hath almost deprived me of being." "Fie, my
lord," said she, "I should rather hope I had struck fire into you. A
lover, and talk of damps in your heart! I rather imagined you would
have asked your rival's name, that you might have immediately
entered the lists with him." "I promise you, madam," answered he,
"there are very few things I would not undertake for your charming
cousin; but pray, who is this happy man?"- "Why, he is," said she,
"what I am sorry to say most happy men with us are, one of the
lowest fellows in the world. He is a beggar, a bastard, a foundling, a
fellow in meaner circumstances than one of your lordship's footmen."
"And is it possible," cried he, "that a young creature with such
perfections should think of bestowing herself so unworthily?" "Alas!
my lord," answered she, "consider the country- the bane of all young
women is the country. There they learn a set of romantic notions of
love, and I know not what folly, which this town and good company
can scarce eradicate in a whole winter." "Indeed, madam," replied my
lord, "your cousin is of too immense a value to be thrown away; such
ruin as this must be prevented." "Alas!" cries she, "my lord, how
can it be prevented? The family have already done all in their
power; but the girl is, I think, intoxicated, and nothing less than
ruin will content her.
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