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THE

HISTORY

OF

Sir CHARLES GRANDISON.

IN A

SERIES OF LETTER S.

BY MR SAMUEL RICHARDSON,
AUTHOR OF PAMELA AND CLARISSA.

IN EIGHT VOLUME S.

VOLUME III.

THE SEVENTH EDITION.

LONDON:

Printed for JoHN DONALDSON, corner of Arundel-ftreet,
No. 195. in the Strand. Sold by T. WILSON, at York:
A. SMITH, Halifax: D. AKENHEAD, New-
caftle: W. DARLING, Edinburgh: W. BOYD,
Dumfries: W. ANDERSON, Stirling

ANGUS and SoN, Aberdeen:

and L. FLIN, Dublin.

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THE

HISTORY

O F

Sir Charles Grandifon, Bart.

LETTER I.

Mifs BYRON, To Mifs Lucy SELBY.

Thursday, March 16.. IR Charles has already left us. He went to town this morning on the affairs of his executorship. He breakfafted with us first.

STR

Dr Bartlett, with whom I have already made myfelf very intimate, and who, I find, knows his. whole heart, tells me he is always fully employed. That we knew before.-No wonder then, that he is not in love. He has not had leifure, I fuppose, to attend to the calls of fuch an idle paffion.

You will do me the juftice to own, that in the round of employments I was engaged in at Selbyhoufe, I never knew any-thing of the matter: But indeed there was no Sir Charles Grandifon; first to engage my gratitude, and then my heart. So it is; I must not, it seems, deny it. If I did, “a "child in love-matters would detect me."

1

O MY Lucy! I have been hard fet by thefe fifrers. They have found me out; or rather, let me know, that they long ago found me out. I will tell

you all as it passed.

I had been fo bufy with my pen, that tho' accustomed to be firft dreffed, wherever I was, I was now the laft. They entered my dreffing-room arm in arm; and I have fince recollected, that they looked as if they had mifchief in their hearts; Mifs Grandifon especially. She had faid, She would play me a trick.

I was in fome little hurry, to be fo much behindhand, when I faw them dreffed.

Mifs Grandifon would do me the honour of affifting me, and difmiffed Jenny, who had but just come in to offer her service.

She called me charming creature twice, as fhe was obligingly bufy about me; and the second time faid, Well may my brother, Lady L. fay what he did of this girl!

With too great eagerness, What, what, faid II was going to add-did he fay ?-But, catching my. felf up, in a tone of lefs furprise-defigning to turn it off-WHAT honour you do me, madam, in this your kind affiftance!

Mifs Grandifon leered archly at me; then turning to Lady L. This Harriet of ours, faid fhe, is more than half a rogue.

Punish her then, Charlotte, faid Lady L. You have, tho' with much ado, been brought to fpeak out yourself; and so have acquired a kind of right to punish those who affect disguises to their best friends.

Lord bless me, ladies! and down I fat-What, what I was going to say, do you mean? But stopt, and I felt my face glow.

What, what! repeated Mifs Grandifon-My fweet girl can fay nothing but What, what !-One

of

of my fellows, Sir Walter Watkyns, is in her head,

I fuppofe-Did you ever fee Wat-Watky s

Harriet?

My handkerchief was in my hand, as I was going to put it on. I was unable to throw it round my neck. O how the fool throbbed, and trembled!

Mifs Gr. Confirmation! Lady L. confirmation! Lady L. I think fo, truly-But it wanted none

to me.

Har. I am furprised! Pray, ladies, what can you mean by this fudden attack?

Mifs Gr. And what, Harriet, can you mean by thefe What, what's, and thefe fudden emotions?— Give me your handkerchief!-What doings are here!

She fnatched it out of my trembling hand, and put it round my neck-Why this fudden palpitation ? -Ah! Harriet! Why won't you make confidantes of your fifters? Do you think we have not found you out before this?

Har. Found me out! How found me out! Dear Mifs Grandifon, you are the most alarming lady that ever lived!

I ftood up trembling.

Mifs Gr. Am I fo? But to cut the matter fhort -[Sit down, Harriet. You can hardly stand]. Is it fuch a difgraceful thing for a fine girl to be in love?

Har. Who I, I in love!

Mifs Gr. (laughing). So, Lady L. you fee that Harriet has found herfelf out to be a fine girl! -Difqualify now; can't you, my dear? Tell fibs.. Be affected. Say you are not a fine girl, and-foforth.

Har. Dear Mifs Grandifon-It was your turn. refterday. How can you forget

Mifs Gr. Spiteful too! My life to a farthing you pay for this, Harriet!-But, child, I was not in

A 3.
13.

love

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