muſt put a ſtop to it. It makes a perfect nataral of the girl.
Miſs Sterl. Poor ſoul! ſhe can't help it. [affectedly.
Mrs. Heidel. Well, my dear! Now I ſhall have an opportunity of convincing you of the abſurdity of what you was telling me concerning Sir John Melvil's behaviour to you.
Miſs Sterl. Oh, it gives me no manner of uneaſineſs. But, indeed, Ma'am, I cannot be perſuaded but that Sir John is an extremely cold lover. Such diſtant civility, grave looks, and lukewarm profeſſions of eſteem for me and the whole family! I have heard of flames and darts, but Sir John's is a paſſion of mere ice and ſnow.
Mrs. Heidel. Oh, fie, my dear! I am perfectly aſhamed of you. That's ſo like the notions of your poor ſiſter! What you complain of as coldneſs and indiffarence, is nothing but the extreme gentilaty of his addreſs, an exact pictur of the manners of qualaty.
Miſs Sterl. Oh, he is the very mirror of complaiſance! full of formal bows and ſet ſpeeches!—I declare, if there was any violent paſſion on my ſide, I ſhould be quite jealous of him.
Mrs. Heidel. I ſay jealus indeed—Jealus of who, pray?
Miſs Sterl. My ſiſter Fanny. She ſeems a much greater favourite than I am, and he pays her infinitely more attention, I aſſure you.
Mrs. Heidel. Lord! d'ye think a man of faſhion, as he is, can't diſtinguiſh between the genteel and the wulgar part of the famaly?—Between you and your ſiſter, for inſtance—or me and my brother?—Be adviſed by me, child! It is all politeneſs and good-breeding.—Nobody knows the qualaty better than I do.
Miſs Sterl. In my mind the old lord, his uncle, has ten times more gallantry about him than Sir John. He is full of attentions to the ladies, and
ſmiles,
