Love and Friendship

Party that I would thus his failings. Your
Virtues my amiable Polypore (addressing
himself to my father) yours Dear Claudia and
yours my Charming Laura call on me to repose
in you, my confidence.” We bowed. “My
Father seduced by the false glare of Fortune
and the Deluding Pomp of Title, inside on my
giving my hand to Lady Dorothea. No never
exclaimed I. 
Laura to Marianne
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Lady Dorothea is lovely and engaging I prefer
no woman to her; but Know Sir, that I scorn to
marry her in compliance with your Wishes. No!
Never shall it be said that I obliged my father.” 
We all admired the noble Manliness of his
reply. He continued 
“Sir Edward was surprised; he had perhaps
little expected to meet with so spirited an
opposition to his will. “Where, Edward in the
name of wonder (said he) did you pick up this
unmeaning gibberish? You have been studying
Novels I suspect.” I scorned to answer: it would
have been beneath my dignity. I mounted my
Hours and followed by my faithful William set
forth for my aunts.” 
“My Father’s house is situated in Bedfordshire,
my aunts in Middlesex, and though I flatter
myself with being tolerable proficient in
Geography,
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I know not it happened, but this beautiful Vale
which I find is in south Wales, when I had
expected to have reached my aunts.” 
“After having wandered some time on the
Banks the Uske without Knowing which way to
go, I began to lament my cruel Destiny in the
bitterest and most pathetic Manner. It was now
perfectly dark, not a single star was there to direct
my steps and I know not what might have
befallen me had I not at length discerned thro’ the
solemn Gloom that surrounded me a distant light,
which as I approached it, I discover to be the
cheerful Blaze of your fire. Impelled by the
combination of Misfortunes under which I
labored, namely Fear, Cold, and Hunger I
hesitated not to ask admittance which at length I
have gained; and now my Adorable Laura
(continued he taking my Hand) when may I hope
to receive that reward of all the painful sufferings
I have undergone during the course of my
attachment to you,
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to which I have ever aspired Oh! When will you
reward me with yourself?” 
“This instant, Dear and Amiable Edward.”
(replied I.). We were immediately united by my
father, who though he had never taken orders had
been bred to the church. 
Adieu,
Laura
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LETTER THE SEVENTH
We remained but a few days after our
Marriage, in the Vale of Usk. After taking an
affecting Farewell of my Father, my mother,
and my Isabel, I accompanied Edward to his
aunts in Middlesex. Philippa received us both
with every expression of affectionate Love.
My arrival was indeed a most agreeable
surprise to her as she hadn’t only been
ignorant of my marriage with her nephew,
but had never even had the slightest idea of
there being such a person in the World.
Augusta, the sister of Edward was on a
visit to her when we arrived. I found her
exactly what her brother had described her to
be the middle size. She received me with equal
surprise
Laura to Marianne
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 though not with equal Cordiality, as Philippa. 
There was 19 disagreeable coldness and
Forbidding Reserve in her reception of me
which was equally distressing and unexpected.
None of that interesting Sensibility or amiable
sympathy in her manners and Address to me
when we first met should have distinguished our
introduction to each other. Her language was
neither warm nor affectionate, her expressions
of regard were neither animated nor cordial; her
arms were not opened to receive me to her
Heart, though my own were extended to press
her to mine. 
A short Conversation between Augusta and
her brother which I accidentally overheard
increased my dislike of her, and convinced me
that her Heart was no more formed for the soft
ties of Love than for the endearing intercourse
of Friendship.
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“But do you think that my father will ever be
reconciled to this imprudent connection?” (Said
Augusta.)
“Augusta (replied the noble youth) I thought
you had a better opinion of me, than to imagine
I would so abjectly degrade myself as to
consider my father’s concurrence in any of my
affairs, either of consequence or concern to me.
Tell me Augusta with sincerity; did you ever
Know me to consult his inclinations or follow
his Advice in the least trifling Particular since
the age of fifteen?” 
“Edward (replied she) you are surely too
different in your own prize. Science you were
fifteen only! My Dear Brother since you were
five years old, I entirely acquit you of ever
having willingly contributed to the satisfaction
of your father. But still, I’m not without
apprehensions of your being shortly obliged to
degrade yourself 
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in your own eyes by seeking support for your
wife in the Generosity of Sir Edward.” 
“Never, never Augusta will I so demean myself.
(Said Edward). Support! What support will
Laura want that she can receive from him?” 
“Only those very insignificant ones of
Victuals and Drink.” (answered she.) 
“Victuals and Drink! (replied my Husband
in a most nobly contemptuous Manner and
dost thou then imagine that there is no other
support for an exalted mind (such as is my
Laura’s) than the mean and indelicate
employment of Eating and Drinking?” 
“None that I knew of, do efficacious.”
(Returned Augusta).
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“And did you then never feel the pleasing
Pangs of Love, Augusta? (Replied Edward).
Does it appear impossible to your vile and
corrupted Plate, to exist on Love? Can you not
conceive the Luxury of living in every distress
that Poverty can inflict, with the object of your
tenderest affection?”
“You are too ridiculous (Said Augusta) to
argue with; perhaps however you may in time
be convinced that…” 
Here I was prevented from hearing the
remainder of her speech, by the appearance of a
very Handsome young woman, who was
ushered into the Room at the Door of which I
had been listening. On hearing her announced
by the Name of “Lady Dorothea, ” I instantly
quit my Post and followed her into the Parlour,
for I well-
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remembered that she was the Lady, proposed as
a wife for my Edward by the Cruel and
Unrelenting Baronet.
Although Lady Dorothea’s visit was
nominally to Philippa and Augusta, I have
some reason to imagine that (acquainted with
the Marriage and arrival of Edward) to see me
was a principal motive to it.
I soon perceived that though Lovely and
Elegant in her Person and though Easy and
Polite in her Address, she was of that inferior
order of Beings with regard to Delicate Feeling,
tender Sentiments, and refined Sensibility, of
which Augusta was one. 
She stayed but half an hour and neither in the
Course of her Visit, confided to me any of her
secret thoughts, 
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nor requested me to have confidence in her, any
of mine. You will easily imagine therefore my
Dear Marianne that I could not feel any ardent
affection or very sincere Attachment for Lady
Dorothea. 
Adieu,
Laura
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LETTER THE EIGHTH
Lady Dorothea hadn’t left us long before
another visitor as unexpected a one as her
Ladyship, was announced. It was Sir Edward,
who informed by Augusta of her brother’s
marriage, came doubtless to reproach him for
having dared to unite himself to me without
his knowledge. But Edward foreseeing his
design approached him with heroic fortitude
as soon as he entered the room and addressed
him in the following manner. 
“Sir Edward, I know the motive of your
journey here You come with the base Design
of reproaching me for having entered into an
indissoluble engagement with my Laura
without your Consent. But Sir, I glory in the
Act. It is my