True: the burning impatience--Your eagerness to assent will not suffer you to examine. Your opinions and principles are those which the world most highly approves, and applauds: mine are what it daily calls extravagant, impracticable, and absurd. It would be weak in me to expect you should implicitly receive remote truths, so contradictory to this general practice, till you have first deeply considered them. I ask no such miracle. But if I can but turn your mind to such considerations, if I can but convince you how inestimable they are, even to yourself as well as to the world at large, I shall then have effected my purpose. Of that, madam, be sure--You shall see!--Upon my honour, you shall!--I will order a fur-cap, a long gown, a white wand, and a pair of sandals this very day! No Grecian ever looked more grave than I will! Nay, if you desire it, razor shall never touch my chin more. Well, well; equip yourself speedily, and I will provide you with a wooden dish, a lanthorn, and a tub. But then, having made your conditions, you now grant me your consent? That is obliging me once more to put on my serious face--The danger in which I so lately saw you hangs heavily on my mind; that and the warm passions by which it was occasioned. And my excess of ardour, to demonstrate my love, you regard as a proof of my having none. How passion overshoots itself! Your conclusion is as precipitate as was your proof. I cannot be cool, madam, on this subject. I wonder to see you so! Did affection throb and burn in your bosom, as it does in mine, I am persuaded it would be otherwise. We are neither of us so entirely satisfied with each other as we ought to be, to induce either me to consent or you to apply to Sir Arthur. For heaven's sake, madam-- Hear me patiently, for a moment. Previous to this conversation, I was convinced of the folly and danger of excessive haste. Should you imagine I have any self-complacency or caprice to gratify, by delay, you will do me great injustice: I solemnly protest I have none. My own interest, had I no better motive, would make me avoid such conduct. The inconsistencies and vain antics of the girl, which are justly enough stigmatized by the epithets flirting and coquetry, are repaid tenfold upon the wife. I would deal openly, honestly, and generously; but not rashly. I have every predilection in your favour which you could wish; such doubts excepted as I have declared. But I must not give either you or the world cause to accuse me of levity. My consent to speak to Sir Arthur would be generally understood as a pledge to proceed; not it is true by me, if I saw just cause to retract: but, though I earnestly desire to reform, I almost as earnestly wish not unnecessarily to offend the prejudices of mankind. Nay let me beg, let me conjure you--[He took both my hands with great ardour.] And let me beg too, let me conjure you, not to think meanly or unkindly of me, when I tell you that I must insist on a short delay.