Lady Elizabeth Curtis!--I did once indeed think a little seriously of her:--but _such_ a meer girl!--Perhaps the time she has spent in France, Germany, and the Lord knows where, may have changed her from a little bewitching, smiling, artless creature--to a _vain, designing, haughty_,--I could call a coquet by a thousand names;--but Lady Elizabeth _can_-not, _must_ not be a coquet.--Cupid, though, shall never tye a bandage over my eyes.--The charms that must fix me are not to be borrow'd;--I shall look for them in her affection to her relations;--in a condescending behaviour to inferiors;--above all, when she offers up her first duties.--If she shines here, I shall not follow her to the card-table, or play-house:--every thing must be right in a heart where duty, affection, and humility, has the precedence. The misfortune of our sex is this: when taken with a fine face, we enquire no further than, Is she _polite?_--Is she _witty?_ Does she _dance_ well?--sing well?--in short, _is_ she fit to appear in the _Beau Monde_; whilst good sense and virtues which constitute real happiness, are left out of the question. How does beauty,--politeness--wit,--a fine voice,--a graceful movement, charm!--But how often are we deceiv'd by them.--An instance of which I have lately seen in our old friend Sir Harry. No man on earth can pity that poor soul more than I do; yet I have laughed hours to think of his mistake. _So mild--so gentle_--said he, George, a week before his marriage, I should have said _execution_,--it is impossible to put her out of humour.--If I am not the happiest man breathing, it must be my own fault. What was my astonishment when I call'd on him in my way to town, and found this mild _gentle mate_ of his, aided by a houseful of her relations, had not only deprived him of all right and authority in the _Castle_, but almost of his very speech! I dropt in about one, told the Baronet I came five miles out of my way for the pleasure of saluting his bride, and to drink a bottle of claret with him.--He was extremely glad to see me; and ventured to say so, _before_ I was introduced to the _Ladies_:--but I saw by his sneaking look, no such liberty must be taken in _their_ presence.--My reception was gracious enough, considering all communication is cut off between him and his former acquaintance. Scarce was I seated, before the old Dowager asked me, if her daughter had not made _great_ alterations in the little time she had been at the Castle.