But it was not for any longtime he remained in this state of insensibility.--Charlotte had graces which could not fail of conquest, sooner or later:--where those of her eyes wanted the power to move, her tongue came in to their assistance, and was sure of gaining the day:--there was something so resistless in her wit, and manner of conversation, that none but those by nature, or want of proper education, were too dull and stupid to understand, but must have felt an infinity of satisfaction in it. Besides all this, there was a sympathy of humour between this lady and Natura, which greatly contributed to make them pleased with each other:--both were virtuous by nature, by disposition gay and chearful:--both were equally lovers of reading; had a smattering of philosophy, were perfectly acquainted with the world, and knew what in it was truly worthy of being praised or contemned; and what rendered them still more conformable, was the aversion which each testified to marriage.--Natura's treatment from his wife, had made him speak with some bitterness against a state, which had involved him in so many perplexities; and Charlotte, though so short a time a wife, having been married against her inclination, and to a man who, it seems, knew not her real value, had found in it the beginning of disquiets, which prognosticated worse mischiefs, had not his death relieved her from them, and made her too thankful for the deliverance, to endure the thoughts of venturing a second time to give up her freedom. This parity of sentiments, inclinations, and dispositions, it was which, by degrees, endeared them to each other, without knowing they were so. Natura became at last impatient out of the company of Charlotte, and Charlotte found a restlessness in herself whenever Natura was absent; but this indeed happened but seldom:--the mutual desire they had of being together, made each of them industriously avoid all those parties of pleasure, in which both could not have a share:--Natura excused himself from accompanying his brother-in-law in any of those diversions where women were not admitted; and Charlotte always had some pretence for staying at home when the sister of Natura made her visits to the ladies of the country;--yet was this managed on both sides with such great decency and precaution, that neither the one nor the other perceived the motive which occasioned their being so rarely separated; much less had the family any notion of it. It is certain, that never any two persons were possessed of a more true and delicate passion for each other:--the flame which warmed their breasts, was meerly spiritual, and platonic;--the difference of sex was never considered:--Natura adored Charlotte, not because she was a lovely woman, but because he imagined somewhat angelic in her mind; and Charlotte loved Natura not because he had an agreeable person, but because she thought she discovered more charms in his soul, than in that of any other man or woman.