The History of Miss Betsy ThoughtlessHaywood, Eliza Fowler
General
The History of Miss Betsy Thoughtless
Haywood, Eliza Fowler
Abused wives -- Fiction; Bildungsromans; Didactic fiction; England -- Fiction; Married women -- Fiction
Mr. Trueworth listened to what she said, with all the attention she
could desire; but was too passionately in love to be much influenced by
it: not that he did not see there were some mistakes in the conduct of
Miss Betsy, which he could wish reformed, yet he could not look upon
them as so dangerous to her virtue and reputation, and therefore omitted
no arguments, which he thought might justify his choice, and clear the
accused fair one from all blame, in the eyes of a person whose
approbation he was very desirous of obtaining.
The warmth with which he spoke, convinced his aunt, that to oppose his
inclinations in this point was only warring with the winds; she desisted
from speaking any more against the marriage, and contented herself with
telling him, that since he was bent on making Miss Betsy his wife, she
should be glad if, at least, he would remove her into the country, and
prevent her returning to this town as long as possible.
This last council had a great deal of weight with Mr. Trueworth; he had
often wished in his heart, when seeing her, as he often did,
encompassed with a crowd of such whom his good understanding made him
despise, that if ever he became her husband, it might be in his power to
prevail on her to break off acquaintance with the greatest part of those
she at present conversed with; and now being admitted to entertain her
with more freedom and seriousness than ever, he resolved to sound her
sentiments on that score, and try to discover how far she could relish
the retirements of a country life.
Accordingly, the next visit he made to her, he began to represent, in
the most pathetick terms he was able, the true felicity that two people,
who loved each other, might enjoy when remote from the noise and
interruption of a throng of giddy visitors. 'The deity of soft desires,'
said he, 'flies the confused glare of pomp and publick shews; it is in
the shady-bowers, or on the banks of a sweet purling stream, he spreads
his downy wings, and wafts ten thousand nameless pleasures on the fond,
the innocent, and the happy pair.'
He was going on, but she interrupted him with a loud laugh; 'Hold,
hold!' cried she, 'was there ever such a romantick description? I wonder
how such silly ideas come into your head? "Shady bowers! and purling
streams!" Heavens, how insipid! Well,' continued she, 'you may be the
Strephon of the woods, if you think fit; but I shall never envy the
happiness of the Chloe that accompanies you in these fine recesses.
What, to be cooped up like a tame dove, only to coo, and bill, and
breed? O it would be a delicious life indeed!'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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