The History of Sir Charles Grandison, Volume 4 (of 7)Richardson, Samuel
General
The History of Sir Charles Grandison, Volume 4 (of 7)
Richardson, Samuel
England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Epistolary fiction
Miss Grandison confounded me this morning by an instance of her
generosity. She was extremely urgent with me to accept, as her third
sister, of her share of her mother's jewels. You may believe, that I
absolutely refused such a present. I was angry with her; and told her,
she had but one way of making it up with me; and that was, that since she
would be so completely set out from her lord, she would unite the two
halves, by presenting hers to Lady L----, who had refused jewels from her
lord on her marriage; and who then would make an appearance,
occasionally, as brilliant as her own.
She was pleased with the hint; and has actually given them (unknown to
any body but me) to her jeweller; who is to dispose them in such figures,
as shall answer those she herself is to have, which Lady L---- has not.
And by this contrivance, which will make them in a manner useless to
herself, she thinks she shall oblige her sister, however reluctant, to
accept of them.
Lady Gertrude is also preparing some fine presents for her niece elect:
but neither the delighted approbation of the family she is entering into,
nor the satisfaction expressed by her own friends, give the perverse
Charlotte any visible joy, nor procure for Lord G---- the distinction
which she ought to think of beginning to pay him. But, for his part,
never was man so happy. He would, however, perhaps, fare better from
her, if he could be more moderate in the outward expression of his joy;
which she has taken it into her head to call an insult upon her.
She does not, however, give the scope she did before the day was fixed,
to her playful captiousness. She is not quite so arch as she was.
Thoughtfulness, and a seeming carelessness of what we are employed in,
appear in her countenance. She saunters about, and affects to be
diverted by her harpsichord only. What a whimsical thing is Charlotte
Grandison! But still she keeps Lord G---- at distance. I told her an
hour ago, that she knows not how to condescend to him with that grace
which is so natural to her in her whole behaviour to every body else.
I have been talking to Dr. Bartlett, about Sir Charles's journey to
Italy. Nobody knows, he says, what a bleeding heart is covered by a
countenance so benign and cheerful. Sir Charles Grandison, said he, has
a prudence beyond that of most young men; but he has great sensibilities.
I take it for granted, sir, that he will for the future be more an
Italian than Englishman.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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