"Mr. Lovelace was always noted for his vivacity and courage, and for the
surprising progress he made in literature, while for diligence in study
he had hardly his equal. This was his character at the university, and
it gained him many friends, while those who did not love him, feared
him, by reason of the offence his vivacity made him too ready to give,
and of the courage he showed in supporting it. My brother's haughtiness
could not bear a superiority; and those whom we fear more than love we
are not far from hating. Having less command of his passions than the
other, he was evermore the subject of his ridicule, so that they never
met without quarrelling, and everybody siding with Lovelace, my brother
had an uneasy time of it, while both continued in the same college.
"Then on my brother's return he found my sister (to whom Lovelace had
previously paid some attention) ready to join him in his resentment
against the man he hated. She utterly disclaimed all manner of regard
for him.
"Their behaviour to him when they could not help seeing him was very
disobliging, and at last they gave such loose rein to their passion
that, instead of withdrawing when he came, they threw themselves in his
way to affront him.
"Mr. Lovelace, you may believe, ill brooked this, but contented himself
by complaining to me, adding that, but for my sake, my brother's
treatment of him was not to be borne.
"After several excesses, which Mr. Lovelace returned with a haughtiness
too much like that of the aggressor, my brother took upon himself to
fill up the doorway once when he came, as if to oppose his entrance;
and, upon his asking for me, demanded what his business was with his
sister.
"The other, with a challenging air, told him he would answer a gentleman
_any_ question. Just then the good Dr. Lewin, the clergyman, came to the
door, and, hearing the words, interposed between, both gentlemen having
their hands upon their swords, and, telling Mr. Lovelace where I was,
the latter burst by my brother to come to me, leaving him chafing, he
said, like a hunted boar at bay.
"After this, my father was pleased to hint that Mr. Lovelace's visits
should be discontinued, and I, by his command, spoke a great deal
plainer; but no absolute prohibition having been given, things went on
for a while as before, till my brother again took occasion to insult Mr.
Lovelace, when an unhappy recontre followed, in which my brother was
wounded and disarmed, and on being brought home and giving us ground to
suppose he was worse hurt than he was, and a fever ensuing, everyone
flamed out, and all was laid at my door.
"Mr. Lovelace sent twice a day to inquire after my brother, and on the
fourth day came in person, and received great incivilities from my two
uncles, who happened to be there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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