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Rh In the mean time Corinna continued to improve her mind by reading the politest authors. Upon Mr. Gwynnet's first discovering his passion, she remonstrated with him on the inequality of their fortunes, as her affairs were then in a very perplexed situation. This objection was soon surmounted by a lover, especially as his father had already given him possession of the greatest part of his estate, and leave to please himself. Mr. Gwynnet no sooner obtained this than he came to London, and claimed Corinna's promise of marriage: but her mother being then in a very weak condition, she could not abandon her in that distress, to die among strangers. She therefore told Mr. Gwynnet, that as she had not thought sixteen years long in waiting for him, he could not think six months long in expectation of her. He replied, with a sigh, "Six months, at this time, my Corinna, is more than sixteen years have been; you have put it off now, and God will put it off for ever." It proved as he had foretold; he next day went into the country, made his will, sickened, and died, 1711, leaving her the bequest of 600 l. and, adds she, "Sorrow has been my food ever since." Had she providentially married him, she had been secure from the distresses of poverty: but duty to her parent was more prevalent than considerations of convenience. After the death of her lover she was barbarously used: his brother stifled the will, which compelled her to have recourse to law; he smothered the old gentleman's conveyance deed, by which he was enabled to make a bequest, and offered a large sum of money to any person to blacken Corinna's character, but could find none wretched enough for his purpose. At last, to shew her respect to the memory of her deceased lover, she consented to an accommodation, to receive 200 l. down, and 200 l. at the year's end. The first payment was made, and and