Page:Complete letter writer (1).pdf/19

19 that he discarded her, and found one more agreeable to his wishes? Do not equivocate, I have too many convincing proofs of your inconstancy; I saw you last night walking with Jane Benson, and am informed that you have proposed marriage to her.- Whatever you should shout it sir, I have a spirit of disdain and even resentment, equal to your ingratitude, and can treat the base wretch with a proper indifference, who is able to make so slight a matter of the most solemn promises. Jane Benson may be your wife, but she will just receive into her arms a perjured husband; nor can ever the superstructure be lasting which is built on such a bad foundation. I leave you to the stings of your conscience.-I am the injured.

The Gentleman's Answer.

My Dear Angel,-For that is the name I must still call you; has cruelty entered into your tender nature, or has some designing, base wretch imposed on your credulity? Dearest love, I am not what you have represented; I am neither false nor perjured-I never proposed marriage to Jane Benson; I never designed it; and the sole reason for walking with her was, that I had been on a visit to her brother, who you know is my principal attorney. And was it any fault on the part of me to take a walk into the fields along with him and his sister; surely prejudice itself cannot say so; but I am afraid that you have been imposed on by some designing person, who had private views and private ends to answer by such baseness. But whatever may have been the cause, I am quite innocent and to convince you of my faithfulness, beg that the day of marriage would be next week. My affection: never so much as wander from the dear object of my love; in you are centered all my hopes of felicity; with you