Not
That I Was Prepossessed In Favour Of Any Other Man; - My Heart, Entirely
Free, Was Reserved To Be The
Conquest of the too charming perfidious
Henricus, who arriving soon after my lord's decease, and bringing with
him all the
Accomplishments which every different court he had visited
could afford, join'd to the most enchanting person nature ever formed,
soon made me know I was not that insensible creature I had
thought myself.
I happened to be at court when he came to kiss her majesty's hand on his
return; and whether it was that my eyes testified too much the
admiration this first sight of him struck me with, or that he really
discovered something more attractive in me than any lady in the presence
I know not, but he seemed to distinguish me in a particular manner, and
I heard him say to my lord G - - n in a whisper, that I was the finest
woman he had ever seen; but what gave me more pleasure than even this
praise, was an agreement I heard made between him and the same lord to
go that evening to a raffle at mrs. C - rt-s - r's. I was one of those who
had put in, tho' if I had not, I should certainly, have gone for a
second sight of him, who when he went out of the drawing-room seemed to
have left me but half myself.
In fine, I went, and had there wanted any thing to have entirely
vanquished me, my conqueror's manner of address had done it with a form
less agreeable. - O Louisa, pursued she with a sigh, if you have never
seen or heard the charming Henricus, you can have no notion of what is
excellent in man; such flowing wit; - such softness in his voice and
air; - but there is no describing what he is. He seemed all transport at
meeting me there; among a number of ladies I alone engrossed him: he
scarce spoke to any other; and being so fortunate to win the raffle,
which was a fine inlaid India cabinet, instead of sending it to his own
house, he privately ordered his servant to leave it at mine, lord G - - n
having, as he afterwards told me, informed him where I lived, and also
all the particulars he wanted to know concerning me.
I was prodigiously surprized when I came home and found the Cabinet,
which my woman imagined I had won by its being brought thither. It was
indeed a piece of gallantry I had no reason to expect from one so
perfect a stranger to me; and this, joined with the many complaisant
things he said to me at mrs. C - rt-f - r's, flattered my vanity enough to
make me think he was no less charmed with me than I too plainly found I
was with him. I slept little that night, and pretty early the next
morning received a billet from him to this effect:
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