And
thus, whilst he is plucking the briars and thorns from
the path of the unfortunate, I am strewing my own
path with roses.
LETITIA
My sweet friend, not quite so poetical, and a little
more particular.
CHARLOTTE
Hands off, Letitia. I feel the rage of simile upon
me; I can't talk to you in any other way. My brother
has a heart replete with the noblest sentiments, but
then, it is like--it is like--Oh! you provoking girl,
you have deranged all my ideas--it is like--Oh! I
have it--his heart is like an old maiden lady's band-
box; it contains many costly things, arranged with
the most scrupulous nicety, yet the misfortune is that
they are too delicate, costly, and antiquated for com-
mon use.
LETITIA
By what I can pick out of your flowery description,
your brother is no beau.
CHARLOTTE
No, indeed; he makes no pretension to the char-
acter. He'd ride, or rather fly, an hundred miles to
relieve a distressed object, or to do a gallant act in the
service of his country; but should you drop your fan
or bouquet in his presence, it is ten to one that some
beau at the farther end of the room would have the
honour of presenting it to you before he had observed
that it fell. I'll tell you one of his antiquated, anti-
gallant notions. He said once in my presence, in a
room full of company,--would you believe it?--in a
large circle of ladies, that the best evidence a gentle-
man could give a young lady of his respect and affec-
tion was to endeavour in a friendly manner to rectify
her foibles.
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