Mrs Tabitha goes more than half way to meet his advances;
she mistakes, or affects to mistake, the meaning of his courtesy,
which is rather formal and fulsome; she returns his compliments
with hyperbolical interest, she persecutes him with her
civilities at table, she appeals to him for ever in conversation,
she sighs, and flirts, and ogles, and by her hideous affectation
and impertinence, drives the poor courtier to the very extremity
of his complaisance; in short, she seems to have undertaken the
siege of Barton's heart, and carries on her approaches in such a
desperate manner, that I don't know whether he will not be
obliged to capitulate. In the mean time, his aversion to this
inamorata struggling with his acquired affability, and his
natural fear of giving offence, throws him into a kind of
distress which is extremely ridiculous.
Two days ago, he persuaded my uncle and me to accompany him to St
James's, where he undertook to make us acquainted with the
persons of all the great men in the kingdom; and, indeed, there
was a great assemblage of distinguished characters, for it was a
high festival at court. Our conductor performed his promise with
great punctuality.
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