Vanity, tho' placed rather among the number of the follies than the vices of human nature, is yet sometimes productive of the very worst we can be guilty of; and the least mischief it does, when indulged to an excess, is to render the person possess'd of it obstinate, proud, impatient of contradiction, deaf to reproof, full of imaginary merit, and apt to despise what is truly so in another.

This weakness, to give it no worse a name, is generally ascribed to the softer sex, who being from their very childhood accustom'd to flattery and praise, are too ready to believe they are in reality the angels and goddesses that they are told they are; but in my opinion it is doing great injustice to the ladies to say they are the only culpable, since we oft en find men who, without having the same excuse, are no less liable to fall into the same error.

Mutantius is one of the most lovely, most graceful, and most accomplish'd gentlemen of the present age; – he has learning, wit, honour, generosity, and good-nature: – in fine, – he is, both in person and mind, such as might give him a just title to universal admiration, were he but a little less conscious of deserving it, or did not set too high a value upon it.

To render his fine qualities yet more conspicuous, he had the advantages of being descended from a very ancient family, is in possession of an ample fortune both in land and money; – he had not long been arrived at what is commonly called the age of maturity, before several considerable matches were proposed to him; – all the men of his acquaintance, who had sisters or daughters to be disposed of, courted his alliance: – whenever he appear'd, the ladies put on their best looks to engage him; and not a few there were, who could not help betraying by their eyes the secret languishment of their hearts.