her Name to me. And, with Regard to the young Gentleman’s Birth, thoſe who can ſay nothing more to his Diſadvantage, may as well be ſilent on that Head, as I deſire you will be for the future.’
‘I am ſorry, I have offended your Ladyſhip,’ anſwered Mrs. Honour, ‘I am ſure I hate Molly Seagrim as much as your Ladyſhip can, and as for abuſing ’Squire Jones, I can call all Servants in the Houſe to witneſs, that whenever any Talk hath been about Baſtards, I have always taken his Part: “For which of you,” ſays I to the Footmen, “would not be a Baſtard, if he could, to be made a Gentleman of? and,” ſays I, “I am ſure he is a very fine Gentleman; and he hath one of the whiteſt Hands in the World: For to be ſure so he hath; and,” ſays I, “one of the ſweeteſt temperedeſt, beſt naturedeſt Men in the world he is,” and ſays I, “all the Servants and Neighbours all round the Country loves him.” And, to be ſure, I could tell your Ladyſhip ſomething, but that I am afraid it would offend you.’—‘What could you tell me, Honour,’ ſays Sophia. ‘Nay, Ma’am, to be ſure he meant nothing by‘it
