Sprightlineſs in her Temper. This was ſo greatly encreaſed whenever ſhe was in Company with Tom, that, had he not been very young and thoughtleſs, he muſt have obſerved it; or had not Mr. Weſtern’s Thoughts been generally either in the Field, the Stable, or the Dog-kennel, it might have, perhaps, created ſome Jealouſy in him; but ſo far was the good Gentleman from entertaining any ſuch Suſpicions, that he gave Tom every Opportunity with his Daughter which any Lover could have wiſhed. And theſe Tom innocently improved to better Advantage, by following only the Dictates of his natural Gallantry and Good-nature, than he might, perhaps, have done, had he the deepeſt Deſigns on the young Lady.
But, indeed, it can occaſion little Wonder, that this Matter eſcaped the Obſervation of others, ſince poor Sophia herſelf never remarked it, and her Heart was irretrievably loſt before ſhe ſuſpected it was in Danger.
Matters were in this Situation, when Tom one Afternoon finding Sophia alone, began, after a ſhort Apology, with a very ſerious Face, to acquaint her, that he had aFavour
