robbing a Man of his whole Fortune, and of his Child into the Bargain.
This Principle therefore prevented him from any Thought of making his Fortune by ſuch Means (for this, as I have ſaid, is an active Principle, and doth not content itſelf with Knowledge or Belief only.) Had he been greatly enamoured of Sophia, he poſſibly might have thought otherwiſe; but give me Leave to ſay, there is great Difference between running away with a Man’s Daughter from the Motive of Love, and doing the ſame Thing from the Motive of Theft.
Now though this young Gentleman was not inſenſible of the Charms of Sophia; tho’ he greatly liked her Beauty, and eſteemed all her other Qualifications, ſhe had made, however, no deep Impreſſion on his Heart: For which, as it renders him liable to the Charge of Stupidity, or at leaſt of Want of Taſte, we ſhall now proceed to account.
The Truth then is, his Heart was in the Poſſeſſion of another Woman. Here I queſtion not, but the Reader will be ſurprized at our long Taciturnity as to this Matter; and at no leſs Loſs to divine whothis
