her industry has procured him, and all who belong to her.  This excellent body sat next to me for some months at church, and took the liberty (which she said her years and the zeal she had for my welfare gave her claim to) to assure me, that she observed some parts of my behaviour which would lead me into errors, and give encouragement to some to entertain hopes I did not think of.  “What made you,” said she, “look through your fan at that lord, when your eyes should have been turned upward, or closed in attention upon better objects?” I blushed, and pretended fifty odd excuses;—­but confounded myself the more.  She wanted nothing but to see that confusion, and goes on:  “Nay, child, do not be troubled that I take notice of it, my value for you made me speak it; for though he is my kinsman, I have a nearer regard to virtue than any other consideration.”  She had hardly done speaking, when this noble lord came up to us, and took her hand to lead her to her coach.  My head ran all that day and night on the exemplary carriage of this woman who could be so virtuously impertinent, as to admonish one she was hardly acquainted with.  However, it struck upon the vanity of a girl that it may possibly be, his thoughts might have been as favourable of me, as mine were amorous of him, and as unlikely things as that have happened, if he should make me his wife.  She never mentioned this more to me; but I still in all public places stole looks at this man, who easily observed my passion for him.  It is so hard a thing to check the return of agreeable thoughts, that he became my dream, my vision, my food, my wish, my torment.  That minister of darkness, the Lady Sempronia,[336] perceived too well the temper I was in, and would one day after evening service needs take me to the Park.  When we were there, my lord passes by; I flushed into a flame.  “Mrs. Distaff,” said she, “you may very well remember the concern I was in upon the first notice I took of your regard to that lord, and forgive me, who had a tender friendship for your mother (now in her grave) that I am vigilant of your conduct.”  She went on with much severity, and after great solicitation, prevailed on me to go with her into the country, and there spend the ensuing summer out of the way of a man she saw I loved, and one whom she perceived meditated my ruin, by frequently desiring her to introduce him to me; which she absolutely refused, except he would give his honour that he had no other design but to marry me.  To her country house a week or two after we went:  there was at the farther end of her garden a kind of wilderness, in the middle of which ran a soft rivulet by an arbour of jessamine.  In this place I usually passed my retired hours, and read some romantic or poetical tale till the close of the evening.  It was near that time in the heat of summer, when gentle winds, soft murmurs of water, and notes of nightingales had given my mind an indolence, which added to that repose of soul, which twilight