As soon as these new stars appeared at the duchess’s court, all eyes were fixed upon them, and every one formed some design upon one or other of them, some with honourable, and others with dishonest intentions.  Miss Jennings soon distinguished herself, and left her companions no other admirers but such as remained constant from hopes of success:  her brilliant charms attracted at first sight, and the charms of her wit secured her conquests.

The Duke of York having persuaded himself that she was part of his property, resolved to pursue his claim by the same title whereby his brother had appropriated to himself the favours of Miss Wells; but he did not find her inclined to enter into his service, though she had engaged in that of the duchess.  She would not pay any attention to the perpetual ogling with which he at first attacked her.  Her eyes were always wandering on other objects, when those of his royal highness were looking for them; and if by chance he caught any casual glance, she did not even blush.  This made him resolve to change his manner of attack:  ogling having proved ineffectual, he took an opportunity to speak to her; and this was still worse.  I know not in what strain he told his case; but it is certain the oratory of the tongue was not more prevailing than the eloquence of his eyes.

Miss Jennings had both virtue and pride, and the proposals of the duke were consistent with neither the one nor the other.  Although from her great vivacity one might suppose that she was not capable of much reflection, yet she had furnished herself with some very salutary maxims for the conduct of a young person of her age.  The first was, that a lady ought to be young to enter the court with advantage, and not old to leave it with a good grace:  that she could not maintain herself there but by a glorious resistance, or by illustrious foibles and that, in so dangerous a situation, she ought to use her utmost endeavours not to dispose of her heart until she gave her hand.

Entertaining such sentiments, she had far less trouble to resist the duke’s temptations, than to disengage herself from his perseverance:  she was deaf to all treaties for a settlement, with which her ambition was sounded:  and all offers of presents succeeded still worse.  What was then to be done to conquer an extravagant virtue that would not hearken to reason?  He was ashamed to suffer a giddy young girl to escape, whose inclinations ought in some manner to correspond with the vivacity that shone forth in all her actions, and who nevertheless thought proper to be serious when no such thing as seriousness was required of her.