induce her to strip naked, without ever reflecting upon what she was doing.  After all, a man must be very insensible to remain unconcerned and unmoved on such happy occasions; and, besides, the good opinion we entertain of ourselves is apt to make us think a woman is smitten, as soon as she distinguishes us by habitual familiarity, which most commonly signifies nothing.  This is the truth of the matter with respect to myself:  my own presumption, her beauty, the brilliant station that sets it off, and a thousand kind things she had said to me, prevented me from making serious reflections; but then, as some excuse for my folly, I must likewise tell you, that the facility I found in making her the tenderest declarations by commending her, and her telling me in confidence a thousand things which she ought not to have entrusted me with, might have deceived or infatuated any other man as well as myself.

“I presented her with one of the prettiest horses in England.  You know what peculiar grace and elegance distinguish her on horseback.  The king, who, of all the diversions of the chase, likes none but hawking, because it is the most convenient for the ladies, went out the other day to take this amusement, attended by all the beauties of his court.  His majesty having galloped after a falcon, and the whole bright squadron after him, the rustling of Miss Stewart’s petticoats frightened her horse, which was at full speed, endeavouring to come up with mine, that had been his companion; so that I was the only witness of a disorder in her clothes, which displayed a thousand new beauties to my view.  I had the good fortune to make such gallant and flattering exclamations upon that charming disorder as to prevent her being concerned or out of countenance upon it:  on the contrary, this subject of my admiration has been frequently since the subject of our conversation, and did not seem to displease her.

“Old Lord Carlingford, and that mad fellow, Crofts (for I must now make you my general confession), those insipid buffoons, were frequently telling her some diverting stories, which passed pretty well with the help of a few old threadbare jests, or some apish tricks in the recital, which made her laugh heartily.  As for myself, who know no stories, and do not possess the talent of improving them by telling, if I did know any, I was often greatly embarrassed when she desired me to tell her one:  ‘I do not know one, indeed,’ said I, one day, when she was teazing me on the subject.  ‘Invent one, then,’ said she.  ’That would be still more difficult,’ replied I; ’but if you will give me leave, madam, I will relate to you a very extraordinary dream, which has, however, less appearance of truth in it than dreams generally have.’  This excited her curiosity, which would brook no denial.  I therefore began to tell her that the most beautiful creature in the world, whom I loved to distraction, paid me a visit in my sleep.  I then drew her own portrait,