ABSTRACT
Julia, for the first time, accepted with pleasure Mrs. Melbourne’s invitation; for her former visits to that lady had been productive only of weariness and disgust. She had always been treated by Miss Melbourne with great neglect, and by her most intimate companions, the Hon. Miss C—’s, with particular rudeness. Miss Melbourne had discernment enough to perceive Julia’s merit, and, had she been more obliged to fortune, and less to nature, would have valued her acquaintance highly; but no honour could have been gained with people of ton, 28 by an intimacy with one in Julia’s situation; while, at the same time, her engaging qualities would have been perpetually in the way, and obtruded themselves in a manner very troublesome to Miss Melbourne. Her bosom friends, the Hon. Miss C—’s, had an unconquerable antipathy to female beauty: they agreed with many wise men in the opinion, that beauty often proves fatal to the possessor; but, notwithstanding this conviction, these ladies had the magnanimity to wish that this dangerous property had been entirely confined to themselves.
