Blossom having perused this paper, declared his resolution of inflicting a most severe vengeance on the traducer of his honour, but thought it would be wisest to suspend the execution of his valourous projects, till after his recovery.—The wound which had thus respited the courage of Mr. Blossom, in the course of the evening so quickly healed, that though it rained hard, he set off in the dark for Docktail-place. There he consulted an attorney, who not without thoughts of six and eightpence often repeated, strongly urged a prosecution for assault, battery, and wounding; and not doubting but in such a case the adversary would prosecute for a challenge; he hoped on the one hand “Bartholomew Blossom, esquire, of Docktail-place, in the parish of Richmond, in the North Riding of the county of York, plaintiff; and John Mortimer, esquire, younger, of Oak Grove, in the parish of Northallerton, in the aforesaid North Riding, of the aforesaid county of York, defendant; and on the other hand, John Mortimer, esquire, younger, of Oak Grove, in the parish of Northallerton, in the North Riding of the county of York, plaintiff, and Bartholomew Blossom, esquire, of Docktail-place, in the parish of Richmond aforesaid, in the North Riding of the aforesaid county of York, defendant, carried through all the process of declarations, replies, rejoinders, and demurs, and abundantly interspersed with the vacation after Trinity term, being on the 29th day of August, in the year of our Lord 1789, and in the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, and Arch Treasurer of the Holy Roman Empire,” would help materially to fill paper and swell the bill. Besides Hamilton could be introduced as “comforting, aiding, and abetting the said John Mortimer, &c.” Blossom himself was averse to this counsel, and appeared disposed to confine his views to having Mortimer bound over to the peace.—The lawyer strongly urged the contrary, but in vain. Finding he could not succeed in bringing on cross actions, he determined to suit himself to the humour of his client, and advised the following expedient for keeping the peace and preserving the esquire’s honour: Blossom was to send a thundering defiance to Mortimer, offering to meet him at Northallerton, and threatening, if he would not fight, to cudgel him unmercifully. The attorney was to communicate these bloody minded intentions to a friend, this friend was to alarm the mayor, and both parties were to be bound over to keep the peace. A captain of Militia delivered this menacing message to Mortimer. Hamilton and he attended, met the redoubtable champion in the public room; and knowing there was help at hand, Blossom both looked and talked very big: Mortimer immediately proceeded to action; but the magistrate and his attendants rushing in prevented mischief. The parties were bound over, and thus the matter terminated.
Meanwhile our hero was becoming every day more fondly enamoured of his charming Maria. The young lady also on her part the more she knew Hamilton the more she admired and esteemed his talents and dispositions. His successful interference preventing the catastrophe, which her susceptible imagination had apprehended, enhanced her regard. She had promised him her lasting gratitude; nor was she disposed to violate such an engagement. She now was not only pleased, but visibly delighted with his company and conversation.—Besides that range of genius, extent of knowledge, and happy power of communication, which must render him, Maria thought, respected and admired in public life, he seemed to her to have those just moral principles, virtues, and refined sentiments, which constitute, at once, the use and pleasure of domestic life. But thinking so favourably of him, and feeling so kindly to him, she cautiously forbore an acknowledgment of mutual affection. She observed, that in his ideas he was lofty and aspiring, and apprehending that whatever love might now dictate, ambition might hereafter prompt views and connexions more conducive to aggrandizement. She, therefore, not only refused his immediate offers, but would admit of no promises or engagements: that if at any future time interest or inclination might induce him to desire a change, there might be no restraint upon him from justice and honour. Hamilton communicated his passion to his friend John, but not thereby any intelligence which he had not discovered before. Mortimer told him, that there was no man whom he thought, in character and conduct, so worthy of his dear Maria, and that their respective ranks were equal; that to such a woman as Maria, he was confident Hamilton would make an affectionate and devoted husband, and to such a man as Hamilton, Maria would make a tender, fond, and interesting wife. “But, my dear friend, (he continued) there are at present strong objections. You have ability, erudition, and eloquence; you are breeding to a profession in which, with prudence, you may rise to be at the head; after giving law to the bar, you may instruct and delight the senate; inform and direct the cabinet: these are all attainments within the reach of William Hamilton: and farther they are within his wish and view. You are ambitious and aspiring, but seeking the pinnacle, you ought not, having so steep an ascent to climb, to burden yourself so near the bottom, with the cares of a family. Your own fortune though sufficient for your support, until your exertions bring fame and emolument, yet is inadequate to the maintenance of an increasing family, in the style to which both you and my sister are accustomed, and before your efforts, by establishing your reputation, had insured your success, embarrassments might commence, which breaking your spirits might damp the ardour of your genius, enfeeble the energy of eloquence and make a man of so transcendant powers, surpassed in his professions by plodding mediocrity. My dear Hamilton, I revere you, and by my affection and admiration I conjure you, at least, for the present, to make no overtures of the kind. Be called to the bar, be engaged in some cause which will make you known, and lay the foundation of eminence and opulence. Be once established, and if you continue your love to Maria, I shall most eagerly promote a connection that will contribute to her honour and happiness.” “Happiness, did you say,” cried our hero eagerly, “have you, my dear Mortimer, any idea that your sister is favourably disposed.” John aware that an answer in the affirmative would by no means conduce to his scheme of postponing the subject, evaded a direct answer, but said, “In cases where there is not certainty we must draw inferences from probability. Without flattering you, I must say, that the manifest affection of such a youth as my friend Hamilton is likely to impress any woman of sensibility that should be unengaged. I have no doubt that Maria possesses sensibility, and I firmly believe that when you and she became acquainted she was unengaged; but I am convinced, that though she should love you, both her reason and strength of mind would refuse an affiance, which the sincerest and best judging friends of both must see would be, at present, indiscreet.” Hamilton could not avoid seeing the sense and candour of his friend’s opinions, and as the time was approaching at which he was obliged to go south, Mortimer hoped by absence to prevent the immediate contraction of so premature an engagement. He knew that during the rest of the autumn he was to be at Brighton and its environs; and that in winter he was occupied by professional preparations and literary exertions, and hoped that, while on the one hand the affiance was suspended, on the other great advances would be made towards its conclusion with prudence and propriety. He had frequent conferences with his sister, in which, by addressing himself to her understanding and elevated sentiments, he endeavoured to persuade her to refuse every proffer for an immediate or early marriage. Maria perceived that her brother was well acquainted with the state of her mind; and did not affect either ignorance of his meaning, or indifference to its subject; she candidly owned that her opinion of Mr. Hamilton was very high, but denied that her heart was irretrievably engaged; having before formed the resolution he desired, she readily and strongly promised adherence. Hamilton had already outstayed his time, until a letter from his mother earnestly requested that he would come speedily to town, to join and direct the autumnal excursion, and he had taken his place for the metropolis for the next day but one, which was to be on a Monday.—Saturday evening he was pensive and sad, and Maria was not joyful; both her brother and lover observed in her countenance and voice the softness of sorrow, while a forced cheerfulness concealed her emotions from her father. Having in the stillness and solitude of a night uninterrupted by sleep, given full vent to her tenderness, she was at the usual hour in the breakfast room, exhibiting marks of increasing dejection, which even her father must have discovered. Our hero directed to her the touching melancholy of his countenance; and she was almost overcome, when her father entering with an open letter, gave it to his daughter, saying, “Read that, my girl: by Jupiter it will be a merry year this; two jaunts in one summer.” “Two jaunts,” said his son. “Yes, your uncle Benjamin, instead of wintering in the West Indies as we thought, is come to Portsmouth with his ship, and begs that we may meet him next week in London, to go down with him to his box on the coast of Sussex.” “On the coast of Sussex!” said Hamilton, eagerly. “Yes, near Worthing, ten miles from Brighton, in the slope of the Downs; a sweet little place it is; he sends Maria there a draft of a hundred pounds, for crincum crancums, as he calls it, for herself, and not forgetting her sisters at school. So Moll, we shall be new-rigged.” Maria’s face now testified joy and animation, which she in vain endeavoured to conceal or even to moderate. These movements her father observing, turned to the young gentlemen, and facetiously remarked the wonderful effects of dress and finery upon young women. His son said he was assured the hope of seeing their beloved uncle made one part of the cause of her joy, though not the sole, he whispered to his sister. “Ah,” said the squire, “brother Ben has a rough face and manner, but he has a kind heart.” Hamilton with the utmost delight observed the change which this unexpected intelligence effected on Maria, and interpreted it in nearly the same manner as John had insinuated. He expressed great pleasure in the happiness he would have in making his hospitable friends of Oak-Grove acquainted with the family party that he was going to join. Elated with the assurance of so soon again beholding his lovely Maria, he departed at the appointed time, and arrived in London without any material occurrence. The laird of Etterick, his daughter, and son-in-law were also now arrived, and lodged at an hotel in the neighbourhood of Mrs. Hamilton. The laird being alone with his nephew, expressed himself well satisfied with the behaviour of his son-in-law since William left Scotland. He was very respectful and attentive, and had hitherto shewn no disposition to return to his former habits, either of profligacy or preaching. William finding on enquiry that his cousin had seen but very little of London, proposed that, before they went to Brighton, they should spend a week in viewing the metropolis and its environs, and succeeded. They made exursions to Windsor, Hampton-court, Richmond, and other places.—One day Miss Hamilton had gone to the hotel to make an arrangement for a party to one of the theatres, and passing through a gallery, met a young lady, who, after regarding her very attentively, blushed, curtsied, and was passing along. An elderly gentleman came immediately after, who having looked earnestly in Charlotte’s face said, “I ask your pardon, miss; is your name Hamilton?”—“Yes, sir,” said she, surprised, “but I have not the pleasure of recollecting you.” “I dare say not,” said the gentleman, “for you never saw me in your life, nor I you, miss. But, Molly, did you ever see so striking a likeness? She’s his very image, is not she?” “Extremely like, indeed,” replied Maria.—“Have you not a brother named William?” said the old gentleman. “Yes, sir. I dare say, sir, you must be Mr. Mortimer.” “Very well guessed,” said the old gentleman, going down stairs to give some orders. Miss Hamilton, addressing the young lady, said. “I know you must be Miss Mortimer, you so exactly answer William’s description.” At this remark Maria blushed; they returned together, and being predisposed to mutual kindness, the one towards a young lady whom she had discovered, from the letters and confidential communications of her beloved brother, to be the object of his fond attachment: the other towards the sister and softened picture of a man whose love she felt that she requited, they in a quarter of an hour ceased to consider one another as strangers. The old gentleman now returned with his son, who had been to call for his friend William, had not found him at home, but seen his mother, and accepted an invitation to dine at Hatton Garden, and promised to prevail on his father and sister to be of the party, but found his embassy anticipated by Miss Hamilton. They were all met except William, and the hostess knowing he had some business to transact which might detain him beyond the dining hour, ordered dinner. They were just seated, and by some accident, Maria Mortimer occupied the place nearest the bottom of the table, and facing the door, when Hamilton hastily knocking and entering the room, the first object he beheld was his beloved Maria. Having with an anxious earnestness and confused eagerness of manner, voice, and countenance accosted Miss Mortimer, and with affectionate kindness her father and brother, he learned the meeting at the hotel, and had the satisfaction to see that his sister and mother were delighted with the object of his adoration. It was resolved to defer the theatre party till the following evening; and the day was spent with great pleasure and happiness.
Our hero had been so much engrossed by either the company or image of Maria, that he had almost entirely forgotten his old flame, Jenny Collings.—Though Jenny had not forgotten him; yet finding his absence very tedious, she began to listen to the addresses of another. This other, it seems, was that redoubtable champion esquire Blossom, who being frequently in London, had seen Miss Collings before his late adventure with Mortimer, and afterwards choosing to change the scene a little had come to London, and renewed his application, in hopes of seducing the virtue of the fair Collings. He had succeeded, and had lived with her about a week, when one morning a gentleman was introduced in a naval uniform, who, in rather a stern voice and manner demanded to see Miss Collings. Blossom told him, that there was no such person in the house; the officer answered, “That is false, I know she is here; I saw her at the window.—Your name is Blossom; you have seduced my sister, and if you do not marry her instantly, this moment is your last.”—With that he pulled out a brace of pistols. Jenny being well tutored for the purpose, ran out with her hair disshevelled, and throwing herself at her brother’s feet, conjured him not to murder her betrothed husband. “Are you this lady’s husband?” Blossom made no answer: the lady answered, “He is in conscience and honour, but I acknowledge not in law.” Blossom, afraid of the pistols, which were presented and cocked, resolved to temporize that he might get away, and accordingly acknowledged that he had promised marriage, and that he was willing and ready to perform his engagement. That, said the seaman, alters the case, though I still must blame my sister’s simplicity and credulity; yet, as I find you disposed to make an honourable atonement, I shall bury the past in oblivion. There are two friends of mine without who will witness your proposal of amends. The friends were called in, the brother agreed in their presence to pardon Blossom, if he immediately performed the engagement which he had admitted. “I am, (he said,) obliged to be out of town to-morrow afternoon, therefore we must finish the calls of honour and justice immediately. There is a coach in waiting, let us now, Mr. Blossom, go to Doctors’ Commons and procure a licence for to-morrow morning.” Blossom demurred at this proposal, but the stern and peremptory conduct of the brother over-ruled his objections. He accompanied Collings and his companions, the licence was obtained, the brother did not lose sight of the bridegroom; the next day the nuptials were solemnized, and the new-married couple set off for Docktail-Place. Before their departure, the lady being informed that our hero was returned, wrote the following epistle to our hero:
“My beloved Hamilton,
Finding that you are become totally indifferent to your Collings, I have, contrary to my own inclination, listened to the advices of my friends, and accepted the addresses of another. I am now the wife of Bartholomew Blossom, esquire, of Yorkshire, a gentleman of great fortune and merit. As my affection for you and its consequences have been concealed from most others, I have that confidence in your honour, that I am assured no passage will ever escape your lips that can affect the tranquillity of your affectionate and devoted
Jane Blossom.”
“P.S. Though I have made a sort of vow to myself for ever to abstain from your enchanting and dangerous company, I should wish to see you once to convince you, that though prudence and the instances of my brother induce me to accept of Mr. Blossom’s hand, my heart will ever remain fondly attached to the first dear object of its virgin love.
J. B.”
This letter afforded our hero very great pleasure. He had formed a resolution of relinquishing all intercourse with Miss Collings, but determined to use every effort that might be in his power, in order to promote the interest and advantage of one who had suffered so much from her attachment to himself. Now her situation in point of rank and opulence was much higher, through the vice and folly of another, than any which she could have expected to have attained. He could have regretted the deception or compulsion, if it had been practised upon a man of honour and worth. But in the present case he was extremely well pleased, that a profligate, unprincipled debauchee, who had so behaved himself to his beloved Maria, was caught where he had proposed seduction and ruin.
Meanwhile, the party set off for the coast of Sussex; the fair Maria, with her father and brother, betook themselves to the vicinity of Worthing, while Hamilton, his mother, and the rest of their party, took up their residence at Brighton.