The event,
romantic and inconsistent with the manners of polished society as it may
appear, is introduced by such a train of incidents, that it is
impossible not to commend and admire the conduct of the heroine.
Her character is that of inflexible vivacity and wit, accompanied with a
spice of coquetry and affectation. And though this line of portrait
seemed exhausted by Congreve and Richardson, we will venture to
pronounce Louisa a perfect original. It is impossible to describe such a
character in the abstract without recollecting Millamant and Lady G. But
in reading this most agreeable novel, you scarcely think of either. As
there is no imitation, so there are not two expressions in the work,
that can lead from one to the other. Louisa is more amiable than the
former, and more delicate and feminine than the latter.
Mr. Burchel, the happy lover, is an author, a young man of infinite
genius, of romantic honour, of unbounded generosity. Lord Raymond, the
brother of Louisa, becomes acquainted with him in his travels, by an
incident in which Mr. Burchel does him the most essential service. Being
afterwards introduced to his sister, and being deeply smitten with her
beauty and accomplishments, he quits the house of lord Raymond abruptly,
with a determination entirely to drop his connexion.
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