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cases their being together must have been mutually agreeable. 
What Linley was for Mathews, Mathews was for Linley, and per- 
haps his presence kept off others not desired. The young damsel 
too, was certainly unfortunate, being the eldest of her family, with 
a father severe and exacting and a mother who seems to have been 
entirely unsympathetic. She thus apparently had absolutely no other 
male friend. Ladies at this date did not go out without escort so it 
does not follow that Mathews and Miss Linley were always alone, 
but they were often in company together. Bath, too, was not 
' without fame for the invention and circulation of slander, or 
we should not now be able to read—‘ The School for Scandal.” 
At first then, insinuations and surmises were circulated, 
“sharpened by the malice of the women, who envied the pretty 
warbler both her charms and her popularity”; “the old ladies 
_ condemned in very affecting language,” and the young ones chose 
to ‘‘ wonder at the laxity of their sister, in walking about with a 
married man.” But besides the spite of the women there was the 
jealousy of those men who wished to gain her affection or even 
some attention, but who were thus barred from approach. What, 
_ ever the restless eyes of the censors may have seen or their small 
minds imagined it must be noted that the general family intimacy 
continued and was never interrupted. Mathews’ attentions were 
not noticeable, there was nothing to cause suspicion or distrust, 
nothing was said or noted in either family. The young lady 
herself was entirely ignorant of any gossip and was also quite 
“innocent of having given cause for it.” To quote a note of the 
time which well shows the exact position—‘the censorious were 
: very anxious for virtue without knowing whether it was in danger.”* 
Now comes the curious error upon which the future story 
rests, Mathews when he learned of the gossip and the remarks 
made about him, instead of withdrawing or taking care even for 
the damsel’s sake, did exactly the wrong thing. Either proud of 
* Craftsman, toth October, 1772. 
