THE LECTURE ON" FLIRTATION. 22-5 



the option of paying any such attentions, which ladies have not 

 the option of declining sometimes, without apparent rudeness, 

 and where no necessity exists for showing it, particularly to 

 those whose behaviour is courteous and their society agreeable ; 

 but surely, my dear William, there is a wide distinction between 

 being pleased with a person and being in love with him ; and it 

 would be great vanity in a girl to suppose that every man, 

 who tries to make himself agreeable, must necessarily be in love 

 with her." 



" Not so very wide a distinction, dear girl, as the one often 

 leads to the other, and men certainly consider these smiling 

 receptions of their attentions as an encouragement to proceed 

 farther." 



" Then you gentlemen, William, are very vain, unreasonable 

 animals ; for girls, if distant or reserved in their manners, are 

 accused of hauteur, stupidity, or ill temper ; and if socially 

 disposed, of flirting, or leading you to imagine they are more 

 seriously affected." 



" Well, dear Blanche, it is, I conclude, rather a difficult 

 matter for young ladies to draw the line of distinction ; but you 

 have seen two instances of men's vanity and unreasonableness 

 in the conduct of "Vernon and Lord Danby, who both aspired 

 to your hand without your having given them, as you believe, 

 any just or reasonable grounds for thinking that you accepted 

 their devoirs in any other light than mere politeness ; so you 

 must perceive, my dear girl, that my opinion of men's feelings 

 in such cases is tolerably correct ; and I would only suggest, to 

 spare yourself the unpleasantness of similar scenes in future, a 

 more guarded and reserved manner towards any man who shows 

 you any unusual attentions, unless you really mean to encourage 

 his addresses." 



" Then, Mr. Will, I suppose I must appear as demure as a 

 Quakeress in society ; neither smile, nor look pleased, scarcely 

 speak, and consent to be set down as a most stupid, dull girl, 

 without two ideas in my head, and treat all men alike, whether 

 agreeable or the reverse, merely to avoid the possibility of their 

 falling in love with me. Really, if men are such foolish, sensi- 

 tive creatures, they must take care of themselves ; but I rather 

 suspect the majority are not very scrupulous in trying to win 

 the affections of unsuspecting girls, without intending airything 

 more." 



" It is quite true, dear girl, that men of the world care no 

 more about breaking girls' hearts than they do about breaking 



o 



