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Indiana University Studies 



Mortimer Del vile makes his proposal of marriage in the form of a 

 carefully prepared declamation: 



"Ever-lovely Miss Beverly," cried he, more seriously, "why this resent- 

 ment? why all this causeless distress? has not my heart long since been known 

 to you? have you not witnessed its sufferings, and been assured of its tender- 

 ness? Why, then, this untimely reserve? this unabatmg coldness? Oh why 

 try to rob me of the felicity you have inadvertently given me! and to sour the 

 happiness of a moment that recompenses such exquisite misery!"" 



As in the previous novel, the more natural speeches are spoken by the 

 middle-class characters, especially the lower-middle-class, to which 

 Mr. Hobson belongs. Lady Honoria, however, is sometimes very 

 natural in her sprightliness ; but, in general, the conversations are of 

 too great length, and everyone says too much. No one stops to breathe. 

 In life nobody could be induced to listen so long. As Macaulay has 

 pointed out, everyone harps on the same string on all occasions: 

 ''Mr. Delvile never opens his lips without some allusion to his own 

 birth and station; or Mr. Briggs, without some allusion to the hoard- 

 ing of money; or Mr. Hobson, without betraying the self-indulgence 

 and self-importance of a purse-proud upstart; or Mr. Simkins, 

 without uttering some sneaking remark for the purpose of currying 

 favor with his customers; or Mr. Meadows, without expressing 

 apathy and weariness of life; or Mr. Albany, without declaiming 

 about the vices of the rich and the misery of the poor; or Mrs. 

 Belfield, without some indelicate eulogy on her son; or Lady 

 Margaret, without indicating jealousy of her husband. Morrice is 

 all skipping, officious impertinence, Mr. Gosport all sarcasm, Lady 

 Honoria all lively prattle, Miss Larolles all silly prattle. "^^ 



The excessive artificiality of Camilla obliterates any naturalness 

 that the speeches might have had. Even Dr. Johnson laid aside his 

 Johnsonese when he talked ; in five volumes, even Henry Mackenzie's 

 lachrymose sentimentality would have sometimes relaxed itself. 

 These characters, however, never forget themselves. Melmond thus 

 enjoys the Seasons: 



"I am in a scene that entrances me to Elysium!"55 



When he deserts his fiancee, she makes this announcement to her 

 sister : 



"All is over, my sister, and over for life with Eugenia! Melmond flies 

 and detests me! I am odious in his sight! I am a horror to his thoughts!"56 



53 Cecilia, II, 90. ' 

 "4 Select Essays of Macaulay (ed. Thurber), 170. 

 55 Camilla, II, 90. 

 6« Ibid., V. 67. 



