Philip Leigh. A tale

Preface

The words of the motto chosen for this book express my own opinion about women ; and, if I have depicted in its pages those who may be considered ' worse than men,' it is not because I look upon the majority as being so. I have known women as worldly as Constance Le Geyt, and men as good as Phihp Leigh ; yet, in describing them, I have endeavoured to follow the example of that great master of our lan guage, Addison, who says — ' I believe my reader would still think the better of me, if he knew the pains I am at in qualifying what I write after such a manner, that nothing may be interpreted as being aimed at private persons. For this reason, when I VI

PREFACE.

. draw any faulty character, I consider all those to whom the malice of the world may possibly apply it, and take care to dash it with such particular circumstances as may prevent all such ill-natured applications. ... I know very well the value which every man sets upon his reputa tion, and how painful it is to be exposed to the mirth and derision of the public, and should therefore scorn to divert my reader at the expense of any private person.' CONTENTS CHAPTRn I'AGE I. Dartmoor 1 II. Philip and I 15 III. Our Lives 33 IV. Preferred before Me 50 V. Constance's D£but 60 VI. Philip's Temptation .81 VII. Excombe ........ 98 VIII. Constance's Triumph . . . . . . 116 IX. Intermediate 149 X. False 160 XI. Fair. . . 188 XII. Suspicious CONTENTS VIII CHAPTER ctcio XIII. Doubly False 228 XIV. The Winter's Tale 249 XV. At Hatherleigh 270 XVI. Sunset 282 XVII. Not altogether Unpunished . . •