MyElizawascharmingbeyonddescription，coquettishwithoutaffectation，andevidentlymoredesiroustoengagemyattentionthanthatofalltheroombesides。Herdelightinhavingmenearher，seatedorstandingbyherside，whisperinginherear，orpressingherhandinthedance，wasplainlylegibleinherglowingfaceandheavingbosom，howeverbeliedbysaucywordsandgestures。ButIhadbetterholdmytongue：ifIboastofthesethingsnow，Ishallhavetoblushhereafter。
Toproceedthen，withthevariousindividualsofourparty；Rosewassimpleandnaturalasusual，andfullofmirthandvivacity。
Ferguswasimpertinentandabsurd；buthisimpertinenceandfollyservedtomakeotherslaugh，iftheydidnotraisehimselfintheirestimation。
AndfinallyforIomitmyself，MrLawrencewasgentlemanlyandinoffensivetoall，andpolitetothevicarandtheladies，especiallyhishostessandherdaughter，andMissWilson——misguidedman；hehadnotthetastetopreferElizaMillward。MrLawrenceandIwereontolerablyintimateterms。Essentiallyofreservedhabits，andbutseldomquittingthesecludedplaceofhisbirth，wherehehadlivedinsolitarystatesincethedeathofhisfather，hehadneithertheopportunitynortheinclinationforformingmanyacquaintances；and，ofallhehadeverknown，Ijudgingbytheresultswasthecompanionmostagreeabletohistaste。Ilikedthemanwellenough，buthewastoocold，andshy，andself-contained，toobtainmycordialsympathies。Aspiritofcandourandfrankness，whenwhollyunaccompaniedwithcoarseness，headmiredinothers，buthecouldnotacquireithimself。Hisexcessivereserveuponallhisownconcernswas，indeed，provokingandchillyenough；butIforgaveit，fromaconvictionthatitoriginated，lessinprideandwantofconfidenceinhisfriends，thaninacertainmorbidfeelingofdelicacy，andapeculiardiffidence，thathewassensibleof，butwantedenergytoovercome。
Hisheartwaslikeasensitiveplant，thatopensforamomentinthesunshine，butcurlsupandshrinksintoitselfattheslightesttouchofthefinger，orthelightestbreathofwind。And，uponthewhole，ourintimacywasratheramutualpredilectionthanadeepandsolidfriendship，suchashassincearisenbetweenmyselfandyou，Halford，whom，inspiteofyouroccasionalcrustiness，Icanlikentonothingsowellasanoldcoat，unimpeachableintexture，buteasyandloose——thathasconformeditselftotheshapeofthewearer，andwhichhemayuseashepleases，withoutbeingbotheredwiththefearofspoilingit；——whereasMrLawrencewaslikeanewgarment，allveryneatandtrimtolookat，butsotightintheelbowsthatyouwouldfeartosplittheseamsbytheunrestrictedmotionofyourarms，andsosmoothandfineinsurfacethatyouscrupletoexposeittoasingledropofrain。