Smollett, Tobias (1721-1777)

The Adventures of Roderick Random

London

Printed for J. Osborn

1748

"I had made a conquest of her heart, and concluded myself the happiest man alive"

Next day in the afternoon I waited on her at her lodgings, by permission, in company with Chatter, and was very civilly received by her mother, with whom she lived;--there were a good many fashionable people present, chiefly young fellows, and immediately after tea a couple of card tables were set, at one of which I had the honour to play with Melinda, who in less than three hours made shift to plunder me of eight guineas. --I was well enough content to lose a little money with a good grace, that I might have an opportunity to say-soft things in the mean time, which are still most welcome, when attended with good luck; but I was by no means satisfied with her fair play, a circumstance that shocked me not a little, and greatly impaired my opinion of her disinterestedness and delicacy. -- However, I was resolved to profit by this behaviour, and treat her in my turn with less ceremony; accordingly, I laid close siege to her, and finding her not at all disgusted with the gross incense I offered, that very night made a declaration of love in plain terms. --She received my addresses with great gaity, and pretended to laugh them off, but at the same time treated me with such particular complacency, that I was persuaded I had made a conquest of her heart, and concluded myself the happiest man alive. --Elevated with these flattering ideas, I sat down again to cards, after supper, and with great chearfulness suffered myself to be cheated of ten guineas more.
(pp. 119-20)

War::Conquest::Conquer Heart

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Smollett, Tobias. The Adventures of Roderick Random. In Two Volumes. (London: printed for J. Osborn, 1748). <Link to ECCO>

01/25/2005