Book contents
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- The Invisible Spy
- BOOK I
- BOOK II
- VOL. II
- BOOK III
- BOOK IV
- VOL. III
- BOOK V
- CHAP. I The author's introduction to this volume consists only of an apology for making no introduction at all, and his reasons for that omission
- CHAP. II Contains such matters as, it is highly probable, will be the least pleasing to those for whose service it is most intended
- CHAP. III Presents the Reader with a very foolish adventure of Lysetta's, to which all that was contain'd in the preceding chapter was only a prelude; with some short remarks of the author's own on the extreme danger, as well as infatuation, of consulting Fortune-tellers of any kind, and giving credit to their idle and absurd predictions
- CHAP. IV Contains the catastrophe of an affair, which the repetition of ought not to give offence to any one, except the person whose resentment the author will not look upon as a misfortune
- CHAP. V Treats on various matters, some of which, the author dares venture to assure the public, will hereafter be found not only more entertaining, but also of more consequence than at present they appear to be
- CHAP. VI Contains such things as are not often to be met with, neither in the one nor the other sex; yet are, or at least ought to be, equally interesting to both
- CHAP. VII The Author has been in some debate within himself, whether he should insert or not, as he is conscious it will be little relish'd by the fashionable genteel part of his readers; – and what is still worse, can afford neither much entertainment, nor much improvement to the others
- CHAP. VIII Wherein the wonderful power of beauty, when accompany'd with virtue, is display'd in a very remarkable, as well as affecting occurrence
- CHAP. IX Contains only a continuation of the same narrative, begun in the foregoing Chapter, and will not be concluded in this
- CHAP. X The catastrophe of this adventure cannot fail of exciting compassion in the breasts of my fair readers, and also afford much matter of speculation to those of the other sex
- BOOK VI
- BOOK VII
- BOOK VIII
- Editorial Notes
- Silent Corrections
CHAP. VII - The Author has been in some debate within himself, whether he should insert or not, as he is conscious it will be little relish'd by the fashionable genteel part of his readers; – and what is still worse, can afford neither much entertainment, nor much improvement to the others
from BOOK V
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- The Invisible Spy
- BOOK I
- BOOK II
- VOL. II
- BOOK III
- BOOK IV
- VOL. III
- BOOK V
- CHAP. I The author's introduction to this volume consists only of an apology for making no introduction at all, and his reasons for that omission
- CHAP. II Contains such matters as, it is highly probable, will be the least pleasing to those for whose service it is most intended
- CHAP. III Presents the Reader with a very foolish adventure of Lysetta's, to which all that was contain'd in the preceding chapter was only a prelude; with some short remarks of the author's own on the extreme danger, as well as infatuation, of consulting Fortune-tellers of any kind, and giving credit to their idle and absurd predictions
- CHAP. IV Contains the catastrophe of an affair, which the repetition of ought not to give offence to any one, except the person whose resentment the author will not look upon as a misfortune
- CHAP. V Treats on various matters, some of which, the author dares venture to assure the public, will hereafter be found not only more entertaining, but also of more consequence than at present they appear to be
- CHAP. VI Contains such things as are not often to be met with, neither in the one nor the other sex; yet are, or at least ought to be, equally interesting to both
- CHAP. VII The Author has been in some debate within himself, whether he should insert or not, as he is conscious it will be little relish'd by the fashionable genteel part of his readers; – and what is still worse, can afford neither much entertainment, nor much improvement to the others
- CHAP. VIII Wherein the wonderful power of beauty, when accompany'd with virtue, is display'd in a very remarkable, as well as affecting occurrence
- CHAP. IX Contains only a continuation of the same narrative, begun in the foregoing Chapter, and will not be concluded in this
- CHAP. X The catastrophe of this adventure cannot fail of exciting compassion in the breasts of my fair readers, and also afford much matter of speculation to those of the other sex
- BOOK VI
- BOOK VII
- BOOK VIII
- Editorial Notes
- Silent Corrections
Summary
There is something very unaccountable in an over-curious disposition; – it makes us eager, impatient, anxious, indefatigable, in prying into things which promise us not the least pleasure in the discovery of when known; – a reader who has not this propensity in his nature, will doubtless think, by what I said of lady Allmode in the fifth Chapter of this Book, that I had already seen enough of her behaviour to keep me from being desirous of seeing more; but this is judging according to the rules of right reason; whereas a person who neglects his own affairs, to find out the secrets of others with whom he has no concern, cannot be supposed to have any.
But as every one is willing to find some excuse or other, even for the silliest things he can be guilty of; and according to the vulgar phrase, put pillows under his elbows; so I thought that in being a spectator of lady Allmode's conduct in her own family, and the manner in which she train'd up her daughter, something might present itself to me that would more than compensate for the time I should expend in going to her house.
How far the public may be of my opinion in this point must be left to the determination of hereafter; for the humour of the present age is so fluctuating and uncertain, that it is an utter impossibility to foresee either what will please or what offend, – as a poet of many centuries ago expresses himself on a parallel occasion:
– Inconstant still and various,
There's no to-morrow in us like today;
This hour we are cloudy, sullen and severe;
The next, with madding mirth disturb the air.
But all this is foreign to the purpose, and therefore impertinent; – it is enough to say that I went, without repeating the motive that induced me to it; – I shall therefore add no more, but proceed to the success of my visit.
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- The Invisible Spyby Eliza Haywood, pp. 274 - 282Publisher: Pickering & ChattoFirst published in: 2014