I liked the man well enough, but he was too cold, and shy, and self-contained, to obtain my cordial sympathies.

A spirit of candour and frankness, when wholly unaccompanied with coarseness, he admired in others, but he could not acquire it himself.

His excessive reserve upon all his own concerns was, indeed, provoking and chilly enough; but I forgave it, from a conviction that it originated less in pride and want of confidence in his friends, than in a certain morbid feeling of delicacy, and a peculiar diffidence, that he was sensible of, but wanted energy to overcome.

His heart was like a sensitive plant, that opens for a moment in the sunshine, but curls up and shrinks into itself at the slightest touch of the finger, or the lightest breath of wind.

And, upon the whole, our intimacy was rather a mutual predilection than a deep and solid friendship, such as has since arisen between myself and you, Halford, whom, in spite of your occasional crustiness, I can liken to nothing so well as an old coat, unimpeachable in texture, but easy and loose--that has conformed itself to the shape of the wearer, and which he may use as he pleases, without being bothered with the fear of spoiling it;--whereas Mr.Lawrence was like a new garment, all very neat and trim to look at, but so tight in the elbows, that you would fear to split the seams by the unrestricted motion of your arms, and so smooth and fine in surface that you scruple to expose it to a single drop of rain.
Soon after the arrival of the guests, my mother mentioned Mrs.Graham, regretted she was not there to meet them, and explained to the Millwards and Wilsons the reasons she had given for neglecting to return their calls, hoping they would excuse her, as she was sure she did not mean to be uncivil, and would be glad to see them at any time.--'But she is a very singular lady, Mr.Lawrence,' added she; 'we don't know what to make of her--but I daresay you can tell us something about her, for she is your tenant, you know,--and she said she knew you a little.' All eyes were turned to Mr.Lawrence.