The Adventures of Roderick Random

Strap Confirms the Billet-Doux is from Miss Sparkle

Strap returns within an hour with joyful news: he saw the letter given to a chairman who carried it to a nearby rich gentleman’s house, where a waiting-woman received it. At an alehouse, Strap learned that the gentleman had an only daughter, very handsome, who would inherit his whole estate—the author of the billet. The narrator dresses and passes the house in great state, perceiving a beautiful young creature at the window who observes him with more than common curiosity. He congratulates himself on having made a conquest of such perfection. Early next day, he receives another epistle from his unknown admirer, expressing joy at his response and satisfaction that he values her understanding over external beauty. She promises an interview once satisfied of his honorable intentions and mentions her fortune is independent, being her own without restriction. Strap renews his watch and confirms Miss Sparkle is indeed the correspondent, shut the casement in beautiful confusion upon seeing the messenger arrive.

Romantic Courtship Correspondence with the Incognita

The narrator composes response after response, launching into encomiums on the dignity of her sentiments, affecting to undervalue external charms and ground his passion on the qualities of her mind. He complains of her rigour in sacrificing his repose to decorum and declares the purity of his designs in solemn vows. A third billet arrives containing expressions of tenderness mixed with affecting doubts about man’s artifice and youth’s inconstancy, desiring to try him a little longer before declaring herself. These interesting scruples add fuel to his flame, and he presses her to an assignation with such fervent entreaties that she consents to meet him at the milliner’s house. During the interval, his pride soars beyond all reason; he loses all remembrance of gentle Narcissa and plans triumphs over the world’s malice.