About three o'clock
She may be a good sort of woman : Mrs. Lovick says she is : but SELF is an odious devil , that reconciles to some people the most cruel and dishonest actions . But , nevertheless , it is my opinion , that those who can suffer themselves to take advantage of the necessities of their fellow-creatures , in order to buy any thing at a less rate than would allow them the legal interest of their purchase-money -LRB- supposing they purchase before they want -RRB- are no better than robbers for the difference . -- To plunder a wreck , and to rob at a fire , are indeed higher degrees of wickedness : but do not those , as well as these , heighten the distresses of the distressed , and heap misery on the miserable , whom it is the duty of every one to relieve ? About three o'clock I went again to Smith 's . The lady was writing when I sent up my name ; but admitted of my visit . I saw a miserable alteration in her countenance for the worse ; and Mrs. Lovick respectfully accusing her of too great assiduity to her pen , early and late , and of her abstinence the day before , I took notice of the alteration ; and told her , that her physician had greater hopes of her than she had of herself ; and I would take the liberty to say , that despair of recovery allowed not room for cure . She said she neither despaired nor hoped .