Harriot, in the role of the coquette, is able to manipulate the men around her and make them do her bidding, fulfill her desires, and act in her interest and under her power. The vanity of the coquette places her own self at the center of the universe, the object of all eyes. As Harriot writes of the coquette's charms, "Nought can the wretched gazer save, / Or rescue his devoted heart." (Harriot 181) Harriot is not alone in her vanity, however. Her time in New York proves that the male counterpart to the coquette can be just as capable of capturing eyes and exercising the power that comes from being the object of all gazes. As much power as this language of coquetry, of Sensibility and Romance, may get Harriot, it also works against her in the hands of a male coquette, Belmein, who captures her gaze. He attempts through his own vanity and the language of the coquette, to manipulate Harriot into an illicit relationship. When she does not immediately fall in with his plans, Belmein is "amazed at so determined an opposition from a young girl, of whose affections he thought himself absolute master." (Harriot 108) It is only her recognition of his role-playing--and her willingness and ability to play along--which preserves her virtue.

As a leader of the New York romantic set, Belmein has mastered the language of courtship and uses it to his own ends, making victims of the many women who, like Maria, will "grant very blameable favours, for the sake of hearing the language of love." (Harriot 227) Having faked a headache to gain admittance to Harriot's carriage, Belmein is surprised when she later inquires after its quick disappearance, "What a question that is! said he, (laughing) Gone! why it was only a pretence to be near you." (Harriot 84) For Belmein, and the rest of New York, the language of courtship is merely a tool, not to be taken seriously. When he realizes Harriot's sincere investment in this language he is quick to hide his cynical use of it. Belmein begs forgiveness of his "innocent stratagem" and immediately launches into a monologue of dramatic gallantry. (Harriot 84) He would "suffer a thousand deaths rather than cause [Harriot] the least uneasiness." (Harriot 85)

Harriot is confused by Belmein. She does not "know whether I ought to believe you, or not" but acknowledges that "if you are really sincere, I am obliged to you..." (Harriot 85) By staying within the bounds of courtship, Belmein denies Harriot the overt objections she uses with the captain and the tutor. Her "esteem, for Capt. Belmein was founded upon the delicacy of his sentiments, and the sincere and honourable passion he profest." (Harriot 89) When her brother tells her of Belmein's tradition of manipulating these same sentiments for his own sport, Harriot vows that "if he has impos'd upon my credulity, I know how to despise and hate him, as much as ever I loved him." (Harriot 89) Knowing that his father will not approve any marriage, Belmein is safe to play with the language of courtship and emerge unscathed. Belmein laughs at "romantic honour" and the very tenants by which Harriot exists. (Harriot 94)

The seduction scene, with its parody of Clarissa's, exemplifies this manipulation of events by language. Belmein relies on Harriot's adherence to the code of sensibility, as does Matilda's lover in A Simple Story. Holding the knife to his own throat, Belmein, "master of every tender and ensuring art," takes the feminine role of passivity in order to control the situation. (Harriot 110) Harriot, however, is now aware of Belmein's duplicity and "the softest language that ever love inspired, attended with all the moving rhetoric of sighs and tears, had now, such was the pride of virtue, lost the power of moving me." (Harriot 110) She recognizes, after her shock has passed, that these supposedly suicidal tendencies are "only a stratagem of the designing Belmein." (Harriot 110) Later Harriot is able to see beneath Belmein's facade that he is "meditating some stratagem to ensnare me." (Harriot 111)

Harriot is freed from the necessity of acting within the bounds of courtship by Belmein's lack of sincerity. Since he does not act honourably, then she is under no obligation to do so. "Tho' my heart laboured with the blackest suspicions, yet my delicacy suggested a behaviour that argued the utmost confidence in his promises" (Harriot 111) Able to act as duplicity as Belmein and "put on the submissive lover" as he does, Harriot secretly plans her escape while stringing him along with promises to reconsider his indecent proposal of a pretend marriage. (Harriot 113) When confronted with "base and designing Belmein" Harriot is aware that it is on "dissimulation alone" that she can rely. (Harriot 112)

The same is not true when Harriot faces the same potential loss of virtue in her encounters with the captain. In the case of the captain, his avowed intentions lie well outside the accepted bounds of courtship. Since his language precludes him from the role of legitimate suitor, Harriot is under no obligation to treat him as such. When faced with the same question--can she let him die without her--she answers swiftly and without any trace of sentiment. When stripped of the passivity required by her role within the culture of courtship, Harriot is direct and forceful. The same is also true of Harriot's encounter with the Countess' tutor. When he forces her into the room and locks the door she does not hesitate to scream for help.

Both of these episodes stand out in the novel as the only instances in which Harriot engages in physical activity. Even her screams are unusual. Throughout the remainder of the Life Harriot is consistently struck dumb by events and the actions of others. Even in her escape from Belmein she once more reverts to fainting when encountering the doctor, yet another suitor, in disguise. He will now take over her defense and she can once again collapse into passivity.

It is only Harriot's awareness of Belmein's duplicity which allows her to plot and then carryout her escape in the first place. Since he remains within the bounds of sensibility, so must she. Yet both merely play a game with the other. In her encounter with Belmein Harriot explicitly manipulates the language of courtship.

Where Harriot demonstrates the ability to manipulate the male gaze and language of courtship as tools of her own power, she herself is not immune to such manipulation. Belmein, for one, turns the language of courtship against her in order to control her behavior and emotions. It is only when Harriot recognizes his lack of sincerity that she too is able to dissemble. Unlike Belmein, Dumont never reveals anything but the utmost conviction in his claims to sensibility--locking Harriot even more strongly within the bounds of courtship. Most importantly, however, Dumont captures Harriot's gaze--as she does his--and shakes her from her pillar of vain, self-centered detachment.

Throughout the bulk of the book, Harriot relies on her vanity--her position as object to the male gaze--to not only gain control over her male companions, but also to keep her own emotions safe from involvement. Even Dumont initially arouses only Harriot's vanity and desire to exercise her power over male emotions. By capturing his gaze, she arouses her own vanity and it is only there that she is engaged. Her own passions are never involved.

This is Harriot's modus operandi with all her suitors. She glories in playing with their emotions and apologizes for any displays of her own. Harriot's vanity and manipulation of the male gaze are possible because of her insensibility and lack of sympathy for the men whom she would cause pain. Frequently she laments her own ability to not only cause, but rejoice in the pain of the men who attempt to love her. It is precisely this lack of emotion, however, which keeps her free. Belmein, with his dramatic threat of suicide, takes the first step toward arousing her sympathy. He has captured her gaze and her emotions are somewhat involved. This is decidedly different than Harriot's response to the captain to whom she proclaims the protection of her insensibility. His attempt is much less successful.

Like Belmein, Dumont strikes a dashing romantic figure and Harriot's eyes are draw increasingly to him. Both men are from New York, which holds special significance for Lennox as a site mired in the language of courtship. Here women "are extremely susceptible of love; and the graceful form of Dumont had captivated a great number of hearts." (Harriot 70) Once Dumont captures Harriot's gaze, her emotions are no longer free. Again and again she is drawn in and finds herself watching his "every look and action." (Harriot 81) Dumont never makes the mistakes of Belmein, who Harriot claims has "abused the tenderness [she] had for him," and whose "unjustifiable action has so entirely effaced that tenderness" that she only feels "aversion." (Harriot 105) Although she tries to place herself back into the center of her thoughts and actions, the image of Dumont is firmly fixed in her affections.

At their first meeting, Dumont's physical appearance immediately draws Harriot's gaze. "His whole person was one continued charm...it was impossible to look on him, and not feel something more than bare admiration. My eyes, by an involuntary motion, were often turned upon his face." (Harriot 68-9) Often the glances are mutual. As Dumont's "eyes were riveted upon my face," so does "the sight of this lovely youth" affect Harriot greatly. (Harriot 121) These languishing looks merely spark Harriot's vanity. The emotion she feels at seeing Dumont, she blames on the fact that "my vanity immediately considered myself as the cause of that tender melancholy I observed in his looks." (Harriot 121)

Harriot realizes, however, that "Dumont was too dangerously lovely to make it safe to trifle with his affection." (Harriot 122) While she is never "insensible to the pleasure of being admired," Harriot takes great pains in avoiding Dumont after being cautioned of his unsuitability by her father. (Harriot 125) Making certain "that Dumont had never any opportunity of seeing me," Harriot attempts to avoid a romantic entanglement. (Harriot 124) At the same time, however, she revels in the "opportunity of triumphing in a passion I was at liberty to dissemble the knowledge of." (Harriot 123) No matter how greatly Harriot wishes to conceal her growing passion for Dumont, "Thy eyes are honest, and reveal / The native warmth thy arts conceal." (Harriot 125)

"I began to lose insensibly my indifference with regard to Dumont. I could not behold, without a secret pleasure, the silent passion which consumed him, and of which I knew myself the cause. I blushed when I met his tender glances; my eyes insensibly fixed themselves on his lovely face; I sighed by sympathy whenever he did...but, in the false security I then lived, I attributed all the emotions with which my heart was agitated, to a principle of self-love and vanity." (Harriot 126)