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Jane Austen's Juvenilia · Jane Austen's Juvenilia

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  To Madame la Comtesse de Foyede. This novel is inscribed by her obliged,
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  humble servant, the author deceived in friendship and betrayed in love. Letter the
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  first from Isabel to Laura. How often, in answer to my repeated entreaties
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  that you would give my daughter a regular detail of the misfortunes and adventures of
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  your life, have you said no, my friend? Never will I comply
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  with your request till I may be no longer in danger of again experiencing such
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  dreadful ones. Surely that time is now at hand. You are this day
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  fifty five. If a woman may ever be said to be in safety from
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  the determined perseverance of disagreeable lovers and the cruel persecutions of obstinate fathers, surely
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  it must be at such a time of life, Isabel letter second Laura to
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  Isabel. Although I cannot agree with you in supposing that I shall never again
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  be exposed to misfortunes as unmerited as those I have already experienced, yet to
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  avoid the imputation of obstinacy or ill nature, I will gratify the curiosity of
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  your daughter, and may the fortitude with which I have suffered. The many
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  afflictions of my past life prove to her a useful lesson for the support of
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  those which may befall her in her own Laura letter Third Laura to Marianne,
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  As the daughter of my most intimate friend, I think you entitled to that
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  knowledge of my unhappy story which your mother has so often solicited me to give
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  you. My father was a native of Ireland and an inhabitant of Wales.
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  My mother was the natural daughter of a Scotch peer by an Italian opera girl.
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  I was born in Spain and received my education at a convent in France.
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  When I had reached my eighteenth year, I was recalled by my parents
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  to my paternal roof in Wales. Our mansion was situated in one of the
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  most romantic parts of the Vale of Usk. Though my charms are now considerably
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  softened and somewhat impaired by the misfortunes I have undergone, I was once beautiful,
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  but lovely as I was, the graces of my person were the least
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  of my perfections. Of every accomplishment accustomary to my sex, I was mistress
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  when in the convent. My progress had always exceeded my instructions. My acquirements
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  had been wonderful for my age, and I had shortly surpassed my master's.
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  In my mind, every virtue that could adorn it was centered. It was
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  the rendezvous of every good quality, and of every noble sentiment, a sensibility
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  too tremblingly alive. To every affliction of my friends, my acquaintance, and
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  particularly to every affliction of my own, was my only fault, if it
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  could be called alas how altered now, though indeed my own misfortunes do not
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  make less impression on me than they ever did. Yet now I never feel
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  for those of another. My accomplishments too begin to fade. I can neither
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  sing so well nor dance so gracefully as I once did, And I have
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  entirely forgot the minuet de la cour adieu. Laura let her forth, Laura
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  to Marianne. Our neighborhood was small, for it consisted only of your mother.
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  She may probably have already told you that, being left by her parents
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  in indigent circumstances, she had retired into Wales and economical motives. There it
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  was our friendship first commenced. Isabel was then one and twenty. Though pleasing
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  both in her person and manners between ourselves, she never possessed the hundredth part
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  of my beauty orcomplishments. Isabel had seen the world. She had passed two
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  years at one of the first boarding schools in London, had spent a fortnight
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  in Bath, and had supped one night in Southampton. Beware, my Laura,
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  she would often say, Beware of the insipid vanities and idle dissipations of
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  the metropolis of England. Beware of the unmeaning luxuries of Bath, and of
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  the stinking fish of Southampton. Alas exclaimed I, how am I to avoid
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  those evils? I shall never be exposed to? What probability is there of
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  my ever tasting the dissipations of London, the luxuries of Bath, or the
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  stinking fish of Southampton? I who am doomed to waste my days of youth
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  and beauty in an humble cottage in the Vale of usk Ah. Little did
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  I then think I was ordained so soon to quit that humble cottage for the
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  deceitful pleasures of the world. Adieu, Laura. Letter fifth Laura to Mary
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  Anne one evening in December, as my father, my mother, and myself
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  were arranged in social converse round our fireside. We were on a sudden greatly
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  astonished by hearing a violent knocking on the outward door of our rustic cot.
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  My father started, What noise is that? Said he? It sounds like
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  a loud rapping at the door, replied my mother. It does, indeed,
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  cried I. I am of your opinion, said my father. It
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  certainly does appear to proceed from some uncommon violence exerted against our unoffended door.
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  Yes, exclaimed I. I cannot help thinking it must be somebody who knocks
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  for admittance. That is another point, replied he. We must not pretend
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  to determine on what motive the person may knock. Though that some one does
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  rap at the door, I am partly convinced. Here a second tremendous rap,
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  interrupted my father in his speech, and somewhat alarmed my mother and me.
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  Had we better not go and see who it is? Said she.
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  The servants are out, I think we had, replied I certainly, added
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  my father. By all means, shall we go now? Said my mother?
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  The sooner the better, answered he. Oh, let no time be
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  lost, cried I. A third more violent rap than ever assaulted our ears.
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  I am certain there is somebody knocking at the door, said my mother.
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  I think there must, replied my father. I fancy the servants are
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  returned, said I. I think I hear Mary going to the door.
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  I am glad of it, cried my father, for I long to know
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  who it is. I was right in my conjecture, for Mary, instantly
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  entering the room, informed us that a young gentleman and his servant were at
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  the door, who had long lost their way, were very cold, and
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  begged leave to warm themselves by our fire. Won't you admit them? Said
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  I. You have no objection, my dear, said my father. None
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  in the world, replied my mother. Mary, without waiting for any further
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  commands, immediately left the room and quickly returned, introducing the most beauteous and
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  amiable youth I had ever beheld the servants. She kept to herself. My
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  natural sensibility had already been greatly affected by the sufferings of the unfortunate stranger,
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  and no sooner did I first behold him than I felt that on him the
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  happiness or misery of my future life must depend. Adieu Laura, Letter sixth
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  Laura to mary Anne. The noble youth informed us that his name was Lindsey.
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  For particular reasons. However, I shall conceal it under that of Talbot.
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  He told us that he was the son of an English baronet, that
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  his mother had been for many years no more, and that he had a
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  sister of the middle size. My father, he continued, is a mean
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  and mercenary wretch. It is only to such particular friends as this dear party,
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  that I would thus betray his failings. Your virtues, my amiable pollidor,
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  addressing himself to my father, yours, dear Claudia, and yours,
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  my charming Laura, call on me to reposing you my confidence. We bowed
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  my father, seduced by the false glare of fortune and the deluding pomp of
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  title, insisted on giving my hand to Lady Dorothea. No, never exclaimed
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  I. Lady Dorothea is lovely and engaging. I prefer no woman to her.
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  But know, sir, that I scorn to marry her in compliance with
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  your wishes. No, never shall it be said that I obliged my father.
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  We all admired the noble manliness of his reply. He continued, Sir,
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  Edward was surprised he had perhaps little expected to meet with so spirited an
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  opposition to his will. Where Edward, in the name of Wonder, said
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  he did you pick up this unmeaning gibberish you have been studying novels? I
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  suspect, I scorned to answer, it would have been beneath my dignity.
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  I mounted my horse, and, followed by my faithful Williams, set forth
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  for my aunt's. My father's house is situated in Bedfordshire, my aunt's in
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  Middlesex. And though I flatter myself with being a tolerable proficient in geography,
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  I know not how it happened. But I found myself entering this beautiful vale,
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  which I find as in South Wales, when I had expected to have
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  reached my aunt's, after having wandered some time in the banks of the usk,
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  without knowing which way to go. Oh, I began to lament my
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  cruel destiny in the bitterest and most pathetic manner. It was now perfectly dark.
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  Not a single star was there to direct my steps, And I know
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  not what might have befallen me had I not at length discerned through the solemn
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  gloom that surrounded me a distant light, which, as I approached it I
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  discovered to be the cheerful blaze of your fire. Impelled by the combination of
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  misfortunes under which I labored, namely fear, cold and hunger, I hesitated
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  not to ask admittance, which at length I have gained. And now my
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  adorable Laura continued, he taking my hand. When may I hope to receive
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  that reward of all the painful sufferings I have undergone during the course of my
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  attachment to you, to which I have ever aspired? Oh? When will
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  you reward me with yourself? This instant, dear and amiable Edward replied I.
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  We were immediately united by my father, who, though he had never
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  taken orders, had been bred to the church. Adieu, Laura, Letter
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  seventh Laura to Marianne. We remained but a few days after our marriage in
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  the Vale of Usk. After taking an affecting farewell of my father, my
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  mother and my Isabel, I accompanied Edward to his aunts in Middlesex. Philippa
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  received us both with every expression of affectionate love. My arrival was indeed a
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  most agreeable surprise to her, as she had not only been totally ignorant of
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  my marriage with her nephew, but had never even had the slightest idea of
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  there being such a person in the world. Augusta, the sister of Edward,
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  was on a visit to her. When we arrived, I found her
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  exactly what her brother had described her to be, of the middle size.
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  She was received me with equal surprise, though not with equal cordiality as Philippa.
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  There was a disagreeable coldness and forbidding reserve in her reception of me,
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  which was equally distressing and unexpected. None of that interesting sensibility or amiable sympathy
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  in her manners and addressed to me when we first met, which should have
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  distinguished our introduction to each other. Her language was neither warm nor affectionate.
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  Her expressions of regard were neither animated nor cordial. Her arms were not opened
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  to receive me to her heart, though my own were extended to press her
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  to mine. A short conversation between Augusta and her brother, which I accidentally
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  overheard, increased my dislike to her and convinced me that her heart was no
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  more formed for the soft ties of love than for the endearing intercourse of friendship.
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  But do you think that my father will ever be reconciled to this imprudent
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  connection, said Augusta. Augusta replied the noble youth, I thought you had
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  a better opinion of me than to imagine I would so abjectly degrade myself as
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  to consider my father's concurrence in any of my affairs, either of consequence or
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  concern to me. Tell me, Augusta, with sincerity, did you ever
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  know me consult his inclinations or follow his advice in the least trifling particular since
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  the age of fifteen? Edward replied she you are surely too diffident in your
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  own praise since you were fifteen, only, my dear brother, since you
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  were five years old, I entirely acquit you of ever having willingly contributed to
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  the satisfaction of your father. But still I am not without apprehensions of your
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  being shortly obliged to degrade yourself in your own eyes by seeking a support for
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  your wife in the generosity of Sir Edward. Never, never, Augusta,
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  will I so demean myself, said Edward. Support. What support will Laura
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  want which she can receive from him? Only those very insignificant ones of victuals
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  and drink, answered she. Victuals and drink, replied my husband, in
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  a most nobly contemptuous manner. And dost thou then imagine that there is no
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  other support for an exalted mind such as is my Laura's than the mean and
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  indelicate employment of eating and drinking, None that I know of so efficacious,
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  returned Augusta. And did you then never feel the pleasing pangs of love?
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  Augusta replied my Edward. Does it appear impossible to your vile and corrupted palate
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  to exist on love? Can you not conceive the luxury of living in every
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  distress that poverty can inflict with the object of your tenderest affection? You are
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  too ridiculous, said Augusta to argue with Perhaps, however, you may in
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  time be convinced that Here I was prevented from hearing the remainder of her speech
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  by the appearance of a very handsome young woman, who was ushered into the
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  room at the door of which I had been listening. On hearing her announced
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  by the name of Lady Dorothea, I instantly quitted my post and followed her
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  into the parlor for I well remembered that she was the lady proposed as a
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  wife for my Edward by the cruel and unrelenting Baronet. Although Lady Dorothea's visit
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  was nominally to Philippa and Augusta, yet I have some reason to imagine that
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  acquainted with the marriage and arrival of Edward to see me was a principal motive
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  to it. I soon perceived that though lovely and elegant in her person,
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  and though easy and polite in her address, she was of that inferior order
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  of beings with regard to delicate feeling, tender sentiments, and refined sensibility,
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  of which Augusta was one. She stayed but half an hour, and neither,
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  in the course of her visit, confided to me any of her secret
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  thoughts, nor request me to confide in her any of mine. You will
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  easily imagine, therefore, my dear mary Anne, that I could not feel
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  any ardent, affection or very sincere attachment for Lady Dorothea. Adieu, Laura
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  letter eighth Laura to Mary Anne. In continuation, Lady Dorothea had not left
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  us long before another visitor, as unexpected a one as her ladyship was announced.
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  It was Sir Edward, who, informed by Augusta of her brother's marriage,
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  came doubtless to reproach him for having dared to unite himself to me without
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  his knowledge. But Edward, foreseeing his design, approached him with heroic fortitude
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  as soon as he entered the room, and addressed him in the following manner,
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  Sir Edward, I know the motive of your journey. Here. You
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  come with the base design of reproaching me for having entered into an indissoluble engagement
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  with my Laura without your consent. But Sir, I glory in the act.
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  It is my greatest boast that I have incurred the displeasure of my father.
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  So saying, he took my hand, and, whilst Sir Edward,
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  Philippa and Augusta were doubtless reflecting with admiration on his undaunted bravery, led me
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  from the parlor to his father's carriage, which yet remained at the door,
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  and in which we were instantly conveyed from the pursuit of Sir Edward. The
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  Postilions had at first received orders only to take the London Road. As soon
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  as we had sufficiently reflected However, we ordered them to drive to m the
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  seat of Edward's most particular friend, which was but a few miles distant.
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  At m we arrived in a few hours, and on sending in our names,
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  were immediately admitted to Sophia, the wife of Edward's friend, after having
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  been deprived during the course of three weeks of a real friend. For such
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  I term your mother, imagine my transports and beholding one most truly worthy of
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  the name. Sophia was rather above the middle size, most elegantly formed a
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  soft languor spread over her lovely features, but increased their beauty. It was
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  the characteristic of her mind. She was all sensibility and feeling. We flew
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  into each other's arms, and, after having exchanged vows of mutual friendship for
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  the rest of our lives, instantly unfolded to each other the most inward secrets
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  of our hearts. We were interrupted in the delightful employment by the entrance of
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  Augustus, Edward's friend, who was just returned from a solitary ramble. Never
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  did I see such an affecting scene as was the meeting of Edward and Augustus.
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  My life, my soul, exclaimed the former, My adorable angel,
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  replied the latter, as they flew into each other's arms. It was too
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  pathetic for the feelings of Sophia and myself. We fainted alternately on a sofa.
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  Adieu Laura. Letter the ninth from the same to the same. Towards
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  the close of the day, we received the following letter from Philippa. Sir
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  Edward is greatly incensed by your abrupt departure. He has taken back Augusta to
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  Bedfordshire. Much as I wish to enjoy again your charming society, I cannot
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  determine to snatch you from that of such dear and deserving friends. When your
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  visit to them is terminated, I trust you will return to the arms of
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  your Philippa. We returned a suitable answer to this affectionate note, and,
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  after thanking her for her kind invitation, assured her that we would certainly avail
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  ourselves of it whenever we might have no other place to go to. Though
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  certainly nothing could to any reasonable being have appeared more satisfactory than so grateful a
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  reply to her invitation. Yet I know not how it was, but she
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  was certainly capricious enough to be displeased with our behavior, and in a few
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  weeks after, either to revenge our conduct or relieve her own solitude, married
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  a young and illiterate fortune hunter. This imprudent step, though we were sensible
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  that it would probably deprive us of that fortune which Philippa had ever taught us
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  to expect, could not, on our own accounts, excite from our exalted
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  minds a single sigh. Yet fearful lest it might prove a source of endless
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  misery to the deluded bride, our trembling sensibility was greatly affected when we were
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  first informed of the event. The affectionate entreaties of Augustus and Sophia that we
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  would forever consider their house as our home easily prevailed on us to determine never
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  more to leave them in the society of my edward. In this amiable pair
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  I passed the happiest moments of my life. Our time was most delightfully spent
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  in mutual protestations of friendship and in vows of unalterable love, in which we
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  were secure from being interrupted by intruding and disagreeable visitors, as Augustus and Sophia
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  had on their first entrance in the neighborhood taken due care to inform the surrounding
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  families that, as their happiness centered wholly in themselves, they wished for no
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  other society. But alas my dear Marianne, such happiness, as I then
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  enjoyed, was too perfect to be lasting. A most severe and unexpected blow
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  at once destroyed every sensation of pleasure. Convinced, as you must be from
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  what I have already told you concerning Augustus and Sophia, that there never were
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  a happier couple, I need not, I imagine, inform you that their
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  union had been contrary to the inclinations of their cruel and mercenary parents, who
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  had vainly endeavored, with obstinate perseverance to force them into a marriage with those
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  whom they had ever abhorred. But with a heroic fortitude worthy to be related
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  and admired, they had both constantly refused to submit to such despise power.
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  After having so nobly disentangled themselves from the shackles of parental authority by a clandestine
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  marriage, they were determined never to forfeit the good opinion they had gained in
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  the world in so doing, by accepting any proposals of reconciliation that might be
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  offered them by their fathers to this farther trial of their noble independence. However,
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  they never were exposed. They had been married but a few months when
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  our visit to them commenced, during which time they had been amply supported by
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  a considerable sum of money, which Augustus had gracefully purloined from his unworthy father's
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  escritoire. A few days before his union with Sophia. By our arrival,
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  their expenses were considerably increased, though their means for supplying them were then nearly
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  exhausted. But they exalted creatures, scorned to reflect a moment on their pecuniary
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  distresses, and would have blushed at the idea of paying their debts. Alas
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  what was their reward for such disinterested behavior. The beautiful Augustus was arrested,
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  and we were all undone. Such perfidious treachery in the merciless perpetrators of the
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  deed will shock your gentle nature, dearest Marianne, as much as it then
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  affected the delicate sensibility of Edward, Sophia, your Laura, and of Augustus
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  himself. To complete such unparalleled barbarity we were informed that an execution in the
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  house would shortly take place. Ah, what could we do? But what
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  we did? We sighed and fainted on the sofa. Adieu, Laura.
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  End of Section one, Letter ten Laura. In continuation, When we were
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  somewhat recovered from the overpowering effusions of our grief, Edward desired that we would
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  consider what was the most prudent step to be taken in our unhappy situation.
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  While he repaired to his imprisoned friend to lament over his misfortunes. We promised
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  that we would, and he set forwards on his journey to town. During
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  his absence, we faithfully complied with his desire, and, after the most
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  mature deliberation, at length agreed that the best thing we could do was to
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  leave the house of which we every moment expected the officers of justice to take
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  possession. We waited, therefore, with the greatest impatience for the return of
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  Edward, in order to impart to him the result of our deliberations. But
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  no Edward appeared in vain? Did we count the tedious moments of his absence
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  in vain? Did we weep in vain? Even did we sigh? No?
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  Edward returned. This was too cruel, too unexpected, a blow to
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  our gentle sensibility. We could not support it. We could only faint at
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  length, collecting all the resolution I was mistress of. I arose, and
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  after packing up some necessary apparel for Sophia and myself, I dragged her to
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  a carriage I had ordered, and we instantly set out for London. As
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  the habitation of Augustus was within twelve miles of town. It was not long
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  ere we arrived there, and no sooner had we entered Holbin than letting down
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  one of the front glasses. I inquired of every decent looking person that we
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  passed if they had seen my Edward. But as we drove too rapidly to
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  allow them to answer my repeated enquiries, I gained little, or indeed no
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  information concerning him. Where am I to drive, said the postilion, to
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  Newgate? Gentle youth, replied, I to see Augustus. Oh no,
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  no, exclaimed Sophia. I cannot go to Newgate. I shall not be
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  able to support the sight of my Augustus in so cruel a confinement. My
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  feelings are sufficiently shocked by the recital of his distress but to behold it will
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  overpower my sensibility. As I perfectly agreed with her in the justice of her
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  sentiments, the postilion was instantly directed to return into the country. You may
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  perhaps have been somewhat surprised, my dearest Marianne, that in the distress I
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  then endured, destitute of any support and unprovided with any habitation, I should
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  never once have remembered my father and mother, or my paternal cottage in the
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  Vale of Usk. To account for the seeming forgetfulness, I must inform you
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  of a trifling circumstance concerning them, which I have as yet never mentioned.
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  The death of my parents a few weeks after my departure is the circumstance I
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  allude to. By their decease, I became the lawful inheritance of their house
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  and fortune, but alas the house had never been their own, and their
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  fortune had only been an annuity in their own lives. Such is the depravity
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  of the world to your mother. I should have returned with pleasure, should
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  have been happy to have introduced to her my charming Sophia, and should with
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  cheerfulness, have passed the remainder of my life in their dear society in the
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  Vale of Usk had not one obstacle to the execution of so agreeable a scheme
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  intervened, which was the marriage and removal of your mother to a distant part
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  of Ireland. Adieu, Laura, Letter eleventh Laura, in continuation, I
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  have a relation in Scotland, said Sophia to me, as we left London,
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  who I am certain would not hesitate in receiving me. Shall I order
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  the boy to drive there? Said I, But instantly recollecting myself, exclaimed,
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  alas I fear it will be too long a journey for the horses.
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  Unwilling, however, to act only from my own inadequate knowledge of the strength
• 27:47
  and abilities of horses, I consulted the postilion, who was entirely of my
• 27:52
  opinion concerning the affair. We therefore determined to change horses at the next town,
• 27:57
  and to travel post the remainder of the journey. When we arrived at
• 28:02
  the last inn we were to stop at, which was but a few miles
• 28:06
  from the house of Sophia's relation. Unwilling to intrude our society on him,
• 28:10
  unexpected and unthought of, we wrote a very elegant and well penned note to
• 28:15
  him, containing an account of our destitute and melancholy situation, and of our
• 28:21
  intention to spend some months with him in Scotland. As soon as we had
• 28:25
  despatched this letter, we immediately prepared to follow it in person, and were
• 28:30
  stepping into the carriage for that purpose when our attention was attracted by the entrance
• 28:33
  of a coroneted coach and four into the inn yard. A gentleman considerably advanced
• 28:40
  in years, descended from it. At his first appearance, my sensibility was
• 28:44
  wonderfully affected, and ere I had gazed at him a second time, an
• 28:48
  instinctive sympathy whispered to my heart that he was my grandfather. Convinced that I
• 28:53
  could not be mistaken in my conjecture, I instantly sprang from the carriage I
• 28:57
  had just entered, and, following the venerable stranger into the room he had
• 29:03
  been shown to, I threw myself on my knees before him and besought him
• 29:07
  to acknowledge me as his grandchild. He started, and, having attentively examined
• 29:12
  my features, raised me from the ground, and, throwing his grandfatherly arms
• 29:18
  around my neck, exclaimed acknowledge. Thee yes dear resemblance of my Loreena and
• 29:23
  Lorena's daughter, sweet image of my Claudia and my Claudia's mother. I do
• 29:29
  acknowledge thee as the daughter of the one and the granddaughter of the other.
• 29:33
  While he was thus tenderly embracing me, Sophia, astonished at my precipitate departure,
• 29:40
  entered the room in search of me. No sooner had she caught the
• 29:44
  eye of the venerable peer than he exclaimed with every mark of astonishment, another
• 29:49
  granddaughter. Yes, yes, I see you are the daughter of my Loreena's
• 29:55
  eldest girl. Your resemblance to the beauteous Matilda sufficiently proclaims it. Oh,
• 30:00
  replied Sophia. When I first beheld you, the instinct of nature whispered me
• 30:06
  that we were in some degree related, But whether grandfathers or grandmother's I could
• 30:11
  not pretend to determine. He folded her in his arms, and whilst they
• 30:15
  were tenderly embracing, the door of the apartment opened, and a most beautiful
• 30:21
  young man appeared. On perceiving him, Lord Saint Clair started and retreating back
• 30:26
  a few paces with uplifted hands, said another grandchild, What an unexpected happiness
• 30:33
  is this to discover in the space of three minutes, as many of my
• 30:37
  descendants. This I am certain as Philander, the son of my Lorena's third
• 30:42
  girl, the amiable Bertha. There wants now but the presence of Gustavus to
• 30:48
  complete the union of my Lorena's grandchildren. And here he is, said a
• 30:52
  graceful youth, who that instant entered the room. Here is the Gustavus you
• 30:57
  desire to see. I am the son of Agatha, your Loreena's fourth and
• 31:02
  youngest daughter. I see you are, indeed, replied Lord Sainclair. But
• 31:07
  tell me, continued he, looking fearfully towards the door. Tell me have
• 31:12
  I any other grandchildren in the house? None, my lord, that I
• 31:18
  will provide for you all without farther delay. Here are four bank notes of
• 31:22
  fifty pounds each. Take them, and remember that I have done the duty
• 31:26
  of a grandfather. He instantly left the room, and immediately afterwards the house.
• 31:32
  Adieu, Laura letter the twelfth Laura. In continuation, you may imagine
• 31:41
  how greatly we were surprised by the sudden departure of Lord Sainclair. Ignoble grandsire,
• 31:47
  exclaimed Sophia. Unworthy grandfather said I, and instantly fainted in each other's
• 31:53
  arms. How long we remained in this situation I know not, But when
• 31:59
  we were covered, we found ourselves alone, without either Gustavus Philander or the
• 32:05
  bank notes. As we were deploring our unhappy fate, the door of the
• 32:09
  apartment opened and mac Donald was announced. He was Sophia's cousin. The haste
• 32:15
  with which he came to our relief so soon after the receipt of our note
• 32:19
  spoke so greatly in his favor that I hesitated not to pronounce him at first
• 32:23
  sight, a tender and sympathetic friend, alas he little deserved the name,
• 32:30
  for though he told us that he was much concerned at our misfortunes, yet
• 32:35
  by his own account it appeared that the perusal of them had neither drawn from
• 32:37
  him a single sigh nor induced him to bestow one curse on our vindictive stars.
• 32:45
  He told Sophia that his daughter depended on her returning with him to mc
• 32:47
  donald Hall, and that as his cousin's friend, he should be happy to
• 32:52
  see me there also to mc donald Hall. Therefore we went, and were
• 32:57
  received with great kindness by Jeanetta, the daughter of mac donald and the mistress
• 33:01
  of the mansion. Janetta was then only fifteen, naturally well disposed, endowed
• 33:08
  with a susceptible heart and a sympathetic disposition. She might, had these amiable
• 33:14
  qualities been properly encouraged, have been an ornament to human nature. But unfortunately
• 33:20
  her father possessed not a soul sufficiently exalted to admire so promising a disposition,
• 33:27
  and had endeavored by every means on his power to prevent it increasing with her
• 33:30
  years. He had actually so far extinguished the natural noble sensibility of her heart
• 33:37
  as to prevail on her to accept an offer from a young man of his
• 33:40
  recommendation. They were to be married in a few months, and Graham was
• 33:45
  in the house when we arrived. We soon saw through his character he was
• 33:51
  just such a man as one might have expected to be the choice of mac
• 33:54
  Donald. They said. He was sensible, well informed, and agreeable.
• 34:00
  We did not pretend to judge of such trifles. But as we were convinced
• 34:06
  he had no soul, that he had never read the sorrows of Verter,
• 34:09
  and that his hair bore not the least resemblance to auburn, we were certain
• 34:14
  that Janetta could feel no affection for him, or at least that she ought
• 34:19
  to feel none. The very circumstance of his being her father's choice, too,
• 34:23
  was so much in his disfavor that, had he been deserving her in
• 34:28
  every other respect, yet that of itself ought to have been a sufficient reason
• 34:32
  in the eyes of Janetta for rejecting him. These considerations we were determined to
• 34:38
  represent to her in their proper light, and doubted not of meeting with the
• 34:43
  desired success from one naturally so well disposed, whose errors in the affair had
• 34:47
  only arisen from a want of proper confidence in her own opinion and a suitable
• 34:52
  contempt of her father's. We found her indeed, all that our warmest wishes
• 34:57
  could have hoped for. We had no difficult culty to convince her that it
• 35:00
  was impossible she could love Graham, or that it was her duty to disobey
• 35:05
  her father. The only thing at which she rather seemed to hesitate was our
• 35:09
  assertion that she must be attached to some other person. For some time she
• 35:15
  persevered in declaring that she knew no other young man for whom she had the
• 35:19
  smallest affection, But upon explaining the impossibility of such a thing she said that
• 35:24
  she believed she did like Captain mc kenry better than any one she knew.
• 35:29
  Besides, this confession satisfied us, And after having enumerated the good qualities of
• 35:35
  mc kenry and assured her that she was violently in love with him, we
• 35:38
  desired to know whether he had ever in any wise declared his affection to her.
• 35:44
  So far from having ever declared it, I have no reason to imagine
• 35:47
  that he has ever felt any for me, said Janetta. That he certainly
• 35:52
  adores you, replied Sophia, there can be no doubt. The attachment must
• 35:57
  be preciprocal. Did he never gaze on you with admiration, tenderly press your
• 36:02
  hand, drop an involuntary tear, and leave the room abruptly? Never,
• 36:08
  replied she that I remember he has always left the room, indeed when his
• 36:14
  visit has been ended, but has never gone away, particularly abruptly or without
• 36:19
  making a bow. Indeed, my love, said I, you must be
• 36:23
  mistaken, for it is absolutely impossible that he should ever have left you.
• 36:28
  But with confusion, despair, and precipitation, consider but for a moment,
• 36:34
  Janetta, and you must be convinced how absurd it is to suppose that he
• 36:37
  could ever make a bow or behave like any other person. Having settled this
• 36:43
  point to our satisfaction, the next we took into consideration was to determine in
• 36:47
  what manner we should inform mc henry of the favorable opinion Janetta entertained of him.
• 36:53
  We at length agreed to acquaint him with it by an anonymous letter,
• 36:58
  which Sophia drew up in the following manner. Oh, happy lover of the
• 37:01
  beautiful Janetta, Oh, amiable possessor of her heart, whose hand is destined
• 37:07
  to another, why do you thus delay a confession of your attachment to the
• 37:12
  amiable object of it? Oh? Consider that a few weeks will at once
• 37:15
  put an end to every flattering hope that you may now entertain by uniting the
• 37:21
  unfortunate victim of her father's cruelty to the execrable and detested Graham. Alas,
• 37:28
  why do you thus so cruelly connive at the projected misery of her and of
• 37:31
  yourself? By delaying to communicate that scheme which had doubtless long possessed your imagination.
• 37:38
  A secret union will at once secure the felicity of both the amiable mc
• 37:45
  kenry, whose modesty is he afterwards assured us had been the only reason of
• 37:49
  his having so long concealed the violence of his affection for Janetta. On receiving
• 37:53
  this bill, it flew on the wings of love to mac donald Hall,
• 37:58
  and so powerfully pleaded his ad attachment to her, who inspired it that,
• 38:01
  after a few more private interviews, Sophia and I experienced the satisfaction of seeing
• 38:07
  them depart for Gretna Green, which they chose for the celebration of their nuptials
• 38:12
  in preference to any other place, although it was at a considerable distance from
• 38:16
  McDonald Hall. Adieu Laura Letter the thirteenth Laura in continuation, They had been
• 38:27
  gone nearly a couple of hours before either MacDonald or Graham had entertained any suspicion
• 38:30
  of the affair, and they might not even then have suspected it but for
• 38:36
  the following little accident. Sophia, happening one day to open a private drawer
• 38:40
  in MacDonald's library with one of her own keys, discovered that it was the
• 38:45
  place where he kept his papers of consequence, and amongst them some banknotes of
• 38:50
  considerable amount. This discovery she imparted to me, and, having agreed together
• 38:55
  that it would be a proper treatment of so vile a wretchus MacDonald, to
• 39:00
  deprive him of money, perhaps dishonestly gained. It was determined that the next
• 39:05
  time we should either of us happen to go that way, we would take
• 39:08
  one or more of the bank notes from the drawer. This well meant plan
• 39:13
  we had often successfully put in execution, but alas on the very day of
• 39:16
  Janetta's escape, as Sophia was majestically removing the fifth bank note from the drawer
• 39:22
  to her own purse, she was suddenly most impertinently interrupted in her employment by
• 39:28
  the entrance of mc donald himself in a most abrupt and precipitate manner. Sophia,
• 39:34
  who though naturally all winning sweetness, could, when occasions demanded at Caulforth
• 39:38
  the dignity of her sex, instantly put on a most forbidding look, and
• 39:44
  darting an angry frown on the undaunted culprit demanded in a haughty tone of voice.
• 39:49
  Wherefore her retirement was thus insolently broken in on the unblushing mac Donald,
• 39:54
  without even endeavoring to exculpate himself from the crime he was charged with, meanly
• 40:00
  endeavored to reproach Sophia with ignobly defrauding him of his money. The dignity of
• 40:06
  Sophia was wounded, wretch, exclaimed, she hastily replacing the bank note in
• 40:10
  the drawer. How darest thou to accuse me of an act of which the
• 40:15
  bare idea makes me blush? The base wretch was still unconvinced, and continued
• 40:21
  to upbraid the justly offended Sophia in such a probious language that at length he
• 40:25
  so greatly provoked the gentle sweetness of her nature as to induce her to revenge
• 40:30
  herself on him by informing him of Jeanetta's elopement and of the active part we
• 40:35
  had both taken in the affair at this period of their quarrel. I entered
• 40:39
  the library and was, as you may imagine, equally offended as Sophia at
• 40:45
  the ill grounded accusations of the malevolent and contemptible MacDonald. Base miscreant cried,
• 40:51
  I, how canst thou thus undauntedly endeavor to sully the spotless reputation of such
• 40:57
  bright excellence? Why dost thou not suspect my innocence? As soon be satisfied,
• 41:02
  madam replied he I do suspect it, and therefore must desire that you
• 41:07
  will both leave this house in less than half an hour. We shall go
• 41:13
  willingly, answered Sophia. Our hearts have long detested thee, and nothing but
• 41:17
  our friendship for thy daughter could have induced us to remain so long beneath thy
• 41:22
  roof. Your friendship, for my daughter has indeed been most powerfully exerted by
• 41:27
  throwing her into the arms of an unprincipled fortune Hunter replied he. Yes,
• 41:32
  exclaimed I amidst every misfortune. It will afford us some consolation to reflect that,
• 41:37
  by this one act of friendship did Janetta, we have amply discharged every
• 41:42
  obligation that we have received from her father. It must indeed be a most
• 41:46
  grateful reflection to your exalted minds, said he As soon as we had packed
• 41:52
  up our wardrobe and valuables, we left mac donald Hall, and after having
• 41:58
  walked about a mile and a half, we sate down by the side of
• 42:00
  a clear, limpid stream to refresh our exhausted limbs. The place was suited
• 42:06
  to meditation. A grove of full grown elms sheltered us from the east,
• 42:10
  a bed of full grown nettles from the west. Before us ran the Murmuring
• 42:15
  Brook, and behind us ran the turnpike road. We were in a mood
• 42:20
  for contemplation, and in a disposition to enjoy so beautiful a spot. A
• 42:25
  mutual silence which had for some time reigned between us, was at length broke
• 42:30
  by my exclaiming, what a lovely scene. Alas, why are not Edward
• 42:35
  and Augustus here to enjoy its beauties with us? Ah, my beloved Laura,
• 42:40
  cried Sophia, for pity's sake, forbear recalling to my remembrance the unhappy
• 42:45
  situation of my imprisoned husband. Alas, what would I not give to learn
• 42:51
  the fate of my Augustus, to know if he is still a newgate,
• 42:55
  or if he is yet hung? But never shall I be able so far
• 43:00
  to conquer my tender sensibility as to inquire after him. Oh, do not
• 43:05
  I beseech you ever let me again hear you repeat his beloved name. It
• 43:09
  affects me too deeply. I cannot bear to hear him mentioned. It wounds
• 43:14
  my feelings. Excuse me, my Sophia, for having thus unwillingly offended,
• 43:20
  you replied I, and then, changing the conversation, desired her to admire
• 43:25
  the noble grandeur of the elms which sheltered us from the eastern zephyr Alas.
• 43:30
  My Laura returned, she avoid so melancholy a subject I entreat you, do
• 43:37
  not again wound my sensibility by observations on those elms. They remind me of
• 43:43
  Augustus. He was like them, tall, majestic. He possessed that noble
• 43:50
  grandeur which you admire in them. I was silent, fearful lest I might
• 43:55
  any more unwillingly distress her by fixing on any other so conversation which might again
• 44:01
  remind her of Augustus. Why do you not speak, my Laura, said
• 44:07
  she, after a short pause. I cannot support this silence. You must
• 44:12
  not leave me to my own reflections. They ever recurred to Augustus. What
• 44:17
  a beautiful sky? Said I? How charmingly is the azure varied by those
• 44:22
  delicate streaks of white? Oh, my Laura replied, she hastily withdrawing her
• 44:29
  eyes from a momentary glance at the sky. Do not thus distress me by
• 44:34
  calling my attention to an object which so cruelly reminds me of my Augustus's blue
• 44:37
  satin waistcoat striped and white in pity to your unhappy friend. Avoid a subject
• 44:44
  so distressing. What could I do? The feelings of Sophia were at that
• 44:50
  time so exquisite, and the tenderness she felt for Augustus so poignant, that
• 44:54
  I had not power to start any other topic, justly fearing that it might,
• 45:00
  in some unforeseen manner again awaken all her sensibility by directing her thoughts to
• 45:05
  her husband. Yet to be silent would be cruel. She had entreated me
• 45:09
  to talk. From this dilemma, I was most fortunately relieved by an accident
• 45:15
  truly apropos It was the lucky overturning of a gentleman's phaeton on the road,
• 45:22
  which ran murmuring behind us. It was a most fortunate accident, as it
• 45:25
  diverted the attention of Sophia from the melancholy reflections which she had been before indulging.
• 45:32
  We instantly quitted our seats and ran to the rescue of those who,
• 45:36
  but a few moments before, had been in so elevated a situation as a
• 45:39
  fashionably high phaetin, but who were now laid low and sprawling in the dust.
• 45:46
  What an ample subject. Her reflection on the uncertain enjoyments of this world,
• 45:51
  would not that Phaeton and the life of Cardinal Wolsey afford A thinking mind,
• 45:55
  said I to Sophia, as we were hastening to the field of action.
• 46:00
  She had not time to answer me, for every thought was now engaged
• 46:04
  by the horrid spectacle before us. Two gentlemen, most elegantly attired, but
• 46:09
  weltering in their blood was what first struck our eyes we approached. They were
• 46:15
  Edward and Augustus. Yes, dearest Marianne, they were our husbands. Sophia
• 46:22
  shrieked and fainted on the ground. I screamed and instantly ran mad. We
• 46:29
  remained thus mutually deprived of our senses some minutes, and on regaining them,
• 46:34
  were deprived of them again for an hour and a quarter. Did we continue
• 46:37
  in this unfortunate situation, Sophia fainting every moment, and I running mad,
• 46:44
  as often at length. A groan from the hapless Edward, who alone retained
• 46:49
  any share of life, restored us to ourselves. Had we indeed before imagined
• 46:54
  that either of them lived, we should have been more sparing of our grief.
• 47:00
  But as we had supposed when we first beheld them, that they were
• 47:02
  no more, we knew that nothing could remain to be done, but what
• 47:07
  we were about. No sooner did we Therefore, hear my Edwards groan.
• 47:10
  Than postponing our lamentations for the present, we hastily ran to the dear youth,
• 47:16
  and, kneeling on each side of him, implored him not to die,
• 47:21
  Laura said, he, fixing his now languid eyes on me. I
• 47:25
  fear I have been overturned. I was overjoyed to find him yet sensible.
• 47:31
  Oh tell me, Edward said, I tell me. I beseech you before
• 47:36
  you die. What has befallen you since that unhappy day in which Augustus was
• 47:39
  arrested and we were separated? I will, said he, and, instantly,
• 47:46
  fetching a deep sigh, expired. Sophia immediately sank again into a swoon.
• 47:53
  My grief was more audible, my voice faltered, my eyes assumed a
• 47:59
  vacant stare, my face became as pale as death, and my senses were
• 48:04
  considerably impaired. Talk not to me of Phaeton's, said I, raving in
• 48:09
  a frantic, incoherent manner. Give me a violin. I'll play to him
• 48:15
  and soothe them in his melancholy hours. Beware ye gentle nymphs of Cupid's thunderbolts,
• 48:22
  avoid the piercing shafts of Jupiter. Look at that groove of firs,
• 48:28
  I see a leg of mutton. They told me Edward was not dead,
• 48:31
  but they deceived me. They took him for a cucumber. Thus I continued
• 48:37
  wildly, exclaiming on my Edward's death for two hours? Did I rave thus
• 48:44
  madly? And should not then have left off? As I was not in
• 48:47
  the least fatigued. Had not. Sophia, who was just recovered from her
• 48:52
  swoon, entreated me to consider that night was now approaching, and that the
• 48:55
  damps began to fall. And whither shall we go? Oh, said I,
• 49:00
  to shelter us from either to that white cottage, replied she, pointing
• 49:06
  to a neat building which rose up amidst the grove of elms, and which
• 49:09
  I had not before observed. I agreed, and we instantly walked to it.
• 49:15
  We knocked at the door. It was opened by an old woman.
• 49:20
  On being requested to afford U sun night's lodging, she informed us that her
• 49:24
  house was but small, that she had only two bedrooms, but that,
• 49:29
  however, we should be welcome to one of them. We were satisfied and
• 49:34
  followed the good woman into the house, where we were greatly cheered by the
• 49:37
  sight of a comfortable fire. She was a widow and had only one daughter,
• 49:43
  who was then just seventeen, one of the best of ages. But
• 49:47
  alas she was very plain and her name was bridget nothing therefore could be expected
• 49:53
  from her. She could not be supposed to possess either exalted ideas, delicate
• 49:59
  feelings, or refined sensibilities. She was nothing more than a mere, good
• 50:04
  tempered, civil and obliging young woman. As such, we could scarcely dislike
• 50:09
  her. She was only an object of contempt. Adieu, Laura, end
• 50:16
  of Section two Letter the fourteenth Laura, in continuation, arm yourself, my
• 50:24
  amiable young friend, with all the philosophy you are mistress of, summon up
• 50:30
  all the fortitude you possess, for alas in the perusal of the following pages,
• 50:37
  your sensibility will be most severely tried. Ah, What were the misfortunes
• 50:43
  I had before experienced, and which I have already related to you to the
• 50:47
  one I am now going to inform you of the death of my father,
• 50:52
  and my mother and my husband. Though almost more than my gentle nature could
• 50:57
  support were trifles in parison to the misfortune I am now proceeding to relate.
• 51:04
  The morning after our arrival at the cottage, Sophia complained of a violent pain
• 51:08
  in her delicate limbs, accompanied with a disagreeable headache. She attributed it to
• 51:15
  a cold caught by her continued faintings in the open air as the dew was
• 51:20
  falling the evening before. This, I feared was but too probably the case,
• 51:24
  since how could it be otherwise accounted for that I should have escaped the
• 51:29
  same indisposition. But by supposing that the bodily exertions I had undergone in my
• 51:34
  repeated fits of frenzy had so effectually circulated and warmed my blood as to make
• 51:39
  me proof against the chilling damps of night, whereas Sophia, lying totally inactive
• 51:45
  on the ground, must have been exposed to all their severity. I was
• 51:51
  most seriously alarmed by her illness, which, trifling as it may appear to
• 51:54
  you, a certain instinctive sensibility whispered me in the end, be fatal to
• 52:00
  her Alas my fears were but too fully justified, she grew gradually worse,
• 52:08
  and I daily became more alarmed for her. At length she was obliged to
• 52:14
  confine herself solely to the bed allotted us by our worthy landlady. Her disorder
• 52:20
  turned to a galloping consumption, and in a few days carried her off amidst
• 52:25
  all my lamentations for her, and violent you may suppose they were. I
• 52:30
  yet received some consolation in the reflection of my having paid every attention to her
• 52:36
  that could be offered in her illness. I had wept over her every day,
• 52:42
  had bathed her sweet face with my tears, and had pressed her fair
• 52:45
  hands continually in mine. My beloved Laura, she said to me a few
• 52:52
  hours before she died, take warning from my unhappy end, and avoid the
• 52:57
  imprudent conduct which had occasioned it. Beware of fainting fits, though at the
• 53:04
  time they may be refreshing and agreeable. Yet believe me, they will in
• 53:07
  the end, if too often repeated and at improper seasons, prove destructive to
• 53:14
  your constitution. My fate will teach you this. I die a martyr to
• 53:19
  my grief for the loss of Augustus. One fatal swoon has cost me my
• 53:24
  life. Beware of swoons, Dear Laura, a frenzy fit is not one
• 53:30
  quarter so pernicious. It is an exercise to the body, and if not
• 53:35
  too violent, is I dare say, conducive to health in its consequences.
• 53:39
  Run mad as often as you choose, but do not faint. These were
• 53:45
  the last words she ever addressed to me. It was her dying advice to
• 53:50
  her afflicted Laura, who has ever most faithfully adhered to it. After having
• 53:57
  attended my lamented friend to her early grave, I immediately, though late at
• 54:01
  night, left the detested village in which she died, and near which had
• 54:07
  expired my husband and Augustus. I had not walked many yards from it before
• 54:12
  I was overtaken by a stage coach, in which I instantly took a place,
• 54:16
  determined to proceed in it to Edinburgh, where I hoped to find some
• 54:22
  kind, some pitying friend, who would receive and comfort me in my afflictions.
• 54:28
  It was so dark when I entered the coach that I could not distinguish
• 54:31
  the number of my fellow travelers. I could only perceive that they were many.
• 54:37
  Regardless however, of anything concerning them, I gave myself up to my
• 54:43
  own sad reflections. A general silence prevailed, a silence which was by nothing
• 54:49
  interrupted but by the loud and repeated snores of one of the party. What
• 54:54
  an illiterate villain must that man be, thought I to myself. What a
• 55:00
  total want of delicate refinement must he have? Who can thus shock our senses
• 55:05
  by such a brutal noise? He must, I am certain, be capable
• 55:08
  of every bad action. There is no crime too black for such a character,
• 55:15
  Thus reasoned I within myself, And doubtless such were the reflections of my
• 55:20
  fellow travelers at length. Returning day enabled me to behold the unprincipled scoundrel who
• 55:27
  had so violently disturbed my feelings. It was Sir Edward, the father of
• 55:32
  my deceased husband. By his side Saint Augusta. And on the same seat
• 55:37
  with me were your mother and Lady Dorothea. Imagine my surprise at finding myself
• 55:44
  thus seated amongst my old acquaintance. Great as was my astonishment, it was
• 55:50
  yet increased when, on looking out of windows I beheld the husband of Philippa,
• 55:54
  with Philippa by his side, on the coach box, And when on
• 55:59
  looking behind me, I beheld Philander and Gustavus in the basket. Oh,
• 56:04
  heavens, exclaimed I is it possible that I should so unexpectedly be surrounded by
• 56:09
  my nearest relations and connections. These words roused the rest of the party,
• 56:15
  and every eye was directed to the corner in which I sat. Oh,
• 56:21
  my Isabel, continued, I, throwing myself across Lady Dorothea into her arms,
• 56:27
  receive once more to your bosom, the unfortunate Laura. Alas when we
• 56:32
  last parted in the Vale of Usk, I was happy in being united to
• 56:37
  the best of Edwards. I had then a father and a mother, and
• 56:40
  had never known misfortunes, but now deprived of every friend but you, what,
• 56:49
  interrupted Augusta. Is my brother dead? Then tell us, I entreat
• 56:53
  you what is become of him? Yes, cold and insensible Nymph replied I
• 57:00
  that luckless swaying, your brother is no more, and you may now glory
• 57:06
  in being the heiress of Sir Edward's fortune. Although I had always despised her
• 57:10
  from the day I had overheard her conversation with my Edward, yet in civility
• 57:15
  I complied with hers and Sir Edward's entreaties that I would inform them of the
• 57:21
  whole melancholy affair. They were greatly shocked. Even the obdurate heart of Sir
• 57:27
  Edward and the insensible one of Augusta were touched with sorrow by the unhappy tale.
• 57:34
  At the request of your mother, I related to them every other misfortune
• 57:37
  which had befallen me since we parted, of the imprisonment of Augustus and the
• 57:43
  absence of Edward, of our arrival in Scotland, of our unexpected meeting with
• 57:47
  our grandfather and our cousins, of our visit to mac donald Hall, of
• 57:53
  this singular service we there performed towards Janetta, of her father's ingratitude for of
• 58:00
  his inhuman behavior, unaccountable suspicions and barbarous treatment of us in obliging us to
• 58:07
  leave the house, of our lamentations on the loss of Edward and Augustus,
• 58:13
  and finally of the melancholy death of my beloved companion. Pity and surprise were
• 58:19
  strongly depictured in your mother's countenance during the whole of my narration. But I
• 58:23
  am sorry to say that to the eternal reproach of her sensibility, the latter
• 58:29
  infinitely predominated, nay faultless, as my conduct had certainly been during the whole
• 58:36
  course of my late misfortunes and adventures. She pretended to find fault with my
• 58:40
  behavior in many of the situations in which I had been placed. As I
• 58:45
  was sensible myself that I had always behaved in a manner which reflected honor on
• 58:51
  my feelings and refinement, I paid little attention to what she said, and
• 58:55
  desired her to satisfy my curiosity by informing me how she can came there,
• 59:00
  instead of wounding my spotless reputation with unjustifiable reproaches. As soon as she had
• 59:07
  complied with my wishes in this particular and had given me an accurate detail of
• 59:12
  everything that had befallen her since our separation, the particulars of which, if
• 59:16
  you are not already acquainted with your mother, will give you, I applied
• 59:21
  to Augusta for the same information, respecting herself, Sir Edward, and to
• 59:24
  Lady Dorothea. She told me that, having a considerable taste for the beauties
• 59:30
  of nature, her curiosity to behold the delightful scenes it exhibited in that part
• 59:35
  of the world had been so much raised by Gilpin's tour to the Highlands that
• 59:39
  she had prevailed on her father to undertake a tour to Scotland, and had
• 59:44
  persuaded Lady Dorothea to accompany them. That they had arrived at Edinburgh a few
• 59:49
  days before, and from thence had made daily excursions into the country around in
• 59:53
  the stage coach they were then in from one of which excursions they were at
• 59:58
  that time returning. My next enquiries were concerning Philippa and her husband, the
• 1:00:04
  latter of whom I learned, having spent all her fortune, had recourse for
• 1:00:07
  subsistence to the talent in which he had always most excelled, namely driving,
• 1:00:14
  And that, having sold everything which belonged to them except their coach, had
• 1:00:17
  converted it into a stage, and, in order to be removed from any
• 1:00:22
  of his former acquaintance, had driven it to Edinburgh, from whence he went
• 1:00:25
  to Sterling every other day. That Philippa, still retaining her affection for her
• 1:00:31
  ungrateful husband, had followed him to Scotland and generally accompanied him in his little
• 1:00:37
  excursions to Sterling. It has only been to throw a little money into their
• 1:00:42
  pockets. Continued Augusta, that my father has always traveled in their coach to
• 1:00:46
  view the beauties of the country since our arrival in Scotland, for it would
• 1:00:52
  certainly have been much more agreeable to us to visit the Highlands in a post
• 1:00:54
  chaise than merely to travel from Edinburgh to Sterling and from Sterling to Edinburgh every
• 1:01:00
  other day in a crowded and uncomfortable stage. I perfectly agreed with her in
• 1:01:07
  her sentiments on the affair, and secretly blamed Sir Edward for thus sacrificing his
• 1:01:13
  daughter's pleasure for the sake of a ridiculous old woman, whose folly in marrying
• 1:01:16
  so young a man ought to be punished. His behavior, however, was
• 1:01:22
  entirely of a piece with his general character. For what could be expected from
• 1:01:25
  a man who possessed not the smallest atom of sensibility, who scarcely knew the
• 1:01:30
  meaning of sympathy, and who actually snored? Adieu Laura Letter the fifteenth Laura
• 1:01:40
  in continuation. When we arrived at the town where we were to breakfast,
• 1:01:46
  I was determined to speak with Philander and Gustavus, and to that purpose,
• 1:01:51
  as soon as I left the carriage, I went to the basket and tenderly
• 1:01:54
  inquired after their health, expressing my fears of the uneasiness of their sites.
• 1:02:00
  At first, they seemed rather confused at my appearance, dreading no doubt that
• 1:02:05
  I might call them to account for the money which our grandfather had left me
• 1:02:08
  and which they had unjustly deprived me of. But finding that I mentioned nothing
• 1:02:14
  of the matter, they desired me to step into the basket, as we
• 1:02:16
  might there converse with greater ease. Accordingly I entered, and whilst the rest
• 1:02:22
  of the party were devouring green tea and buttered toast, we feasted ourselves in
• 1:02:27
  a more refined and sentimental manner. By a confidential conversation. I informed them
• 1:02:34
  of everything which had befallen me during the course of my life, and at
• 1:02:37
  my request, they related to me every incident of theirs. We are the
• 1:02:43
  sons, as you already know, of the two youngest daughters which Lord Saint
• 1:02:46
  Clair had by Laurina, an Italian opera girl. Our mothers could neither of
• 1:02:52
  them exactly ascertain who were our father, though it is generally believed that Philander
• 1:02:58
  is the son of one Philip Jones, bricklayer, and that my father was
• 1:03:01
  one Gregory Staves, a stay maker of Edinburgh. This is, however,
• 1:03:07
  of little consequence, for as our mothers were certainly never married to either of
• 1:03:10
  them. It reflects no dishonor on our blood, which is of a most
• 1:03:15
  ancient and unpolluted kind. Bertha, the mother of Philander, and Agatha,
• 1:03:21
  my own mother, always lived together. They were neither of them very rich.
• 1:03:27
  The united fortunes had originally amounted to nine thousand pounds, but as they
• 1:03:31
  had always lived on the principle of it, when we were fifteen, it
• 1:03:35
  was diminished to nine hundred. This nine hundred they always kept in a drawer
• 1:03:39
  in one of the tables which stood in our common sitting parlor, for the
• 1:03:44
  convenience of having it always at hand. Whether it was from this circumstance of
• 1:03:49
  its being easily taken, or from a wish of being independent, or from
• 1:03:53
  an excess of sensibility, for which we were always remarkable, I cannot now
• 1:03:59
  determine. But certain it is that when we had reached our fifteenth year,
• 1:04:02
  we took the nine hundred pounds and ran away. Having obtained this prize,
• 1:04:08
  we were determined to manage it with economy, and not to spend it either
• 1:04:13
  with folly or extravagance. To this purpose, we therefore divided it into nine
• 1:04:17
  parcels one of which we devoted to victuals, the second to drink, the
• 1:04:23
  third to housekeeping, the fourth to carriages, the fifth to horses, the
• 1:04:29
  sixth to servants, the seventh to amusements, the eighth to clothes, and
• 1:04:33
  the ninth to silver buckles. Having thus arranged our expenses for two months,
• 1:04:40
  for we expected to make the nine hundred pounds last as long we hastened to
• 1:04:45
  London, and had the good luck to spend it in seven weeks and a
• 1:04:48
  day, which was six days sooner than we had intended. As soon as
• 1:04:53
  we had thus happily disencumbered ourselves from the weight of so much money, we
• 1:04:58
  began to think of returning to our mothers, but accidentally hearing that they were
• 1:05:02
  both starved to death, we gave over the design and determined to engage ourselves
• 1:05:06
  to some strolling company of players, as we had always a turn for the
• 1:05:11
  stage. Accordingly, we offered our services to one, and were accepted.
• 1:05:16
  Our company was indeed rather small, as it consisted only of the manager,
• 1:05:20
  his wife, and ourselves, but there were fewer to pay, and the
• 1:05:26
  only inconvenience attending it was the scarcity of plays, which, for want of
• 1:05:30
  people to fill the characters we could perform. We did not mind trifles.
• 1:05:34
  However, one of our most admired performances was Macbeth, in which we were
• 1:05:41
  truly great. The manager always played Banquo himself, his wife my Lady Macbeth,
• 1:05:47
  I did the three witches, and Philander acted all the rest. To
• 1:05:53
  say the truth, this tragedy was not only the best but the only play
• 1:05:57
  that we ever performed, And after having acted did it all over England and
• 1:06:00
  Wales, we came to Scotland to exhibit it over the remainder of Great Britain.
• 1:06:05
  We happened to be quartered in that very town where you came and met
• 1:06:10
  your grandfather. We were in the inn yard when his carriage entered, and
• 1:06:14
  perceiving by the arms to whom it belonged, and knowing that Lord Saint Clair
• 1:06:18
  was our grandfather, we agreed to endeavor to get something from him by discovering
• 1:06:23
  the relationship. You know how well it succeeded. Having obtained the two hundred
• 1:06:30
  pounds, we instantly left the town, leaving our manager and his wife to
• 1:06:33
  act Macbeth by themselves, and took the road to Stirling, where we spent
• 1:06:38
  our little fortune with great at Claw. We are now returning to Edinburgh in
• 1:06:43
  order to get some preferment in the acting way, and such, my dear
• 1:06:46
  cousin, is our history. I thanked the amiable youth for his entertaining narration,
• 1:06:53
  and, after expressing my wishes for their welfare and happiness, left them
• 1:06:56
  in their little habitation, and returned to my other friends, who impatiently expected
• 1:07:00
  me. My adventures are now drawing to a close, my dearest Marianne,
• 1:07:05
  at least for the present. When we arrived at Edinburgh, Sir Edward told
• 1:07:11
  me that, as the widow of his son, he desired I would accept
• 1:07:14
  from his hands of four hundred a year. I graciously promised that I would,
• 1:07:19
  but could not help observing that the unsympathetic baronet offered it more on account
• 1:07:24
  of my being the widow of Edward than in being the refined and amiable Laura.
• 1:07:30
  I took up my residence in a romantic village in the highlands of Scotland,
• 1:07:33
  where I have ever since continued, and where I can, uninterrupted by
• 1:07:38
  unmeaning visits, indulge in a melancholy solitude my unceasing lamentations for the death of
• 1:07:44
  my father, my mother, my husband, and my friend. Augusta has
• 1:07:49
  been for several years united to Graham, the man of all others most suited
• 1:07:54
  to her. She became acquainted with him during her stay in Scotland. Sir
• 1:07:59
  Edward, in hopes of gaining an heir to his title and estate, at
• 1:08:02
  the same time married Lady Dorothea. His wishes have been answered. Philander and
• 1:08:09
  Gustavus, after having raised their reputation by their performances in the theatrical line at
• 1:08:14
  Edinburgh, removed to Covent Garden, where they still exhibit under the assumed names
• 1:08:18
  of Levis and Quick. Philippa has long paid the debt of nature. Her
• 1:08:25
  husband, however, still continues to drive the stage coach from Edinburgh to Sterling.
• 1:08:30
  Adieu, my dearest Marianne Laura Finny June thirteenth, seventeen ninety end of
• 1:08:42
  section three Introduction to Henry Thomas Austen Esquire. Sir, I am now availing
• 1:08:51
  myself of the liberty you have frequently honored me with of dedicating one of my
• 1:08:58
  novels to you. That it is unfinished. I grieve yet fear that from
• 1:09:03
  me it will always remain, so that as far as it is carried it
• 1:09:09
  should be so trifling and so unworthy of you. Is another concern to your
• 1:09:14
  obliged, humble servant. The author Messr's Dmand and Company please to pay Jane
• 1:09:24
  Austen Spinster the sum of one hundred guineas on account of your humble servant,
• 1:09:30
  H. T. Austin. Letter. The first is from Miss Margaret Lesley
• 1:09:36
  to Miss Charlotte Lttourel, Leslie, Castle, January third, seventeen ninety two.
• 1:09:46
  My brother has just left us, Matilda, said he, at parting
• 1:09:50
  you and Margaret, will I am certain take all the care of my dear
• 1:09:55
  little one that she might have received from an indulgent and affectionate and amiable mother.
• 1:10:02
  Tears rolled down his cheeks as he spoke these words. The remembrance of
• 1:10:08
  her, who had so wantonly disgraced the maternal character and so openly violated the
• 1:10:14
  conjugal duties, prevented his adding anything further. He embraced his sweet child,
• 1:10:19
  and, after saluting Matilda and me, hastily broke from us, and,
• 1:10:25
  seating himself in his chase, pursued the road to Aberdeen. Never was there
• 1:10:31
  a better young man. Ah, how little he deserves the misfortunes he has
• 1:10:38
  experienced in the marriage state, so good a husband to so bad a wife.
• 1:10:45
  For you know, my dear Charlotte, that the worthless Louisa left him
• 1:10:49
  her child and reputation a few weeks ago in company with Danvers and dishonor never
• 1:10:59
  was there a sweeter face, a finer form, or a less amiable heart
• 1:11:04
  than Louisa owned. Her child already possesses the personal charms of her unhappy mother.
• 1:11:13
  May she inherit from her father all his mental ones. Lesley is at
• 1:11:17
  present but five and twenty, and has already given himself up to melancholy and
• 1:11:24
  despair. What a difference between him and his father. Sir George is fifty
• 1:11:30
  seven and still remains the beau, the flighty, stripling, the gay lad,
• 1:11:34
  the sprightly youngster, that his son was really about five years back,
• 1:11:39
  and that he has affected to appear ever since my remembrance. While our father
• 1:11:45
  is fluttering about the streets of London, gay, dissipated and thoughtless at the
• 1:11:49
  age of fifty seven, Matilda and I continue secluded from all mankind in our
• 1:11:56
  old moldering castle, which is situated two miles from Perth on a bold projecting
• 1:12:02
  rock and commands an extensive view of the town and its delightful environs. But
• 1:12:10
  though retired from almost all the world, for we visit no one but the
• 1:12:14
  mcloyd's, the mackenzie's, the macpherson's, the McCartneys, the McDonald's, the
• 1:12:19
  McKinnon's, the mclealand's, the McKay's, the macbeth's, and the macduff's.
• 1:12:25
  We are neither dull nor unhappy. On the contrary, there never were two
• 1:12:30
  more lively, more agreeable, or more witty girls than are we. Not
• 1:12:35
  an hour in the day hangs heavy in our heads. We read, we
• 1:12:40
  work, we walk, and when fatigued with these employments, relieve our spirits
• 1:12:45
  either by a lively song, a graceful dance, or by some smart,
• 1:12:49
  bon mot and witty repartee. We are handsome, my dear Charlotte, very
• 1:12:56
  handsome, And the greatest of our perfections is that we are entirely insensible of
• 1:13:00
  them ourselves. But why do I thus dwell on myself? Let me rather
• 1:13:06
  repeat the praise of our dear little Niee, the innocent Louisa, who is
• 1:13:12
  at present sweetly smiling in a gentle nap as she reposes on the sofa.
• 1:13:17
  The dear creature is just turned of two years old, as handsome as though
• 1:13:21
  two and twenty, as sensible as though two and thirty, as prudent as
• 1:13:27
  though two and forty. To convince you of this, I must inform you
• 1:13:31
  that she has a very fine complexion and very pretty features, and she already
• 1:13:36
  knows the first two letters of the alphabet, and that she never tears her
• 1:13:41
  frocks. If I have not now convinced you of her beauty, sense and
• 1:13:45
  prudence, I have nothing more to urge in support of my assertion, and
• 1:13:49
  you will therefore have no way of deciding the affair. But by coming to
• 1:13:54
  Lesley Castle, and by a personal acquaintance with Louisa, determine for yourself.
• 1:14:00
  Ah, my dear friend, how happy should I be to see you within
• 1:14:03
  these venerable walls. It is now four since since my removal from school has
• 1:14:08
  separated me from you. That two such tender hearts so closely linked by the
• 1:14:14
  ties of sympathy and friendship should be so widely removed from each other is vastly
• 1:14:18
  moving. I live in Perthshire, you in Sussex. We might meet in
• 1:14:24
  London, where my father disposed to carry me there, and were your mother
• 1:14:28
  to be there at the same time, we might meet at Bath, at
• 1:14:31
  Tunbridge, or anywhere else. Indeed, could we but be at the same
• 1:14:35
  place together. We have only to hope that such a period may arrive.
• 1:14:41
  My father does not return to us till autumn. My brother will leave Scotland
• 1:14:45
  in a few days. He is impatient to travel. Mistaken youth, he
• 1:14:49
  vainly flatters himself that change of air will heal the wounds of a broken heart.
• 1:14:55
  You will join with me. I am certain, my dear Charlotte,
• 1:14:59
  and prayers for their recovery of the unhappy Lesley's peace of mind, which must
• 1:15:03
  ever be essential to that of your sincere friend m Leslie. Letter. The
• 1:15:09
  second is from Miss c the Turtle to Miss m Leslie in answer, Glenford,
• 1:15:15
  February twelve. I have a thousand excuses to beg for having so long
• 1:15:20
  delayed, thanking you, my dear Peggy, for your agreeable letter, which,
• 1:15:26
  believe me, I should not have deferred doing, had not every moment
• 1:15:30
  of my time during the last five weeks been so fully employed in the necessary
• 1:15:34
  arrangements for my sister's wedding as to allow me no time to devote either to
• 1:15:39
  you or myself. And now what provokes me more than anything else is that
• 1:15:45
  the match is broke off and all my labor thrown away. Imagine how great
• 1:15:51
  the disappointment must be to me when you consider that, after having both labored
• 1:15:57
  by night and by day in order to get the wedding dinner ready by the
• 1:16:00
  time appointed, and having roasted beef, broiled mutton, and stewed soup enough
• 1:16:06
  to last the newly married couple through the honeymoon, I had the mortification of
• 1:16:12
  finding that I had been roasting, broiling, and stewing both the meat and
• 1:16:15
  myself to no purpose. Indeed, my dear friend, I never remember suffering
• 1:16:23
  any vexation equal to what I experienced on last Monday, when my sister came
• 1:16:28
  running to me in the storeroom with her face as white as a whipped syllabub,
• 1:16:31
  and told me that Harvey had been thrown from his horse, had fractured
• 1:16:35
  his skull, and was pronounced by his surgeon to be in the most eminent
• 1:16:40
  danger. Good God said I, you don't say so, And what in
• 1:16:45
  the name of Heaven will become of all the victuals. We shall never be
• 1:16:48
  able to eat it while it is good. However, we'll call in the
• 1:16:53
  surgeon to help us. I shall be able to manage the soloin myself.
• 1:16:57
  My mother will eat the soup, and you and the doctor must finish the
• 1:17:00
  rest. Here I was interrupted by seeing my poor sister fall down to appearances
• 1:17:06
  lifeless, upon the chest where we kept our table in an. I immediately
• 1:17:12
  called my mother and the maids, and at last we brought her to herself
• 1:17:15
  again, as soon as ever she was sensible. She expressed a determination of
• 1:17:19
  going instantly to Henry, and was so wildly bent on this scheme that we
• 1:17:25
  had the greatest difficulty in the world to prevent her putting it into execution.
• 1:17:30
  At last, however, more by force than entreaty, we prevailed on her
• 1:17:34
  to go into her room. We laid her upon her bed, and she
• 1:17:39
  continued for some hours in the most dreadful convulsions. My mother and I continued
• 1:17:44
  in the room with her, and when any intervals of tolerable composure in Eluisa
• 1:17:47
  would allow us, we joined in heartfelt lamentations on this dreadful waste in our
• 1:17:53
  provisions which this event must occasion, and in concerting some plan for getting rid
• 1:18:00
  of them. We agreed that the best thing we could do was to begin
• 1:18:02
  eating them immediately, and accordingly we ordered up the cold ham and fowls,
• 1:18:08
  and instantly began our devouring plan on them with great alacrity. We would have
• 1:18:14
  persuaded Eloisa to have taken a wing of chicken, but she would not be
• 1:18:17
  persuaded. She was, however, much quieter than she had been. The
• 1:18:23
  convulsion she had suffered having given way to an almost perfect insensibility. We endeavored
• 1:18:29
  to rouse her by every means in our power, but to no purpose.
• 1:18:32
  I talked to her of Henry. Dear Eluisa said, I, there's no
• 1:18:38
  occasion for your crying so much about such a trifle. For I was willing
• 1:18:42
  to make light of it in order to comfort her. I beg you would
• 1:18:45
  not mind it. You see, it does not vex me in the least,
• 1:18:49
  though perhaps I may suffer from it most of all, for I shall
• 1:18:54
  not only be obliged to eat up all the victuals I have dressed already,
• 1:18:59
  but must if Henry should recover, which is however not very likely, a
• 1:19:03
  dress as much for you again, or should he die, as I suppose
• 1:19:08
  he will, I shall still have to prepare a dinner for you whenever you
• 1:19:12
  marry anyone else. So you see that, though perhaps for the present it
• 1:19:15
  may afflict you to think of Henry's sufferings, yet I dare say he'll die
• 1:19:20
  soon, and then his pain will be over, and you will be easy,
• 1:19:25
  whereas my trouble will last much longer. For work as hard as I
• 1:19:29
  may, I am certain that the pantry cannot be cleared in less than a
• 1:19:32
  fortnight. Thus I did all in my power to console her, but without
• 1:19:38
  any effect. And at last, as I saw that she did not seem
• 1:19:42
  to listen to me, I said no more, but leaving her with my
• 1:19:45
  mother, I took down the remains of the ham and chicken and sent William
• 1:19:48
  to ask how Henry did. He was not expected to live many hours.
• 1:19:53
  He died the same day. We took all possible care to break the melancholy
• 1:19:57
  event to Elouisa in the tenderest Mann. Yet in spite of every precaution,
• 1:20:01
  her sufferings on hearing it were too violent for her reason, and she continued
• 1:20:06
  for many hours in a high delirium. She is still extremely ill, and
• 1:20:12
  her physicians are greatly afraid of her going into a decline. We are therefore
• 1:20:16
  preparing for Bristol, where we mean to be in the course of the next
• 1:20:19
  week. And now, my dear Margaret, let me talk a little of
• 1:20:25
  your affairs. In the first place, I must inform you that it is
• 1:20:29
  confidently reported your father is going to be married. I am very unwilling to
• 1:20:33
  believe so unpleasing a report, and at the same time cannot wholly discredit it.
• 1:20:41
  I have written to my friend Susan Fitzgerald for information concerning it, which,
• 1:20:45
  as she is at present in town, she will be very able to
• 1:20:48
  give. I know not who is the lady. I think your brother is
• 1:20:54
  extremely right in the resolution he has taken of traveling, as it will perhaps
• 1:20:59
  contribut to obliterate from his remembrance those disagreeable events which have lately so much afflicted
• 1:21:05
  him. I am happy to find that, though secluded from all the world,
• 1:21:11
  neither you nor Matilda are dull or unhappy. That you may never know
• 1:21:15
  what it is to be. Either is the wish of your sincerely affectionate C.
• 1:21:20
  L. P. S. I have this instant received an answer from
• 1:21:27
  my friend Susan, which I enclose to you, and on which you will
• 1:21:31
  make your own reflections the enclosed letter, My Dear Charlotte, you could not
• 1:21:39
  have applied for information concerning the report of Sir George Lesley's marriage to any one
• 1:21:45
  better able to give it to you than I am. Sir George is certainly
• 1:21:48
  married. I was myself present at the ceremony, which you will not be
• 1:21:54
  surprised at when I subscribe myself your affectionate Susan Lesley letter. The third is
• 1:22:00
  from Miss Margaret Lesley to Miss c Leturil Lesley, Castle, February sixteenth.
• 1:22:08
  I have made my own reflections on the letter you enclosed to me, my
• 1:22:12
  dear Charlotte, and I will now tell you what those reflections were. I
• 1:22:17
  reflected that if by this second marriage Sir George should have a second family,
• 1:22:24
  our fortunes must be considerably diminished. That if his wife should be of an
• 1:22:30
  extravagant turn, she would encourage him to persevere in that gay and dissipated way
• 1:22:34
  of life to which little encouragement would be necessary, and which has I fear
• 1:22:41
  already proved but too detrimental to his health and fortune. That she would now
• 1:22:46
  become mistress of those jewels which once adorned our mother, and which Sir George
• 1:22:51
  has always promised us that if they did not come into Perthshire, I should
• 1:22:58
  not be able to gratify my curateiosity of beholding my mother in law, and
• 1:23:02
  that if they did, Matilda would no longer sit at the head of her
• 1:23:05
  father's table. These, my Dear Charlotte, were the melancholy reflections which crowded
• 1:23:12
  into my imagination after perusing Susan's letter to you, and which instantly occurred to
• 1:23:16
  Matilda when she had perused it. Likewise, the same ideas, the same
• 1:23:21
  fears, immediately occupied her mind, and I know not which reflection distressed her
• 1:23:27
  most, whether the probable diminution of our fortunes or her own consequence. We
• 1:23:33
  both wish very much to know whether Lady Lesley is handsome, and what is
• 1:23:38
  your opinion of her? As you honor her with the appellation of your friend,
• 1:23:43
  we flatter ourselves that she must be amiable. My brother is already in
• 1:23:47
  Paris. He intends to quit it in a few days and to begin his
• 1:23:53
  route to Italy. He writes, in a most cheerful manner, says,
• 1:23:57
  the Heir of France has greatly recovered both his health and spirits, that he
• 1:24:01
  is now entirely ceased to think of Louisa with any degree either of pity or
• 1:24:06
  affection, that he even feels himself obliged to her for her elopement, and
• 1:24:12
  he thinks it very good fun to be single again. By this, you
• 1:24:16
  may perceive that he has entirely regained that cheerful gaiety and sprightly wit for which
• 1:24:21
  he was once so remarkable. When he first became acquainted with Louisa, which
• 1:24:27
  was little more than three years ago, he was one of the most lively,
• 1:24:31
  the most agreeable young men of the age. I believe you never yet
• 1:24:35
  heard the particulars of his first acquaintance with her. It commenced at our cousin,
• 1:24:41
  Colonel Drummonds, at whose house in Cumberland we spent the Christmas in which
• 1:24:45
  he attained the age of two and twenty. Louisa Burton was the daughter of
• 1:24:50
  a distant relation of mister Drummond, who, dying a few months before in
• 1:24:56
  extreme poverty, left his only child, then about eighteen, to the protection
• 1:25:00
  of any of his relations who would protect her. Missus Drummond was the only
• 1:25:05
  one who found herself so disposed. Louisa was therefore removed from a miserable cottage
• 1:25:12
  in Yorkshire, to an elegant mansion in Cumberland, and from every pecuniary distress
• 1:25:16
  that poverty could inflict, to every elegant enjoyment that money could purchase. Louisa
• 1:25:24
  was naturally ill, tempered and cunning, But she had been taught to disguise
• 1:25:28
  her real disposition under the appearance of insinuating sweetness by a father who but too
• 1:25:33
  well knew that to be married would be the only chance she would have of
• 1:25:38
  not being starved, and who flattered himself that with such an extraordinary share of
• 1:25:43
  personal beauty, joined to a gentleness of manners and an engaging address, she
• 1:25:48
  might stand a good chance of pleasing some young man who might afford to marry
• 1:25:53
  a girl without a shilling. Louisa perfectly entered into her father's schemes, and
• 1:25:58
  was determined to forward them with all her care and attention. By dint of
• 1:26:03
  perseverance and application, she had at length so thoroughly disguised her natural disposition under
• 1:26:10
  the mask of innocence and softness as to impose upon everyone who had not,
• 1:26:15
  by a long and constant intimacy with her, discovered her real character. Such
• 1:26:21
  was Louisa. When the hapless Lesley first beheld her at Drummond House, his
• 1:26:27
  heart, which, to use your favorite comparison, was as delicate, as
• 1:26:30
  sweet, and as tender as a whipped syllabub, could not resist her attractions.
• 1:26:36
  In a very few days, he was falling in love. Shortly after
• 1:26:41
  actually fell, and before he had known her a month he had married her.
• 1:26:46
  My father was at first highly displeased at so hasty and imprudent a connection,
• 1:26:53
  but when he found that they did not mind, it, soon became
• 1:26:56
  perfectly reconciled to the match. The estate near Aberdeen, which my brother possesses
• 1:27:00
  by the bounty of his great uncle, independent of Sir George, was entirely
• 1:27:05
  sufficient to support him and my sister in elegance and ease. For the first
• 1:27:11
  twelvemonth. Nobody could be happier than Leslie, and no one more amiable to
• 1:27:15
  appearance than Louisa. And so plausibly did she act and so cautiously behave,
• 1:27:21
  that though Matilda and I often spent several weeks together with them, yet we
• 1:27:26
  neither of us had any suspicion of her real disposition. After the birth of
• 1:27:31
  Louisa, however, which one would have thought would have strengthened her regard for
• 1:27:35
  Leslie. The mask she had so long supported was by degrees thrown aside,
• 1:27:42
  and as probably she then thought herself secure in the affections of her husband,
• 1:27:46
  which did indeed appear, if possible, augmented by the birth of his child.
• 1:27:51
  She seemed to take no pains to prevent that affection from ever diminishing.
• 1:27:56
  Our visits to Dunbe therefore were less frequent and far less agreeable than they used
• 1:28:00
  to be. Our absence was, however, neither either mentioned or lamented by
• 1:28:05
  Louisa, who, in the society of young Danvers with whom she became acquainted
• 1:28:11
  at Aberdeen, he was at one of the universities there felt infinitely happier than
• 1:28:16
  in that of Matilda and your friend, though there certainly never were pleasanter girls
• 1:28:23
  than we are. You know the sad end of all Lesley's connubial happiness.
• 1:28:28
  I will not repeat it. Adieu, my dear Charlotte. Although I have
• 1:28:31
  not yet mentioned anything of the matter, I hope you will do me the
• 1:28:35
  justice to believe that I think and feel a great deal for your sister's affliction.
• 1:28:43
  I do not doubt but that the healthier heir of the Bristol Downs will
• 1:28:45
  entirely remove it by erasing from her mind the remembrance of Henry. I am
• 1:28:51
  my dear Charlotte, Yours ever, M. L end of Section four.
• 1:28:59
  Letter the four from Miss C. Luttorell to Miss M Leslie, Bristol,
• 1:29:04
  February twenty seventh. My dear Peggy, I have but just received your letter,
• 1:29:11
  which, being directed to Sussex while I was at Bristol, was obliged
• 1:29:15
  to be forwarded to me here, and from some unaccountable delay has but this
• 1:29:19
  instant reached me. I return you many thanks for the account it contains of
• 1:29:25
  Leslie's acquaintance, love, and marriage with Louisa, which has not the less
• 1:29:30
  entertained me, for having often been repeated to me before. I have the
• 1:29:34
  satisfaction of informing you that we have every reason to imagine. Our pantry is
• 1:29:39
  by this time nearly cleared, as we left particular orders with the servants to
• 1:29:44
  eat as hard as they possibly could, and to call in a couple of
• 1:29:47
  chairwomen to assist them. We brought a cold pigeon pie, a cold turkey,
• 1:29:53
  a cold tongue, and a half dozen jellies with us, which we
• 1:29:57
  were lucky enough with the help of our landlady, her husband, and their
• 1:30:00
  three children, to get rid of in less than two days after our arrival.
• 1:30:05
  Poor Eloisa is still so very indifferent, both in health and spirits,
• 1:30:11
  that I very much fear the air of the Bristol Downs, healthy as it
• 1:30:15
  is, has not been able to drive Poor Henry from her remembrance. You
• 1:30:20
  ask me whether your new mother in law is handsome and amiable, I will
• 1:30:25
  now give you an exact description of her bodily and mental charms. She is
• 1:30:30
  short and extremely well made, is naturally pale but rouge's a good deal,
• 1:30:35
  has fine eyes and fine teeth as she will take care to let you know
• 1:30:41
  as soon as she sees you, and is altogether very pretty. She is
• 1:30:45
  remarkably good tempered when she has her own way, and very lively when she
• 1:30:49
  is not out of humor. She is naturally extravagant and not very affected.
• 1:30:55
  She never reads anything but the letters she receives from me, and never writes
• 1:31:00
  anything but her answers to them. She plays, sings and dances, but
• 1:31:04
  has no taste for either, and excels in none, though she says she
• 1:31:09
  is passionately fond of all. Perhaps you may flatter me so far as to
• 1:31:14
  be surprised that one of whom I speak with so little affection should be my
• 1:31:17
  particular friend. But to tell you the truth, our friendship arose rather from
• 1:31:21
  caprice on her side than esteem on mine. We spent two or three days
• 1:31:27
  together with a lady in Berkshire, with whom we both happen to be connected.
• 1:31:31
  During our visit, the weather being remarkably bad and our party particularly stupid,
• 1:31:38
  she was so good as to conceive a violent partiality for me, which
• 1:31:42
  very soon settled in a downright friendship and ended in an established correspondence. She
• 1:31:47
  is probably by this time as tired of me as I am of her,
• 1:31:51
  But as she is too polite and I am too civil to say so,
• 1:31:55
  our letters are still as frequent and affectionate as ever, and our attached as
• 1:32:00
  firm and sincere as when it first commenced. As she has had a great
• 1:32:04
  taste for the pleasures of London and of Breithelmstone, she will, I dare
• 1:32:09
  say, find some difficulty in prevailing on herself, even to satisfy the curiosity
• 1:32:15
  I dare say she feels of beholding you at the expense of quitting those favorite
• 1:32:18
  haunts of dissipation for the melancholy, though venerable gloom of the castle you inhabit.
• 1:32:25
  Perhaps, however, if she finds her health impaired by too much amusement,
• 1:32:29
  she may acquire fortitude sufficient to undertake a journey to Scotland, in the
• 1:32:32
  hope of its proving at least beneficial to her health, if not conductive to
• 1:32:38
  her happiness. Your fears, I am sorry to say, concerning your father's
• 1:32:42
  extravagance, your own fortunes, your mother's jewels, and your sister's consequence,
• 1:32:46
  I should suppose, are but too well founded. My friend herself has four
• 1:32:51
  thousand pounds, and will probably spend nearly as much every year in dress and
• 1:32:57
  public places if she can get it. She will certainly not endeavor to reclaim
• 1:33:01
  Sir George from the manner of living to which he has been so long accustomed,
• 1:33:05
  And there is therefore some reason to fear that you will be very well
• 1:33:10
  off if you get any fortune at all. The jewels, I should imagine,
• 1:33:14
  too, will undoubtedly be hers, And there is too much reason to
• 1:33:17
  think that she will preside at her husband's table in preference to his daughter.
• 1:33:21
  But as so melancholy a subject must necessarily extremely distress you. I will no
• 1:33:27
  longer dwell on it. Elouise's indisposition has brought us to Bristol at so unfashionable
• 1:33:32
  a season of the year that we have actually seen but one genteel family since
• 1:33:38
  we came. Mister and Missus Marlowe are very agreeable people. The ill health
• 1:33:43
  of their little boy occasioned their arrival here. You may imagine that, being
• 1:33:46
  the only family with whom we can converse, we are of course on a
• 1:33:50
  footing of intimacy with them. We see them, indeed almost every day,
• 1:33:56
  and dined with them yesterday. We spent a very pleasant day and had a
• 1:34:00
  very good dinner, though to be sure, the veal was terribly underdone and
• 1:34:03
  the curry had no seasoning. I could not help wishing all the dinner time
• 1:34:08
  that I had been at the dressing it. A brother of Missus Marlowe,
• 1:34:12
  mister Cleveland, is with them at present. He is a good looking young
• 1:34:15
  man and seems to have a good deal to say for himself. I tell
• 1:34:20
  Eloisa that she should set her cap at him, but she does not at
• 1:34:24
  all seem to relish the proposal. I should like to see the girl married,
• 1:34:29
  and mister Cleveland has a very good estate. Perhaps you may wonder that
• 1:34:32
  I do not consider myself as well as my sister in my matrimonial projects,
• 1:34:38
  But to tell you the truth, I never wish to act a more principal
• 1:34:41
  part at a wedding than the superintending and directing the dinner. And therefore,
• 1:34:45
  while I can get any of my acquaintances to marry for me, I shall
• 1:34:48
  never think of doing it myself. And as I very much suspect that I
• 1:34:51
  should not have so much time for dressing my own wedding dinner as for dressing
• 1:34:57
  that of my friends. Yours, sincerely, C. L. Letter the
• 1:35:03
  fifth Miss Margaret Leslie to Miss Charlotte Luttarelle, Leslie, Castle, March eighteenth.
• 1:35:10
  On the same day that I received your last kind letter, Matilda received
• 1:35:14
  one from Sir George which was dated from Edinburgh, and informed us that he
• 1:35:18
  should do himself the pleasure of introducing Lady Leslie to us on the following evening.
• 1:35:24
  This, as you may suppose, considerably surprised us, particularly as your
• 1:35:29
  account of her ladyship has given us reason to imagine that there was little chance
• 1:35:32
  of her visiting Scotland at a time that London must be so gay. As
• 1:35:36
  it was our business, however, to be delighted at such a mark of
• 1:35:40
  condescension as a visit from Sir George and Lady Leslie, we prepared to return
• 1:35:45
  them in answer expressive of the happiness we enjoyed in expectation of such a blessing.
• 1:35:49
  When luckily recollecting that, as they were to reach the castle the next
• 1:35:54
  evening, it would be impossible for my father to receive it before he left
• 1:35:58
  Edinburgh, we contented ourselves with leaving them to suppose that we were as happy
• 1:36:01
  as we ought to be. At nine in the evening on the following day
• 1:36:05
  they came, accompanied by one of Lady Leslie's brothers. Her Ladyship perfectly answers
• 1:36:12
  the description you sent me of her, except that I do not think her
• 1:36:15
  so pretty as you seem to consider her. She has not a bad face,
• 1:36:19
  but there is something so extremely unmajestic in her little diminutive figure as to
• 1:36:25
  render her, in comparison with the elegant height of Matilda and myself, an
• 1:36:30
  insignificant dwarf. Her curiosity to see us, which must have been great to
• 1:36:35
  bring her more than four hundred miles. Being now perfectly gratified, she already
• 1:36:41
  begins to mention their return to town, and has desired us to accompany her.
• 1:36:45
  We cannot refuse her the request, since it is seconded by the commands
• 1:36:49
  of our father, and thirded by the entreaties of mister Fitzgerald, who is
• 1:36:54
  certainly one of the most pleasing young men I ever beheld. It is not
• 1:36:59
  yet determined when we are to go, but whenever we do, we shall
• 1:37:02
  certainly take our little Louisa with us. Adieu, my dear Charlotte Matilda unites
• 1:37:09
  in best wishes to you and Eloisa with yours ever M. L Letter,
• 1:37:16
  the sixth Lady Leslie to Miss Charlotte Ludourell Leslie Castle, March twentieth. We
• 1:37:24
  arrived here, my sweet friend, about a fortnight ago, and I already
• 1:37:28
  heartily repent that I ever left our charming house in Portin Square for such a
• 1:37:31
  dismal, old, weather beaten castle as this. You can form no idea
• 1:37:36
  sufficiently hideous of its dungeon like form. It is actually perched upon a rock,
• 1:37:43
  to appearance so totally inaccessible that I expected to have been pulled up by
• 1:37:47
  a rope, and sincerely repented having gratified my curiosity to behold my daughters at
• 1:37:54
  the expense of being obliged to enter their prison in so dangerous and ridiculous a
• 1:37:59
  manner. But as soon as I once found myself safely arrived in the inside
• 1:38:03
  of this tremendous building, I comforted myself with the hope of having my spirits
• 1:38:09
  revived by the sight of two beautiful girls, such as the miss Lesli's had
• 1:38:14
  been represented to me at Edinburgh. But here again I met with nothing but
• 1:38:18
  disappointment and surprise. Matuna and Margaret Lesley are too great, tall, out
• 1:38:26
  of the way overgrown girls, just of a proper size to inhabit a castle
• 1:38:30
  almost as large in comparison as themselves. I wish, my dear Charlotte,
• 1:38:35
  that you could but behold these Scotch giants. I am sure they would frighten
• 1:38:40
  you out of your wits. They will do very well as foils to myself,
• 1:38:45
  so I have invited them to accompany me to London, where I hoped
• 1:38:47
  to be in the course of a fortnight. Besides these two fair damsels,
• 1:38:53
  I found a little humored brat here, whom I believe is some relation to
• 1:38:57
  them. They told me who she was and gave me a long rigmarole story
• 1:39:00
  of her father and a miss somebody which I have entirely forgot. I hate
• 1:39:05
  scandal and detest children. I have been plagued ever since I came here with
• 1:39:11
  tiresome visits from a parcel of Scotch wretches with terrible hard names. They were
• 1:39:16
  so civil, gave me so many invitations, and talked of coming again so
• 1:39:21
  soon that I could not help affronting them. I suppose I shall not see
• 1:39:27
  them any more. And yet as a family party, we are so stupid
• 1:39:30
  that I do not know what to do with myself. These girls have no
• 1:39:34
  music but Scotch airs, no drawings but Scotch mountains, and no books but
• 1:39:40
  Scotch poems. And I hate everything Scotch in general. I can spend half
• 1:39:45
  a day at my toilet with a great deal of pleasure. But why should
• 1:39:49
  I dress here, since there is not a creature in the house whom I
• 1:39:53
  have any wish to please. I have just had a conversation with my brother
• 1:39:58
  in which he has greatly offended me, and which, as I have nothing
• 1:40:01
  more entertaining to send you. I will give you the particulars of you.
• 1:40:05
  Must know that I have, for these four or five days past, strongly
• 1:40:10
  suspected William of entertaining a partiality to my eldest daughter. I own indeed that
• 1:40:15
  had I been inclined to fall in love with any woman, I should not
• 1:40:19
  have made a choice of Matilda Leslie for the object of my passion, for
• 1:40:24
  there is nothing I hate so much as a tall woman. But however,
• 1:40:28
  there is no accounting for some men's taste. And as William is himself nearly
• 1:40:31
  six feet high, it is not wonderful that he should be partial to that
• 1:40:35
  height now, as I have a very great affection for my brother, and
• 1:40:40
  should be extremely sorry to see him unhappy, which I suppose he means to
• 1:40:45
  be if he cannot marry Matilda. As moreover, I know that his circumstances
• 1:40:48
  will not allow him to marry any one without a fortune, and that Matilda's
• 1:40:53
  is entirely dependent on her father, who will neither have his own inclination nor
• 1:40:58
  my permission to give her anything. At present. I thought it would be
• 1:41:00
  doing a good natured action by my brother to let him know as much,
• 1:41:04
  in order that he might choose for himself whether to conquer his passion or love
• 1:41:10
  and despair. Accordingly, finding myself this morning alone with him in one of
• 1:41:15
  the horrid old rooms of this castle, I opened the cause to him in
• 1:41:18
  the following manner. Well, my dear William, what do you think of
• 1:41:24
  these girls? For my part, I do not find them so plain as
• 1:41:28
  I expected. But perhaps you may think me partial to the daughters of my
• 1:41:31
  husband. And perhaps you are right. They are indeed so very like Sir
• 1:41:35
  George that it is natural to think. My dear Susan, cried he in
• 1:41:43
  a tone of the greatest amazement. You do not really think they bear the
• 1:41:46
  least resemblance to their father. He is so very plain. But I beg
• 1:41:50
  your pardon. I had entirely forgotten to whom I was speaking. Oh pray,
• 1:41:57
  don't mind me, replied I. Every one knows Sir George is horribly
• 1:42:01
  ugly, and I assure you I always thought him affright. You surprise me
• 1:42:06
  extremely, answered William, by what you say both with respect to Sir George
• 1:42:12
  and his daughters. You cannot think your husband so deficient in personal charms as
• 1:42:16
  you speak of, Nor can you surely see any resemblance between him and the
• 1:42:20
  miss Leslies, who are, in my opinion, perfectly unlike him and perfectly
• 1:42:25
  handsome. If that is your opinion with regard to the girls, it is
• 1:42:29
  certainly no proof of their father's beauty. For if they are perfectly unlike him
• 1:42:32
  and very handsome at the same time, it is natural to suppose that he
• 1:42:38
  is very plain by no means, said he. For what may be pretty
• 1:42:43
  in a woman may be very unpleasing in a man. But you, yourself,
• 1:42:47
  replied I, but a few minutes ago allowed him to be very plain.
• 1:42:53
  Men are no judges of beauty in their own sex, said he.
• 1:42:58
  Neither men nor women can think Sir George tolerable. Well well, said he.
• 1:43:04
  We will not dispute about his beauty. But your opinion of his daughters
• 1:43:09
  is surely very singular. For if I understood you right, you said you
• 1:43:14
  did not find them so plain as you expected to do. Why do you
• 1:43:18
  find them plainer? Then, said I, I can scarcely believe you to
• 1:43:23
  be serious, returned he. When you speak of their persons in so extraordinary
• 1:43:29
  a manner, do not you think the miss Leslies are two very handsome young
• 1:43:32
  women? Lord, No, cried, I, I think them terribly plain,
• 1:43:40
  plain, replied he. My dear Susan, you cannot really think.
• 1:43:44
  So why what single feature in the face of either of them can you possibly
• 1:43:48
  find fault with? Oh? Trust me for that, replied I come,
• 1:43:55
  I will begin with the eldest, with Matilda, shall i? William?
• 1:44:00
  I looked as cunning as I could when I said it, in order to
• 1:44:03
  shame him. They are so much alike, said he, that I should
• 1:44:09
  suppose the faults of one would be the faults of both. Well, then,
• 1:44:14
  in the first place, they are both so horribly tall. They are
• 1:44:19
  taller than you are, indeed, said he, with a saucy smile.
• 1:44:25
  Nay said, I I know nothing of that. Well, but he continued,
• 1:44:31
  though they may be above the common size, their figures are perfectly elegant,
• 1:44:36
  and as to their faces, their eyes are beautiful. I can never
• 1:44:41
  think such tremendous, knock me down figures in the least degree elegant. And
• 1:44:45
  as for their eyes, they are so tall that I never could strain my
• 1:44:49
  neck enough to look at them. Nay replied he, I know not whether
• 1:44:55
  you may not be in the right in not attempting it, For perhaps they
• 1:44:59
  might dazzle you with their luster. Oh, certainly, said I, with
• 1:45:03
  the greatest complacency. For I assure you, my dearest Charlotte, I was
• 1:45:09
  not in the least offended, though by what followed one would suppose that William
• 1:45:13
  was conscious of having given me just cause to be so. For coming up
• 1:45:16
  to me and taking my hand. He said, you must not look so
• 1:45:20
  grave, Susan, you will make me fear I have offended. You offended
• 1:45:26
  me, dear brother, how came such a thought in your head? Returned
• 1:45:30
  I, No, really, I assure you that I am not in the
• 1:45:33
  least surprised at your being so warm an advocate for the beauty of these girls.
• 1:45:39
  Well, but interrupted William, Remember that we have not yet concluded our
• 1:45:45
  dispute concerning them. What fault do you find with their complexion? They are
• 1:45:49
  so horribly pale. They always have a little color, and after any exercise
• 1:45:56
  it is considerably heightened. Yes, but if there should ever happen to be
• 1:46:00
  any rain in this part of the world, they will never be able to
• 1:46:03
  raise more than their common stock, except indeed they amuse themselves with running up
• 1:46:09
  and down these horrid old galleries and ante chambers. Well replied my brother in
• 1:46:15
  a tone of vexation, and glancing an impertinent look at me. If they
• 1:46:18
  have but little color, at least it is all their own. This was
• 1:46:24
  too much, my dear Charlotte, for I am certain that he had the
• 1:46:27
  impudence by that look, of pretending to suspect the reality of mine. But
• 1:46:32
  you, I am sure, will vindicate my character whenever you hear it so
• 1:46:36
  cruelly aspersed, for you can witness how often I have protested against wearing rouge,
• 1:46:42
  and how much I always told you I disliked it, And I assure
• 1:46:45
  you that my opinions are still the same. Well, not bearing to be
• 1:46:50
  so suspected by my brother, I left the room immediately and have been ever
• 1:46:55
  since in my own dressing room writing to you. What a long letter have
• 1:46:59
  I made of it? But you must not expect to receive such from me
• 1:47:02
  when I get to town, for it is only at Leslie Castle that one
• 1:47:08
  has time to write, even to a Charlotte Luterel. I was so much
• 1:47:12
  vexed by William's glance that I could not summon patience enough to stay and give
• 1:47:16
  him that advice respecting his attachment to Matuda, which had first induced me from
• 1:47:20
  pure love to him to begin the conversation, And now I am so thoroughly
• 1:47:26
  convinced of it, of his violent passion for her, that I am certain
• 1:47:30
  he would never hear reason on the subject. And I shall therefore give myself
• 1:47:33
  no more trouble either about him or his favorite. Adieu, my dear girl,
• 1:47:39
  Yours affectionately, Susan l end of Section five. Letter the seventh from
• 1:47:46
  Miss C. Loutourel to Miss M Leslie, Bristol, the twenty seventh of
• 1:47:53
  March. I have received letters from you and your mother in law within this
• 1:47:58
  week, which have greatly entertained me, as I find by them that you
• 1:48:01
  are both done right jealous of each other's beauty. It is very odd that
• 1:48:06
  two pretty women, though actually mother and daughter, cannot be in the same
• 1:48:11
  house without falling out about their faces. Do be convinced that you are both
• 1:48:15
  perfectly handsome, and say no more of the matter. I suppose this letter
• 1:48:20
  must be directed to Portman Square, where, probably as great as your affection
• 1:48:26
  for Leslie Castle, you will not be sorry to find yourself. In spite
• 1:48:30
  of all that people may say about green Fields and the country, I was
• 1:48:33
  always of opinion that London and its amusements must be very agreeable for a while,
• 1:48:39
  and should be very happy. Could my mother's income allow her to jockey
• 1:48:43
  us into public places during winter? I always longed, particularly to go to
• 1:48:48
  Vauxhall to see whether the cold beef there is cut so thin as it is
• 1:48:53
  reported, For I have a sly suspicion that few people understand the art of
• 1:48:58
  cutting a slice of cold beef so well as I do. Nay, it
• 1:49:01
  would be hard if I did not know something of the matter, for it
• 1:49:04
  was part of my education that I took by far the most pains with Mamma
• 1:49:10
  always found me her best scholar, though when Papa was alive, Eloisa was
• 1:49:15
  his. Never to be sure, were there two more different dispositions in the
• 1:49:19
  world. We both loved reading. She preferred histories and I receipts. She
• 1:49:27
  loved drawing pictures, and I drawing pullets. No one could sing a better
• 1:49:31
  song than she, and no one make a better pie than I, And
• 1:49:35
  so it has always continued since we have been no longer children. The only
• 1:49:41
  difference is that all disputes on the superior excellence of our employments, then so
• 1:49:45
  frequent, are now no more. We have for many years entered into an
• 1:49:49
  agreement always to admire each other's works. I never fail listening to her music,
• 1:49:56
  and she is as constant eating my pies. Such at least was the
• 1:50:00
  case till Henry Hervey made his appearance in Sussex, before the arrival of his
• 1:50:05
  aunt in our neighborhood, where she established herself, you know, about a
• 1:50:09
  twelvemonth ago. His visits to her had been at stated times and of equal
• 1:50:14
  and settled duration. But on her removal to the hall, which is within
• 1:50:18
  a walk from our house, they became both more frequent and longer. This,
• 1:50:23
  as you may suppose, could not be pleasing to missus Diana, who
• 1:50:27
  is a professed enemy to everything which is not directed by decorum and formality,
• 1:50:31
  or which bears the least resemblance to ease and good breeding. Nay, so
• 1:50:36
  great was her aversion to her nephew's behavior that I have often heard her give
• 1:50:41
  such hints of it before his face, that had not Henry at such times
• 1:50:45
  been engaged in conversation with Eloisa, they must have caught his attention and have
• 1:50:49
  very much distressed him. The alteration in my sister's behavior which I have before
• 1:50:56
  hinted at. Now took place. The agreement we had entered in of admiring
• 1:51:00
  each other's productions, she no longer seemed to regard. And though I constantly
• 1:51:04
  applauded even every country dance she played, yet not even a pigeon pie of
• 1:51:11
  my making could obtain from her a single word of approbation. This was certainly
• 1:51:15
  enough to put anyone in a passion. However, I was as cool as
• 1:51:19
  a cream cheese, and having formed my plan and concerted a scheme of revenge,
• 1:51:25
  I was determined to let her have her own way, and not even
• 1:51:28
  to make her a single reproach. My scheme was to treat her as she
• 1:51:31
  treated me. And though she might even draw my own picture or play Malbrook,
• 1:51:36
  which is the only tune I ever really liked, not to say so
• 1:51:41
  much as thank you, Eloisa, though I had for many years constantly hollowed
• 1:51:46
  whenever she played Bravo, bravissimo, encore de capo, ala gretto con expressione,
• 1:51:55
  and poco presto, with many other such outlandish words, all of them,
• 1:52:00
  as Eloisa told me, expressive of my admiration, and so indeed I
• 1:52:03
  suppose they are as I see some of them in every page of every music
• 1:52:08
  book, being the sentiments I imagine of the composer. I executed my plan
• 1:52:14
  with great punctuality. I cannot say success for alas my silence while she played
• 1:52:19
  seemed not in the least to displease her. On the contrary, she actually
• 1:52:25
  said to me one day, well, Charlotte, I am very glad to
• 1:52:28
  find that you have at last left off that ridiculous custom of applauding my execution
• 1:52:32
  on the harpsichord till you have made my head ache and yourself hoarse. I
• 1:52:38
  feel very much obliged to you for keeping your admiration to yourself. I shall
• 1:52:43
  never forget the very witty answer I made to this speech, Eloisa said,
• 1:52:48
  I, I beg you would be quite at your ease with respect to all
• 1:52:53
  such fears in the future, for be assured that I shall always keep my
• 1:52:56
  admiration to myself and my own pursuits, and never extended to yours. This
• 1:53:01
  was the only very severe thing I ever said in my life. Not but
• 1:53:05
  that I have often felt myself extremely satirical. But it was the only time
• 1:53:10
  I ever made my feelings public. I suppose there never were two young people
• 1:53:15
  who had a greater affection for each other than Henry and Eloisa. No,
• 1:53:20
  the love of your brother for miss Burton could not be so strong, though
• 1:53:24
  it might be more violent. You may imagine therefore, how provoked my sister
• 1:53:29
  must have been to have him play her such a trick. Poor girl.
• 1:53:32
  She still laments his death with undiminished constancy, notwithstanding he has been dead more
• 1:53:39
  than six weeks. But some people mind such things more than others. The
• 1:53:44
  ill state of health into which his loss has thrown her makes her so weak
• 1:53:47
  and so unable to support the least exertion, that she has been in tears
• 1:53:53
  all this morning, merely from having taken leave of Missus Marlowe, who with
• 1:53:57
  her husband, brother and child, are to leave Britain Bristol this morning.
• 1:54:00
  I am sorry to have them go, because they are the only family with
• 1:54:03
  whom we have here any acquaintance. But I never thought of crying. To
• 1:54:09
  be sure, Eloisa and Missus Marlowe have always been more together than with me,
• 1:54:14
  and have therefore contracted a kind of affection for each other which does not
• 1:54:17
  make tears so inexcusable in them as they would be in me. The Marlows
• 1:54:23
  are going to town Cleveland accompanies them as neither Eloisa nor I could catch him.
• 1:54:29
  I hope you or Matilda may have better luck. I know not when
• 1:54:32
  we shall leave Bristol. Eloisa's spirits are so low that she is very averse
• 1:54:36
  to moving, and yet is certainly by no means mended by her residence here.
• 1:54:42
  A week or two will, I hope determine our measures in the meantime.
• 1:54:45
  Believe me, and et cetera, and et cetera. Charlotte Liutarell,
• 1:54:53
  Letter the eighth Missluterel to missus Marlowe, Bristol, April fourth. I feel
• 1:54:59
  myself off greatly obliged to you, my dear Emma, for such a mark
• 1:55:02
  of your affection, as I flatter myself, was conveyed in the proposal you
• 1:55:05
  made me of our corresponding. I assure you that it will be a great
• 1:55:10
  relief to me to write to you, and as long as my health and
• 1:55:13
  spirits will allow me, you will find me a very constant correspondent. I
• 1:55:17
  will not say an entertaining one, for you know my situation sufficiently not to
• 1:55:21
  be ignorant that in me mirth would be improper. And I know my own
• 1:55:26
  heart too well not to be sensible that it would be unnatural. You must
• 1:55:30
  not expect news, for we see no one with whom we are in the
• 1:55:33
  least acquainted, or in whose proceedings we have any interest. You must not
• 1:55:39
  expect scandal, for by the same rule we are equally debarred, either from
• 1:55:43
  hearing it or inventing it. You must expect from me nothing but the melancholy
• 1:55:47
  effusions of a broken heart, which is ever reverting to the happiness it once
• 1:55:53
  enjoyed, and which ill supports its present wretchedness. The possibility of being able
• 1:55:58
  to write, to speak to you of my lost henry, will be a
• 1:56:01
  luxury to me, and your goodness, will not, I know, refuse
• 1:56:04
  to read what it will so much relieve my heart to write. I once
• 1:56:10
  thought that to have what is in general called a friend, I mean one
• 1:56:14
  of my own sex, to whom I might speak with less reserve than to
• 1:56:17
  any other person independent of my sister, would never be an object of my
• 1:56:21
  wishes. But how much I was mistaken. Charlotte is too much engrossed by
• 1:56:27
  too confidential correspondence of that sort to supply the place of one to me.
• 1:56:31
  And I hope you will not think me girlishly romantic when I say that to
• 1:56:35
  have some kind of compassionate friend who might listen to my sorrows without endeavoring to
• 1:56:41
  console me was what I had for some time wished for, when our acquaintance
• 1:56:45
  with you, the intimacy which followed it, and the particular affectionate attention you
• 1:56:49
  paid me almost from the first caused me to entertain the flattering idea of those
• 1:56:55
  attentions being improved on a closer acquaintance into a friendship, which, if you
• 1:57:00
  were what my wishes formed you, would be the greatest happiness I could be
• 1:57:03
  capable of enjoying. To find that such hopes are realized is a satisfaction,
• 1:57:09
  indeed, a satisfaction which is now almost the only one I can ever experience.
• 1:57:14
  I feel myself so languid that I am sure, were you with me,
• 1:57:16
  you would oblige me to leave off writing. And I cannot give you
• 1:57:20
  a greater proof of my affection for you than by acting as I know you
• 1:57:25
  would wish me to do, whether absent or present, I am my dear
• 1:57:29
  Emma's sincere friend. E L Letter the ninth Missus Marlowe to Miss Luterel Grosvenor
• 1:57:39
  Street, April tenth. Need I say, my dear Eloisa, how welcome
• 1:57:44
  your letter was to me. I cannot give a greater proof of the pleasure
• 1:57:46
  I received from it, or of the desire I feel that our correspondence may
• 1:57:51
  be regular and frequent than by setting you so good an example as I now
• 1:57:55
  do in answering it before the end of the week. But I do not
• 1:57:59
  imagine that I claim any merit in being so punctual. On the contrary,
• 1:58:03
  I assure you that it is a far greater gratification to me to write to
• 1:58:08
  you than to spend the evening either at a concert or a ball. Mister
• 1:58:13
  Marlowe is so desirous of my appearing at some of the public places every evening
• 1:58:16
  that I do not like to refuse him, But at the same time so
• 1:58:20
  much wish to remain at home that independent of the pleasure I experience in devoting
• 1:58:25
  any portion of my time to my dear Eloisa. Yet the liberty I claim
• 1:58:30
  from having a letter to write of spending an evening at home with my little
• 1:58:32
  boy you know me well enough to be sensible, will of itself be a
• 1:58:36
  sufficient inducement if one is necessary to my maintaining with pleasure a correspondence with you
• 1:58:45
  as to the subject of your letters to me, whether grave or marry,
• 1:58:48
  If they concern you, they must be equally interesting to me. Not but
• 1:58:53
  that I think the melancholy indulgence of your own sorrows, by repeating them and
• 1:58:57
  dwelling on them to me, will only incurag and increase them, and that
• 1:59:00
  it will be more prudent in you to avoid so sad a subject. But
• 1:59:04
  yet, knowing as I do, what a soothing and melancholy pleasure it must
• 1:59:09
  afford you, I cannot prevail on myself to deny you so great an indulgence,
• 1:59:14
  and will only insist on your not expecting me to encourage you in it
• 1:59:17
  by my own letters. On the contrary, I intend to fill them with
• 1:59:21
  such lively wit and enlivening humor as shall even provoke a smile in the sweet
• 1:59:26
  but sorrowful countenance of my Eloisa. In the first place, you are to
• 1:59:30
  learn that I have met your sister's three friends, Lady Leslie and her daughters
• 1:59:35
  twice in public since I have been here. I know you will be impatient
• 1:59:40
  to hear my opinion of the beauty of three ladies of whom you have heard
• 1:59:44
  so much. Now, as you are too ill and too unhappy to be
• 1:59:48
  vain, I think I may venture to inform you that I like none of
• 1:59:51
  their faces so well as I do your own. Yet they are all handsome.
• 1:59:57
  Lady Leslie, indeed, I have seen before her daughters, I believe,
• 2:00:00
  would in general be said to have a finer face than her ladyship.
• 2:00:04
  And yet what with the charms of a blooming complexion, a little affectation,
• 2:00:10
  and a great deal of small talk, and each of which she is superior
• 2:00:14
  to the young ladies, she will, I dare say, gain herself as
• 2:00:17
  many admirers as the more regular features of Matilda and Margaret. I am sure
• 2:00:23
  you will agree with me in saying that they can none of them be of
• 2:00:26
  a proper size for real beauty, when you know that two of them are
• 2:00:30
  taller and the other shorter than ourselves. In spite of this defect, or
• 2:00:35
  rather by reason of it, there is something very noble and majestic in the
• 2:00:40
  figures of the miss Leslies, and something agreeably lively in the appearance of their
• 2:00:45
  pretty little mother in law. But though one may be majestic and the other
• 2:00:49
  lively, Yet the faces of neither possess that bewitching sweetness of my eloises,
• 2:00:55
  which her present languor is so far from diminishing. What would my husband and
• 2:01:00
  brothers say of us if they knew all the fine things I have been saying
• 2:01:02
  to you in this letter? It is very hard that a pretty woman is
• 2:01:06
  never to be told she is so by any one of her own sex,
• 2:01:11
  without that person's being suspected to be either her determined enemy or her professed toad
• 2:01:15
  eater. How much more amiable are women in that particular? One man may
• 2:01:20
  say forty civil things to another without our supposing that he is ever paid for
• 2:01:26
  it, and providing he does his duty by our sex, we care not
• 2:01:30
  how polite he is to his own. Missus liutoareil will be so good as
• 2:01:34
  to accept my compliments, Charlotte, my love and eloise of the best wishes
• 2:01:40
  for the recovery of her health and spirits that can be offered by her affectionate
• 2:01:44
  friend, E. Marlowe. I am afraid this letter will be but a
• 2:01:48
  poor specimen of my powers in the witty way, and your opinion of them
• 2:01:54
  will not be greatly increased. When I assure you that I have been as
• 2:01:57
  entertaining as I possibly could. Letter the tenth from Miss Margaret Leslie to Miss
• 2:02:03
  Charlotte Luderel, Portman Square, April thirteenth, My dear Charlotte, we left
• 2:02:10
  Leslie Castle on the twenty eighth of last month and arrived safely in London after
• 2:02:15
  a journey of seven days. I had the pleasure of finding your letter here
• 2:02:18
  waiting my arrival, for which you have my grateful thanks, Ah, my
• 2:02:24
  dear friend, I every day more regret the serene and tranquil pleasures of the
• 2:02:28
  castle we have left in exchange for the uncertain and unequal amusements of this vaunted
• 2:02:33
  city. Not that I will pretend to assert that these uncertain and unequal amusements
• 2:02:39
  are in the least degree unpleasing to me. On the contrary, I enjoy
• 2:02:43
  them extremely, and should enjoy them even more, were I not certain that
• 2:02:47
  every appearance I make in public but rivets the chains of those unhappy beings whose
• 2:02:51
  passion it is impossible not to pity, though it is out of my power
• 2:02:56
  to return. In short, my dear Charlotte, it is my sensibility for
• 2:03:00
  the sufferings of so many amiable young men. My dislike of the extreme admiration
• 2:03:05
  I meet with, and my aversion to being so celebrated, both in public,
• 2:03:10
  in private, in papers and in print shops, that are the reasons
• 2:03:15
  why I cannot more fully enjoy the amusements so various in pleasing of London.
• 2:03:20
  How often have I wished that I possessed as little personal beauty as you do,
• 2:03:25
  that my figure was as inelegant, my face as unlovely, and my
• 2:03:30
  appearance as unpleasing as yours. But ah, what little chance is there of
• 2:03:34
  so desirable an event. I have had the smallpox, and must therefore submit
• 2:03:40
  to my unhappy fate. I am now going to entrust you, my dear
• 2:03:45
  Charlotte, with a secret which has long disturbed the tranquility of my days,
• 2:03:48
  and which is of a kind to require the most inviolable secrecy from you.
• 2:03:54
  Last Monday, sonight, Matilda and I accompanied Lady Leslie to a route at
• 2:03:59
  the honorable Missus Kickabouts. We were escorted by mister Fitzgerald, who was a
• 2:04:02
  very amiable young man in the main, though perhaps a little singular in his
• 2:04:06
  taste. He is in love with Matilda. We had scarcely paid our compliments
• 2:04:12
  to the lady of the house, and curtseyed to half a score different people,
• 2:04:15
  when my attention was attracted by the appearance of a young man, the
• 2:04:18
  most lovely of his sex, who at that moment entered the room with another
• 2:04:24
  gentleman and lady. From the first moment I beheld him, I was certain
• 2:04:28
  that on him depended the future happiness of my life. Imagine my surprise when
• 2:04:32
  he was introduced to me by the name of Cleveland. I instantly recognized him
• 2:04:38
  as the brother of Missus Marlowe and the acquaintance of my charlotte at Bristol.
• 2:04:43
  Mister and Missus m were the gentleman and lady who accompanied him. You do
• 2:04:47
  not think Missus Marlowe handsome. The elegant address of mister Cleveland, his polished
• 2:04:54
  manners and delightful bow at once confirmed my attachment. He did not speak,
• 2:05:00
  but I can imagine everything he would have said had he opened his mouth.
• 2:05:03
  I can picture to myself the cultivated understanding, the noble sentiments, and the
• 2:05:09
  elegant language which would have shown so conspicuous in the conversation of mister Cleveland.
• 2:05:15
  The approach of Sir James Gower, one of my too numerous admirers prevented the
• 2:05:20
  discovery of any such powers by putting an end to a conversation we had never
• 2:05:25
  commenced, and by attracting my attention to himself. But oh, how inferior
• 2:05:30
  are the accomplishments of Sir James to those of his so greatly envied rival.
• 2:05:34
  Sir James is one of the most frequent of our visitors, and is almost
• 2:05:39
  always of our parties. We have since often met mister and Missus Marlowe,
• 2:05:44
  but no Cleveland. He is always engaged somewhere else. Missus marlow fatigues me
• 2:05:49
  to death every time I see her by her tiresome conversations about you and Eloisa.
• 2:05:56
  She is so stupid. I live in the hope of seeing her.
• 2:05:59
  Irresists brother. Tonight, as we are going to Lady Flambeau's, who is
• 2:06:03
  I know intimate with the Marlowe's, our party will be Lady Leslie, Matilda
• 2:06:09
  Fitzgerald, Sir James Gower, and myself. We see little of Sir George,
• 2:06:15
  who is almost always at the gaming table. Ah, my poor fortune,
• 2:06:18
  where art thou? By this time we see more of Lady l who
• 2:06:23
  always makes her appearance highly rouged at dinner time. Alas, what delightful jewels
• 2:06:30
  she will be decked in this evening at Lady Flambeau's. Yet I wonder how
• 2:06:34
  she can herself delight in wearing them. Surely she must be sensible of the
• 2:06:39
  ridiculous impropriety of loading her little diminutive figure with such superfluous ornaments. Is it
• 2:06:45
  possible that she cannot know how greatly superior and elegant simplicity is to the most
• 2:06:50
  studied apparel. Would she but present them to Matilda and me? How greatly
• 2:06:56
  should we be obliged to her? How becoming would diamonds be on our fine
• 2:07:00
  majestic figures? And how surprising it is that such an idea should never have
• 2:07:04
  occurred to her. I am sure if I have reflected in this manner once,
• 2:07:10
  I have fifty times whenever I see Lady Leslie dressed in them, such
• 2:07:15
  reflections immediately come across to me my own mother's jewels too. But I will
• 2:07:20
  say no more on so melancholy a subject. Let me entertain you with something
• 2:07:25
  more pleasing. Matilda had a letter this morning from Leslie, by which we
• 2:07:30
  have the pleasure of finding that he is at Naples, has turned Roman Catholic,
• 2:07:33
  obtained one of the Pope's bulls for annulling his first marriage, and has
• 2:07:38
  since actually married a Neapolitan lady of great rank and fortune. He tells us
• 2:07:43
  moreover that much the same sort of affair has befallen his first wife, the
• 2:07:46
  worthless Louisa, who is likewise at Naples and turned Roman Catholic, and is
• 2:07:51
  soon to be married to a Neapolitan nobleman of great and distinguished merit. He
• 2:07:57
  says that they are at present very good good friends, have quite forgiven all
• 2:08:01
  past errors, and intend in future to be very good neighbors. He invites
• 2:08:07
  Matilda and me to pay him a visit to Italy, and to bring him
• 2:08:11
  his little Louisa, whom both her mother stepmother and himself are equally desirous of
• 2:08:16
  beholding. As to our accepting his invitation, it is at present very uncertain.
• 2:08:22
  Lady Leslie advises us to go without loss of time. Fitzgerald offers to
• 2:08:26
  escort us there, but Matilda has some doubts of the propriety of such a
• 2:08:31
  scheme. She owns that it would be very agreeable. I am certain that
• 2:08:35
  she likes the fellow My father desires us not to be in a hurry,
• 2:08:39
  as perhaps if we wait a few months, both he and Lady Leslie will
• 2:08:43
  do themselves the pleasure of attending us. Lady Lesley says, no, that
• 2:08:48
  nothing will ever tempt her to forego the amusements of Breythelmstone for a journey to
• 2:08:52
  Italy merely to see our brother. No, says the disagreeable woman. I
• 2:08:58
  have once in my life, my life, been fool enough to travel I
• 2:09:01
  don't know how many hundred miles to see two of the family, and I
• 2:09:05
  found it did not answer. So deuce take me if I ever am so
• 2:09:09
  foolish again, so says her ladyship. But Sir George still perseveres in saying
• 2:09:15
  that perhaps in a month or two they may accompany us, and you,
• 2:09:20
  my dear Charlotte, yours faithful Margaret Leslie. End of section six. The
• 2:09:28
  History of England from the reign of Henry the Fourth to the death of Charles
• 2:09:31
  the First by a partial, prejudiced and ignorant historian to Miss Austen, eldest
• 2:09:37
  daughter of the Reverend George Austin. This work is inscribed with all due respect
• 2:09:43
  by the author N. B. There will be very few dates in this
• 2:09:46
  history the history of England. Henry the fourth. Henry the fourth ascended the
• 2:09:54
  throne of England much to his own satisfaction, in the year thirteen ninety nine,
• 2:09:58
  after having prevailed on his cousin and predecessor, Richard the Second, to
• 2:10:01
  resign it to him and to retire for the rest of his life to Pomfret
• 2:10:05
  Castle, where he happened to be murdered. It is to be supposed that
• 2:10:09
  Henry was married, since he had certainly four sons, but it is not
• 2:10:13
  in my power to inform the reader who is his wife. Be that as
• 2:10:18
  it may. He did not live for ever, but falling ill, his
• 2:10:22
  son, the Prince of Wales, came and took away the crown, whereupon
• 2:10:24
  the King made a long speech, for which I must refer the readers to
• 2:10:28
  Shakespeare's plays, and the Prince made a still longer Things being thus settled between
• 2:10:33
  them, the king died and was succeeded by his son, Henry, who
• 2:10:37
  had previously beat Sir William Gascoyne Henry the fifth. This prince, after he
• 2:10:43
  succeeded to the throne, grew quite reformed and amiable, forsaking all his dissipated
• 2:10:50
  companions, and never thrashing Sir William again. During his reign, Lord Cobham
• 2:10:54
  was burnt alive, but I forget what for his majesty then turned his thoughts
• 2:10:58
  to front, where he went and fought the famous Battle of Agidcour. He
• 2:11:03
  afterwards married the king's daughter Catherine, a very agreeable woman by Shakespeare's account.
• 2:11:07
  In spite of all this, however, he died and was succeeded by his
• 2:11:11
  son Henry. Henry the sixth. I cannot say much for this monarch's sense,
• 2:11:18
  nor would I if I could, For he was a Lancastrian. I
• 2:11:22
  suppose you know all about the wars between him and the Duke of York,
• 2:11:24
  who was of the right side. If you do not, you had better
• 2:11:28
  read some other history. For I shall not be very diffuse in this meaning,
• 2:11:31
  by it only to bent my spleen against and show my hatred to all
• 2:11:35
  those people whose parties or principles do not suit with mine, and not to
• 2:11:39
  give information. This king married Margaret of Anjou, a woman whose distresses and
• 2:11:45
  misfortunes are so great as almost to make me, who hate her, pity
• 2:11:48
  her. It was in this reign. That Joan of Arc lived and made
• 2:11:52
  such a row among the English, they should not have burnt her, but
• 2:11:56
  they did. There were several battles between the Orchists and Lancastrie, in which
• 2:12:00
  the former, as they ought, usually conquered at length. They were entirely
• 2:12:05
  overcome. The king was murdered, the queen was sent home, and Edward
• 2:12:07
  the fourth ascended the throne. Edward the fourth, this monarch was famous only
• 2:12:13
  for his beauty and his courage, of which the picture we have here given
• 2:12:18
  of him, and his undaunted behavior in marrying one woman while he was engaged
• 2:12:22
  to another, are sufficient proofs. His wife was Elizabeth Woodville, a widow
• 2:12:26
  who, poor woman, was afterwards confined in a convent by that monster of
• 2:12:31
  iniquity and avarice, Henry the seventh. One of Edward's mistresses was Jane Shaw,
• 2:12:37
  who has had a play written about her, but it is a tragedy
• 2:12:39
  and therefore not worth reading. Having performed all these noble actions, his majesty
• 2:12:43
  died and was succeeded by his son, Edward the fifth. This unfortunate prince
• 2:12:50
  lived so little a while that nobody had him to draw his picture. He
• 2:12:54
  was murdered by his uncle's contrivance, whose name was Richard the third. Richard
• 2:13:00
  the third, The character of this prince has been in general very severely treated
• 2:13:03
  by historians, but as he was a York I am rather inclined to suppose
• 2:13:07
  him a very respectable man. It has indeed been confidently asserted that he killed
• 2:13:13
  his two nephews and his wife. But it has also been declared that he
• 2:13:16
  did not kill his two nephews, which I am inclined to believe true.
• 2:13:20
  And if this is the case, it may also be a found that he
• 2:13:22
  did not kill his wife. For if Perkin Warbeck was really the Duke of
• 2:13:26
  York, why might not Lambert Symnel be the widow of Richard. Whether innocent
• 2:13:30
  or guilty, he did not train long in peace, for Henry Tudor,
• 2:13:33
  Earl of Richmond, as great a villain as ever lived, made a great
• 2:13:35
  fuss about getting the crown, and having killed the king at the Battle of
• 2:13:39
  Bosworth, he succeeded to it Henry the seventh. This monarch, soon after
• 2:13:46
  his accession, married to the Princess Elizabeth of York, by which alliance he
• 2:13:48
  plainly proved that he thought his own right inferior to hers, though he pretended
• 2:13:54
  to the contrary. By this marriage he had two sons and two daughters,
• 2:13:58
  the elder of which door daughters was married to the King of Scotland and had
• 2:14:01
  the happiness of being grandmother to one of the first characters in the world.
• 2:14:05
  But of her I shall have occasion to speak more at large and future.
• 2:14:09
  The youngest Mary married first the King of France and secondly the Duke of Suffolk,
• 2:14:13
  by whom she had one daughter. Afterwards, the mother of Lady Jane
• 2:14:16
  Gray, who, though inferior to her lovely cousin, the Queen of Scots,
• 2:14:20
  was yet an amiable young woman and famous for reading Greek while other people
• 2:14:24
  are hunting. It was in the reign of Henry the Seventh that Perkin Warbeck
• 2:14:28
  and Lambert Symnel before mentioned made their appearance. The former of whom was set
• 2:14:31
  in the stocks, took shelter in Bolio Abbey and was beheaded with the Earl
• 2:14:35
  of Warwick, and the latter was taken into the King's kitchen. His majesty
• 2:14:39
  died and was succeeded by his son, Henry, whose only merit was his
• 2:14:43
  not being quite so bad as his daughter Elizabeth Henry the eighth. It would
• 2:14:48
  be an affront to my readers were I to suppose that they were not as
• 2:14:52
  well acquainted with the particulars of this King's reign as I am myself. It
• 2:14:56
  will therefore be saving them the task of reading again what they have read before,
• 2:14:58
  and myself the trouble of writing what I do not perfectly recollect. By
• 2:15:03
  giving only a slight sketch of the principal events which marked his reign. Among
• 2:15:07
  these may be ranked Cardinal Wolsey's telling the father Abbot of Lester Abbey that he
• 2:15:11
  was come to lay his bones. Among them, the reformation in religion,
• 2:15:15
  and the King's riding through the threats of London with Anna Boleyn. It is,
• 2:15:18
  however, but justice and my duty to declare that this amiable woman was
• 2:15:22
  entirely innocent of the crimes with which she was accused, and of which her
• 2:15:26
  beauty, her elegance, and her sprightliness were sufficient proofs not to mention her
• 2:15:31
  solemn protestations of innocence, the weakness of the charges against her, and the
• 2:15:35
  King's character, all of which add some confirmation, though perhaps but slight ones,
• 2:15:39
  when in comparison with those before alleged in her favor. Though I do
• 2:15:43
  not profess giving many dates, yet, as I think it proper to give
• 2:15:46
  some, and shall of course make choice of those which is most necessary for
• 2:15:50
  the reader to know, I think it right to inform him that her letter
• 2:15:52
  to the king was dated on the sixth of May. The crimes and cruelties
• 2:15:58
  of this prince were too numerous to be antioned, as this history, I
• 2:16:01
  trust has fully shown, and nothing can be said in his vindication but that
• 2:16:05
  his abolishing religious houses and leaving them to the ruinous depredations of time, has
• 2:16:09
  been of infinite use to the landscape of England in general, which probably was
• 2:16:13
  a principal motive for his doing it, since otherwise, why should a man
• 2:16:16
  who was of no religion himself be it so much trouble to abolish one which
• 2:16:20
  had but ages been established in the kingdom. His Majesty's fifth wife was the
• 2:16:24
  Duke of Norfolk's niece, who, though universally acquitted of the crimes for which
• 2:16:28
  she was beheaded, has been by many people supposed to have led an abandoned
• 2:16:31
  life before her marriage. Of this, however, I have many doubts,
• 2:16:35
  since she was a relation of that noble Duke of Norfolk, who was so
• 2:16:39
  warm in the Queen of Scotland's cause, and who at last felt a victim
• 2:16:41
  to it. The king's last wife contrived to survive him, but with difficulty
• 2:16:46
  effected it. He was succeeded by his only son, Edward Edward the sixth.
• 2:16:52
  As this prince was only nine years old at the time of his father's
• 2:16:56
  death, he was considered by many people too young to govern, and the
• 2:17:00
  late king, happening to be of the same opinion, his mother's brother,
• 2:17:03
  the Duke of Somerset, was chosen protector of the realm during his minority.
• 2:17:07
  This man was on the whole of very amiable character, and is somewhat of
• 2:17:11
  a favorite with me, though I would by no means pretend to affirm that
• 2:17:15
  he was equal to those first of men, Robert, Earl of Essex,
• 2:17:18
  Delamere or Gilpin. He was beheaded, of which he might with reason have
• 2:17:22
  been proud had he known that such was the death of Mary, Queen of
• 2:17:26
  Scotland. But as it was impossible that he should be conscious of what had
• 2:17:28
  never happened, it does not appear that he felt so particularly delighted with the
• 2:17:33
  manner of it. After his decease, the Duke of Northumberland had the care
• 2:17:37
  of the king and the kingdom, and performed his trust of both so well
• 2:17:41
  that the King died and the kingdom was left to his daughter in law,
• 2:17:43
  the lady Jane Gray, who has been already mentioned as reading Greek. Whether
• 2:17:48
  she really understood that language, or whether such a study proceeded only from an
• 2:17:52
  excessive vanity, for which I believe she was always rather remarkable, is uncertain.
• 2:17:56
  Whatever might be the cause, she preserved the same appearance of knowledge and
• 2:18:00
  contempt of what was generally esteemed pleasure during the whole of her life, For
• 2:18:03
  she declared herself displeased with being appointed queen, and while conducting to the scaffold,
• 2:18:09
  she wrote a sentence in Latin and another in Greek on seeing the dead
• 2:18:13
  body of her husband accidentally passing that way. Mary. This woman had the
• 2:18:20
  good luck of being advanced to the throne of England in spite of the superior
• 2:18:22
  pretensions, merit and beauty of her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scotland and
• 2:18:26
  Jane Gray. Nor can I pity the kingdom for the misfortunes they experienced during
• 2:18:31
  her reign, since they fully deserved them for having allowed her to succeed her
• 2:18:35
  brother, which was a double piece of folly, since they might have foreseen
• 2:18:39
  that, as she died without children, she would be succeeded by that disgrace
• 2:18:41
  to humanity, that pest of society, Elizabeth. Many were the people who
• 2:18:46
  fell martyrs to the Protestant religion during her reign. I suppose not fewer than
• 2:18:50
  a dozen. She married Philip, King of Spain, who, in her
• 2:18:54
  sister's reign was famous for building armadrs. She died without his hue, and
• 2:18:58
  then the dreadful moment came in which the destroyer of all comfort, the deceitful
• 2:19:03
  betrayer of trust, reposed in her, and the murderess of her cousins,
• 2:19:07
  succeeded to the throne. Elizabeth. It was the peculiar misfortune of this woman
• 2:19:13
  to have bad ministers, since wicked as she was herself, she could not
• 2:19:16
  have committed such extensive mischief had not these vile and abandoned men connived at it
• 2:19:22
  and encouraged her in her crimes. I know that it has been by many
• 2:19:26
  people asserted and believed that Lord Burleigh, Sir Francis Walsingham, and the rest
• 2:19:30
  of those who filled the chief offices of state were deserving, experienced and able
• 2:19:35
  ministers. But oh how blinded such writers and such readers must be to true
• 2:19:39
  merit, to merit, despised, neglected, and defeigned, if they can
• 2:19:45
  persist in such opinions when they reflect that these men, these boasted men,
• 2:19:48
  were such scandals to their country and their sex as to allow and assist their
• 2:19:52
  queen in confining for the space of nineteen years a woman who, if the
• 2:19:58
  claims of relationship and merit were of no yet as a queen and as one
• 2:20:01
  who condescended to place confidence in her, had every reason to expect assistance and
• 2:20:07
  protection, and at length allowing Elizabeth to bring this amiable woman to an untimely,
• 2:20:13
  unmerited, and scandalous death. Can any one, if he reflects but
• 2:20:16
  for a moment on this blot, this everlasting blot upon their understanding and their
• 2:20:22
  character, allow any praise to Lord Burleigh or Sir Francis Walsingham. Oh what
• 2:20:26
  must this bewitching princess whose only friend was then the Duke of Norfolk, and
• 2:20:31
  whose only ones now mister Whittaker and Missus Lefroy, Missus Knight and myself,
• 2:20:35
  who was abandoned by her son, confined by her cousin, abused, reproached,
• 2:20:39
  and villified by all. What must not her most noble mind have suffered
• 2:20:43
  when informed that Elizabeth had given orders for her death? Yet she bore it
• 2:20:48
  with a most unshaken fortitude, firm in her mind, constant in her religion,
• 2:20:52
  and prepared herself to meet the cruel fate to which she was doomed,
• 2:20:56
  with a magnanimity that would alone proceed from conscious innocence. And yet could you
• 2:21:01
  reader, have believed it possible that some hardened and zealous Protestants have even abused
• 2:21:05
  her for that steadfastness in the Catholic religion which reflected on her so much credit.
• 2:21:11
  But this is a striking proof of their narrow souls and prejudiced judgments who
• 2:21:15
  accuse her. She was executed in the Great Hall at Fotheringay Castle, Sacred
• 2:21:20
  Place, on Wednesday, the eighth of February fifteen eighty six, to the
• 2:21:24
  everlasting reproach of Elizabeth, her ministers, and of England in general. It
• 2:21:28
  may not be unnecessary before I entirely conclude my account of this ill fated Queen
• 2:21:33
  to observe that she had been accused of several crimes during the time of her
• 2:21:37
  reigning in Scotland, of which I now most seriously do assure my reader that
• 2:21:41
  she was entirely innocent, having never been guilty of anything more than imprudencies into
• 2:21:46
  which she was betrayed by the openness of her heart, her youth, and
• 2:21:50
  her education. Having I trust, by this assurance entirely done away every suspicion
• 2:21:54
  and every doubt it might have arisen in the reader's mind from what other historians
• 2:21:58
  have written of her, I shall proceed to mention the remaining event that marked
• 2:22:01
  Elizabeth's reign. It was about this time that Sir Francis Drake, the first
• 2:22:05
  English navigator who sailed round the world, lived to be the ornament of his
• 2:22:09
  country and his profession. Yet great as he was, and justly celebrated as
• 2:22:15
  a sailor, I cannot help for seeing that he will be equaled in this
• 2:22:18
  or the next gentry by one who, though now but young, already promises
• 2:22:22
  to answer all the ardent and sanguine expectations of his relations and friends, amongst
• 2:22:28
  whom I may class the amiable lady to whom this work is dedicated, and
• 2:22:31
  mine no less amiable self, though of a different profession and shining in different
• 2:22:35
  sphere of life. Yet equally conspicuous in the character of an earl, as
• 2:22:39
  Drake was in that of a sailor, was Robert Devereux, Lord Essex.
• 2:22:45
  This unfortunate young man was not unlike in character to that equally unfortunate one Frederick
• 2:22:50
  Delamere. The simile may be carried still further, and Elizabeth, the Torment
• 2:22:54
  of Essex, may be compared to the Emmeline of Delamere. It would be
• 2:22:58
  endless to recount them misfortunes of this noble and gallant earl. It is sufficient
• 2:23:03
  to say that he was beheaded on the twenty fifth of February, after having
• 2:23:05
  been Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, after having clapped his hand on his sword,
• 2:23:09
  and after performing many other services to his country. Elizabeth did not long survive
• 2:23:15
  his loss, and died so miserable that, were it not an injury to
• 2:23:18
  the memory of Mary, I should pity her. James the First, though
• 2:23:24
  this king had some faults, among which, and as the most principal,
• 2:23:28
  was his allowing his mother's death. Yet considered on the whole, I cannot
• 2:23:31
  help. Liking him, he married Anne of Denmark and had several children.
• 2:23:35
  Fortunately for him, his eldest son, Prince Henry, died before his father,
• 2:23:39
  or he might have experienced the evils which befail his unfortunate brother. As
• 2:23:45
  I am myself partial to the Roman Catholic religion, it is with infinite regret
• 2:23:48
  that I am obliged to blame the behavior of any member of it. Yet,
• 2:23:52
  truth being I think very excusable in an Nestorian, I am necessitated to
• 2:23:56
  think that in this reign the Roman Catholics of England did not behave like gentlemen
• 2:24:01
  to the Protestants. Their behavior, indeed to the royal family and both houses
• 2:24:05
  of Parliament might justly be considered by them as very uncivil. And even Sir
• 2:24:09
  Henry Percy, though certainly the best bred man of the party, had none
• 2:24:13
  of that general politeness which is so universally pleasing, as his attentions were entirely
• 2:24:18
  confined to Lord mount Eacle. Sir Walter Rawley flourished in this and the preceding
• 2:24:22
  reign, and is by many people held in great veneration and respect. But
• 2:24:26
  as he was an enemy of the noble Essex, I have nothing to say
• 2:24:30
  in praise of him, and must refer all those who may wish to be
• 2:24:33
  acquainted with the particulars of his life to mister Sheridan's Play of the Critic,
• 2:24:37
  where they will find many interesting anecdotes as well of him as of his friend,
• 2:24:41
  Sir Christopher Hatton. His Majesty was of that amiable disposition which inclines to
• 2:24:46
  friendship, and in such points was possessed of a keener penetration in discovering merit
• 2:24:50
  than many other people. I once heard an excellent charade on a carpet of
• 2:24:54
  which the subject I am now on reminds me, and as I think it
• 2:24:58
  may afford my readers some amusement to find it out, I shall here take
• 2:25:01
  the liberty of presenting it to them. Charad my first is what my second
• 2:25:07
  was to King James the First, and you tread on my whole. The
• 2:25:11
  principal favorites of his Majesty were Carr, who was afterwards created Earl of Somerset,
• 2:25:16
  and whose name perhaps may have some share in the above mentioned charad,
• 2:25:20
  and George Villiers, afterwards Duke of Buckingham. On his Majesty's death, he
• 2:25:24
  was succeeded by his son Charles Charles the First. This amiable monarch seems born
• 2:25:31
  to have suffered misfortunes equal to those of his lovely grandmother, misfortunes which he
• 2:25:37
  could not deserve, since he was a descendant. Never, certainly were there
• 2:25:41
  before so many detestable characters at one time in England as in this period of
• 2:25:46
  its history, never amiable men so scarce, the number of them throughout the
• 2:25:50
  whole Kingdom amounting only to five, Besides the inhabitants of Oxford, who were
• 2:25:54
  always loyal to their King and faithful to his interests. The names of this
• 2:25:58
  noble five, who never forgot the duty of the subject or swerve from their
• 2:26:01
  attachment to his majesty, were as follows the King himself, ever steadfast in
• 2:26:05
  his own support, Archbishop, Lord, Earl of Strafford, Viscount Falkland,
• 2:26:11
  and Duke of Ormond, who were scarcely less strenuous or zealous in the cause.
• 2:26:15
  While the villains of the time would make too long a list to be
• 2:26:18
  written or read, I shall therefore content myself with mentioning the leaders of the
• 2:26:22
  gang. Cromwell, Fairfax, Hampton and Pym may be considered as the original
• 2:26:28
  causes of all the disturbances, distresses, and civil wars in which England,
• 2:26:31
  for many years was embroiled. In this reign as well as in that of
• 2:26:35
  Elizabeth, I am obliged, in spite of my attachment to the Scotch to
• 2:26:39
  consider them as equally guilty with the generality of the English, since they dared
• 2:26:43
  to think differently from their sovereign, to forget the adoration which as Stuarts it
• 2:26:48
  was their duty to pay them, to rebel against dethrone and imprison the unfortunate
• 2:26:52
  Mary, to oppose, to deceive and to sell the no less unfortunate Charles.
• 2:26:56
  The events of this monarch's reign are too numerous for my and indeed the
• 2:27:01
  recital of any events except what I make myself is uninteresting to me. My
• 2:27:05
  principal reason for undertaking the history of England being to prove the innocence of the
• 2:27:09
  Queen of Scotland, which I flatter myself with having effectually done, and to
• 2:27:13
  abuse Elizabeth, though I am rather fearful of having fallen short in the latter
• 2:27:16
  part of my scheme. As therefore, it is not my intention to give
• 2:27:20
  any particular account of the distresses into which this King was involved through the misconduct
• 2:27:24
  and cruelty of his parliament. I shall satisfy myself with vindicating him from the
• 2:27:28
  reproach of arbitrary and tyrannical government with which he has often been charged. This,
• 2:27:33
  I feel is not difficult to be done, for with one argument,
• 2:27:37
  I am certain of satisfying every sensible and well disposed person whose opinions have been
• 2:27:41
  properly guided by a good education. And this argument is that he was a
• 2:27:46
  steward Phinis Saturday, November twenty sixth, seventeen ninety one, end of section
• 2:27:54
  seven to Miss Cooper, letter the first in letter of the second to Miss
• 2:28:01
  Cooper, cousin, conscious of the charming character which in every country and every
• 2:28:09
  climb in Christendom is cried concerning you with caution and care. A commend to
• 2:28:13
  your charitable criticism this clever collection of curious comments which have been carefully called,
• 2:28:20
  collected, and classed by your comical cousin, the author a collection of letters.
• 2:28:28
  Letter the first from mother to her friend. My children begin now to
• 2:28:33
  claim all my attention, in different manner from that in which they have been
• 2:28:37
  used to receive it, as they are now arrived at that age when it
• 2:28:41
  is necessary for them in some measure to be conversant with the world. My
• 2:28:46
  Augusta is seventeen, and her sister is scarcely a twelve month younger. I
• 2:28:52
  father myself that their education has been such as will not disgrace the appearance in
• 2:28:56
  the world, and that they will not disgrace their education. I have a
• 2:29:00
  reason to believe. Indeed they are sweet girls, sensible yet unaffected, accomplished
• 2:29:07
  yet easy, lively yet gentle, as their progress in everything they have learned
• 2:29:13
  has been always the same. I am willing to forget the difference of age
• 2:29:16
  and to introduce them together into public. This very evening as fixed on as
• 2:29:22
  our first entree into life, as we are to drink tea with missus Cope
• 2:29:26
  and her daughter. I am glad that we are to meet no one for
• 2:29:30
  my girl's sake, as it would be awkward for them to enter two wide
• 2:29:33
  a circle on the very first day. But we shall proceed by degrees.
• 2:29:39
  Tomorrow mister Stanley's family will drink tea with us, and perhaps the miss Phillips
• 2:29:43
  will meet them. On Tuesday, we shall pay morning visits. On Wednesday.
• 2:29:48
  We are to dine at Westbrook On Thursday we have company at home.
• 2:29:52
  On Friday we are to be at a private concert at Sir John Wyna's.
• 2:29:56
  And on Saturday we expect Miss Dawson to call in the morning, which will
• 2:30:01
  complete my daughter's introduction into life. How they will bear so much dissipation I
• 2:30:05
  cannot imagine of their spirits. I have no fear, I only dread their
• 2:30:09
  health. This mighty affair is now happily over, and my girls are out.
• 2:30:16
  As the moment approached for our departure, you can have no idea how
• 2:30:20
  the sweet creatures trembled with fear and expectation before the carriage drove to the door.
• 2:30:24
  I called them into my dressing room, and as soon as they were
• 2:30:28
  seated, thus addressed them, my dear girls. The moment has now arrived
• 2:30:33
  when I am to reap the rewards of all my anxieties and labors towards you
• 2:30:37
  during your education. You are this evening to enter a world in which you
• 2:30:41
  will meet with many wonderful things. Yet let me warn you against suffering yourself
• 2:30:46
  to be meanly swayed by the follies and vices of others. Believe me,
• 2:30:50
  my beloved children, that if you do, I shall be very sorry for
• 2:30:54
  it. They both assured me that they would ever remember my advice with gratitude
• 2:30:58
  and follow it with attention. That they were prepared to find the world full
• 2:31:01
  of things to amaze and to shock them, but that they trusted their behavior
• 2:31:07
  would never give me reason to repent the watchful care with which I have presided
• 2:31:11
  over their infancy and formed their minds with such expectations and such intentions, cried
• 2:31:18
  I. I can have nothing to fear from you, and can cheerfully conduct
• 2:31:20
  you to Missus Copes without a fear of your being seduced by her example or
• 2:31:26
  contaminated by her follies. Come, then, my children, added I.
• 2:31:31
  The carriage is driving to the door, and I will not a moment delay
• 2:31:35
  the happiness you are so impatient to enjoy. When we arrived at Warley,
• 2:31:39
  poor Augusta could scarcely breathe, while Margaret was all life in rapture. The
• 2:31:45
  long expected moment is now arrived, said she, and we shall soon be
• 2:31:48
  in the world. In a few moments we were in missus Cope's parlor,
• 2:31:54
  where with her daughter, she said, ready to receive us. I observed
• 2:31:58
  with delight the impression my children made up on them. They were indeed two
• 2:32:01
  sweet, elegant looking girls, and though somewhat abashed from the peculiarity of their
• 2:32:07
  situation, yet there was an ease in their manners and address which could not
• 2:32:11
  fail pleasing. Imagine, my dear Madam, how delighted I must have been
• 2:32:16
  in beholding as I did. How attentively they observed every object they saw,
• 2:32:20
  how discussed it with some things, how enchanted with others, How astonished at
• 2:32:26
  all On the whole, however, they returned in raptures with the world,
• 2:32:30
  its inhabitants and manners. Yours. Ever, a f letter, the second
• 2:32:37
  from a young lady crossed in love to her friend. Why should this last
• 2:32:41
  disappointment hang so heavily on my spirits? Why should I feel it more?
• 2:32:46
  Why should it wound me deeper than those I have experienced before? Can it
• 2:32:50
  be that I have a greater affection for Willoughby than I had for his amiable
• 2:32:54
  predecessors, Or is it that our feelings become more acute being often wounded?
• 2:33:01
  I must suppose, my dear Belle, that this is the case, since
• 2:33:05
  I am not conscious of being more sincerely attached to Willoughby than I was to
• 2:33:09
  Neville Fitzowen, or either of the Crawfords, for all of whom I once
• 2:33:13
  felt the most lasting affection that ever warmed a woman's heart. Tell me,
• 2:33:18
  then, dear Belle, why I still sigh when I think of the faithless
• 2:33:22
  Edward, or why I weep when I behold his bride? For too Surely
• 2:33:26
  this is the case. My friends are all alarmed for me. They fear
• 2:33:31
  my declining health. They lament my want of spirits. They dread the effect
• 2:33:35
  of both. In hopes of relieving my melancholy by directing my thoughts to other
• 2:33:39
  objects, they have invited several of their friends to spend the Christmas with us.
• 2:33:46
  Lady Bridget Darkwood and her sister in law, Miss Jane, are expected
• 2:33:50
  on Friday. Aunt Colonel Seaton's family will be with us next week. This
• 2:33:54
  is almost kindly meant by my uncle and cousins. But what can the presence
• 2:33:58
  of a dozen indifferent people do to me but weary and distress me. I
• 2:34:03
  would not finish my letter till some of our visitors are arrived Friday evening.
• 2:34:09
  Lady Bridget came this morning, and with her her sweet sister, Miss Jane.
• 2:34:13
  Although I have been acquainted with this charming woman above fifteen years, yet
• 2:34:18
  never before observed how lovely she is. She is now about thirty five,
• 2:34:24
  and in spite of sickness, sorrow and time, is more blooming than I
• 2:34:26
  ever saw a girl seventeen. I was delighted with her the moment she entered
• 2:34:31
  the house, and she appeared equally pleased with me, attaching herself to me
• 2:34:37
  during the remainder of the day. There is something so sweet, so mild
• 2:34:41
  in her countenance, that she seems more than mortal. Her conversation is as
• 2:34:46
  bewitching as her appearance. I could not help telling her how much she engaged
• 2:34:50
  my admiration, Oh miss Jane, said I and stopped from inability at the
• 2:34:56
  moment of expressing myself as I could wish. Wish, oh miss Jane,
• 2:35:01
  I repeated. I could not think of words to suit my feelings. She
• 2:35:07
  seemed waiting for my speech. I was confused, distressed, My thoughts were
• 2:35:11
  re bewildered, and I could only add, how do you do? She
• 2:35:16
  saw and felt for my embarrassment, and with admirable presence of mind, relieved
• 2:35:20
  me from it by saying, my dear Sophia, be not uneasy at having
• 2:35:24
  exposed yourself, I will turn the conversation without appearing to notice it. Oh,
• 2:35:31
  how I loved her for her kindness. Do you ride as much as
• 2:35:33
  you used to do? Said she? I am advised to rap in my
• 2:35:39
  physician. We have delightful rides round. Thus I have a charming horse.
• 2:35:43
  Am uncommonly fond of the amusement, replied I quite recovered from my confusion,
• 2:35:48
  and in short I write a great deal. You were in the right,
• 2:35:52
  my love, said she, then repeating the following line, which was an
• 2:35:56
  extemporary and equally adapted to rect men both riding and candor. Ride where you
• 2:36:03
  may be. Can it where you can? She added? I rode once,
• 2:36:07
  but it is many years ago. She spoke this in so low and
• 2:36:11
  tremulous a voice, and I was silent. Struck with her manner of speaking,
• 2:36:16
  I could make no reply. I have not ridden, continued she,
• 2:36:20
  fixing her eyes on my face. Since I was married. I was never
• 2:36:24
  so surprised married, ma'am. I repeat it. You may well wear that
• 2:36:30
  look of astonishment, said she. Since what I have said must appear improbable
• 2:36:35
  to you, Yet nothing is more true than that I once was married.
• 2:36:39
  Then why are you called, Miss Jane. I married my Sophia without the
• 2:36:45
  consent or knowledge of my father, the late Emil Annesley. It was therefore
• 2:36:50
  necessary to keep the secret from him and from every one, till some unfortunate
• 2:36:54
  opportunity might offer of revealing it. Such an opportunity, alas was but too
• 2:37:00
  soon given in the death of my dear Captain Dashwood. Pardon these tears,
• 2:37:05
  continued Miss Jane, wiping her eyes. I owe them to my husband's memory.
• 2:37:09
  He felt, my Sophia, all fighting for his country in America.
• 2:37:13
  After a most happy union of seven years, my children, two sweet boys
• 2:37:18
  and a girl, who had constantly resided with my father and me, passing
• 2:37:24
  with him and with every one as the children of a brother, though I
• 2:37:26
  had ever been an only child, had as yet been the comforts of my
• 2:37:31
  life. But no sooner than I lost my henry than these sweet creatures fell
• 2:37:37
  sick and died. Conceive, Dear Sophia, what my feelings must have been
• 2:37:41
  when, as an aunt I attended my children to their early grave. My
• 2:37:45
  father did not survive them. Many weeks he died, poor good old man,
• 2:37:50
  happily ignorant to his last hour of my marriage, but did not you
• 2:37:54
  own it and assume his name at your husband's death. No, I I
• 2:38:00
  could not bring myself to do it, more, especially when in my children
• 2:38:03
  I lost all inducement for doing it. Lady Bridget and yourself are the only
• 2:38:07
  persons who are in the knowledge of my having ever been either wife or mother.
• 2:38:13
  As I could not prevail on myself to take the name of Dashwood,
• 2:38:16
  a name which after my Henry's death I could never hear without emotion, and
• 2:38:20
  as I was conscious of having no right to that of Annesley, I dropped
• 2:38:24
  all thoughts of either, and have made it a point of bearing only my
• 2:38:28
  Christian one since my father's death. She paused. Oh, my dear miss
• 2:38:33
  Jane, said I, how infinitely am I obliged to you for so entertaining
• 2:38:39
  a story. You cannot think how it has diverted me. But have you
• 2:38:41
  quite done? I have only to add, my dear Sophia, that my
• 2:38:46
  Henry's elder brother, dying about the same time Lady Bridget became a widow like
• 2:38:50
  myself, and as we had always loved each other, an idea from the
• 2:38:56
  high character in which we had ever been spoken of, though we had never
• 2:39:00
  met, we determined to live together. We wrote to one another on the
• 2:39:03
  same subject by the same posts. So exactly did our feeling and our actions
• 2:39:07
  coincide. We both eagerly embraced the proposals we gave and received, the becoming
• 2:39:13
  one family and half from that time lived together in the greatest affection. And
• 2:39:20
  is that all? Said? I? I hope you have not done?
• 2:39:24
  Indeed I have. And did you ever hear a story more pathetic? I
• 2:39:28
  never did, And it is for that reason it pleases me so much,
• 2:39:31
  For when one is unhappy, nothing is so delightful to one's sensations as to
• 2:39:37
  hear of equal misery. Ah, But my Sophia, why are you unhappy?
• 2:39:43
  Have you not heard, Madam, of Willoughby's marriage? But my love,
• 2:39:46
  why lament his perfidy when you bore so well that of many young men
• 2:39:50
  before? Ah? Madam? I was used to it then, But when
• 2:39:56
  Willoughby broke his engagements, I had not been disappointed for half a year,
• 2:40:01
  poor girl, said miss Jane and of section eight letter the third from a
• 2:40:09
  young lady in distressed circumstances to her friend. A few days ago, I
• 2:40:16
  was at a private ball given by mister Ashburnham, as my mother never goes
• 2:40:20
  out. She entrusted me to the care of Lady Greville, who did me
• 2:40:24
  the honor of calling for me in her way and of allowing me to sit
• 2:40:26
  forwards, which is a favor about which I am very indifferent, especially as
• 2:40:31
  I know it is considered as conferring a great obligation on me. So Miss
• 2:40:37
  Maria said her ladyship as she saw me advancing to the door of the carriage.
• 2:40:41
  You seem very smart to night, My poor girls will appear quite a
• 2:40:45
  disadvantage by you. I only hope your mother may not have distressed herself to
• 2:40:50
  set you off. Have you got a new gown on? Yes, ma'am,
• 2:40:54
  replied I, with as much indifference as I could assume. Ay,
• 2:40:58
  and a fine one too, I think, feeling it as by her permission,
• 2:41:03
  I seated myself by her, I daresay it is all very smart.
• 2:41:09
  But I must own, for you know I always speak my mind that I
• 2:41:13
  think it was quite a needless piece of expense. Why could not you have
• 2:41:18
  worn your old striped one. But it is not my way to find fault
• 2:41:22
  with people because they are poor, for I always think that they are more
• 2:41:26
  to be despised and pitied than blamed for it, especially if they cannot help
• 2:41:30
  it. But at the same time I must say that, in my opinion,
• 2:41:33
  your old striped gown would have been quite fine enough for its wearer.
• 2:41:37
  For to tell you the truth, I always speak my mind. I am
• 2:41:43
  very much afraid that one half of the people in the rom will not know
• 2:41:46
  whether you have a gown on or not. But I suppose you intend to
• 2:41:50
  make your fortune to night well, the sooner the better, and I wish
• 2:41:56
  you success. Indeed, ma'am, I have no such intention. Who ever
• 2:42:01
  heard a young lady own that she was a fortune hunter? Miss Greville laughed,
• 2:42:07
  But I am sure Ellen felt for me. Was your mother gone to
• 2:42:11
  bed before you left her? Said her ladyship Dear ma'am, said Ellen,
• 2:42:16
  It is but nine o'clock, true, Ellen, But candles cost money,
• 2:42:20
  and missus Williams is too wise to be extravagant. She was just sitting down
• 2:42:26
  to supper, ma'am. And what had she got for supper? I did
• 2:42:31
  not observe bread and cheese. I suppose I should never wish for a better
• 2:42:37
  supper, said Ellen. You have never any reason, replied her mother,
• 2:42:43
  as a better is always provided for you. Miss Greville laughed excessively, as
• 2:42:48
  she constantly does at her mother's wit. Such is the humiliating situation which I
• 2:42:54
  am forced to appear while riding in her Ladyship's coach. I dare not be
• 2:42:58
  in Maertenan, as my mother is always admonishing me to be humble and patient
• 2:43:03
  if I wished to make my way in the world. She insists on my
• 2:43:07
  accepting every invitation of Lady Greville, or you may be certain that I would
• 2:43:11
  never either enter into her house or her coach with a disagreeable certainty I always
• 2:43:16
  have of being abused for my poverty while I am in them. When we
• 2:43:20
  arrived at Ashburnham, it was nearly ten o'clock, which was an hour and
• 2:43:22
  a half later than we were desired to be there. But Lady Greville is
• 2:43:26
  too fashionable, or fancies herself to be so, to be punctual. The
• 2:43:31
  dancing, however, was not begun as they waited for Miss Greville. I
• 2:43:35
  had not been long in the room before I was engaged to dance by mister
• 2:43:39
  Bernard, But just as we were going to stand up, he recollected that
• 2:43:43
  his servant had got his white gloves and immediately ran out to fetch them.
• 2:43:48
  In the meantime, the dancing began, and Lady Greville, in passing to
• 2:43:52
  another room, went exactly before me. She saw me, and, instantly
• 2:43:56
  stopping, said to me, though there were several people clar hey day,
• 2:44:01
  miss Maria, what cannot you get a partner, poor young lady, I
• 2:44:07
  am afraid your new gown was put on for nothing. But do not despair.
• 2:44:13
  Perhaps you may get a hop before the evening is over. So saying,
• 2:44:18
  she passed on without hearing my repeated assurance of being engaged, and leaving
• 2:44:22
  me very much provoked at being so exposed before every one. Mister Bernard,
• 2:44:28
  however, soon returned, and by coming to me the moment he entered the
• 2:44:31
  room and leading me to the dancers, my character, I hope, was
• 2:44:35
  cleared from the imputation Lady Grevill had thrown on it in the eyes of all
• 2:44:39
  the old ladies who had heard her speech. I soon forgot all my vexations
• 2:44:43
  and the pleasure of dancing, and of having the most agreeable partner in the
• 2:44:46
  room, as he is, moreover, heir to a very large estate.
• 2:44:50
  I could see that Lady Grevell did not look very well pleased when she found
• 2:44:54
  who had been his choice. She was determined to mortify me, and accordingly,
• 2:45:00
  we were sitting down between the dances, she came to me with more
• 2:45:03
  than her usual insulting importance, attended by Miss Mason, and said, loud
• 2:45:07
  enough to be heard by half the people in the room, pray, miss
• 2:45:11
  Maria, in what way of business was your grandfather? For Miss Mason and
• 2:45:16
  I cannot agree whether he was a grocer or a book binder. I saw
• 2:45:20
  that she wanted to mortify me, and was resolved if I possibly could to
• 2:45:24
  prevent her, seeing that her scheme succeeded. Neither, Madam, he was
• 2:45:30
  a wine merchant. I I knew he was in some such low way he
• 2:45:35
  broke? Did he not? I believe not, ma'am. Did not he
• 2:45:39
  abscond? I never heard that he did? At least he died insolvent.
• 2:45:46
  I was never told so before. Why was not your father as poor as
• 2:45:52
  a rat? I fancy not? Was not he in the king's bench?
• 2:45:56
  Once? I never saw him there? She gave me such a look and
• 2:46:01
  turned away in a great passion. While I was half delighted with myself for
• 2:46:05
  my impertinence, and half afraid of being thought too saucy. As Lady Grevill
• 2:46:11
  was extremely angry with me, she took no further notice of me all the
• 2:46:15
  evening, and indeed, had I been in favor, I should have been
• 2:46:18
  equally neglected as she was got into a party of great folks, and she
• 2:46:22
  never speaks to me when she can to any one else. Miss Greville was
• 2:46:26
  with her mother's party at supper, but Ellen preferred staying with the Bernards and
• 2:46:30
  me. We had a very pleasant dance, and as Lady g slept all
• 2:46:33
  the way home, I had a very comfortable ride. The next day,
• 2:46:39
  while we were at dinner, Lady Greville's coach stopped at the door, for
• 2:46:41
  that is the time of day she generally contrives it should. She sent in
• 2:46:46
  a message by the servant to say that she should not get out, but
• 2:46:50
  that Miss Maria must come to the coach door, as she wanted to speak
• 2:46:54
  to her, and that she must make haste and come immediately. What an
• 2:46:58
  impertinent message, Mamma said, I go, Maria replied. She accordingly,
• 2:47:05
  I went, and was obliged to stand there at her ladyship's pleasure. Though
• 2:47:07
  the wind was extremely high and very cold. Why I think Miss Maria you
• 2:47:13
  are not so smart as you were last night. But I did not come
• 2:47:18
  to examine your dress, but to tell you that you may dine with us
• 2:47:20
  the day after, to morrow, not to morrow. Remember, do not
• 2:47:24
  come to morrow, for we expect Lord and Lady Clermont and Sir Thomas Stanley's
• 2:47:30
  family. There will be no occasion for your being very fine. For I
• 2:47:33
  shan't send the carriage. If it rains, you may take an umbrella.
• 2:47:39
  I could hardly help laughing at hearing her. Give me leave to keep myself
• 2:47:43
  dry and pray. Remember to be in time, for I shan't wait.
• 2:47:46
  I hate my victuals overdone. But you need not come before the time.
• 2:47:50
  How does your mother do? She is at dinner, is not she?
• 2:47:54
  Yes, ma'am. We were in the middle of dinner when your ladyship came.
• 2:47:58
  I am afraid you find it very cold, Maria, said ellen.
• 2:48:03
  Yes, it is a horrible east wind, said her mother. I assure
• 2:48:07
  you, I can hardly bear the windows down. But you are used to
• 2:48:11
  be blown about by the wind, Miss Maria, and that is what has
• 2:48:13
  made your complexion so ruddy and coarse. You young ladies who cannot often ride
• 2:48:18
  in a carriage never mind what weather you trudge in or how the wind shows
• 2:48:22
  your legs. I will not have my girls stand out of doors as you
• 2:48:26
  do in such days. This, but some sort of people have no feelings
• 2:48:31
  either of cold or delicacy. Well, remember that we shall expect you on
• 2:48:35
  Thursday at five o'clock. You must tell your maid to come for you at
• 2:48:39
  night. There will be no moon, and you will have a horrid walk
• 2:48:41
  home. My comte to your mother, I am afraid your dinner will be
• 2:48:46
  cold. Drive on and away she went, leaving me in a great passion
• 2:48:52
  with her, as she always does. Mariah Williams Let the fourth from a
• 2:48:58
  young lady rather impertinent to her friend. We dined yesterday with mister Evelin,
• 2:49:05
  where we were introduced to a very agreeable looking girl his cousin. I was
• 2:49:07
  extremely pleased with her appearance, for added to the charms of an engaging face,
• 2:49:13
  her manner and voice had something peculiarly interesting in them, so much so
• 2:49:18
  that they inspired me the great curiosity to know the history of her life,
• 2:49:20
  who were her parents, where she came from, and what had befallen her?
• 2:49:24
  For it was then only known that she was a relation of mister Evelin,
• 2:49:28
  and that her name was Grenville. In the evening a favorable opportunity offered
• 2:49:31
  to me of attempting at least to know what I wished to know. For
• 2:49:35
  every one played at cards but missus Evelyn, my mother, doctor Drayton,
• 2:49:39
  Miss Grenville and myself, And as the two former engaged in a whispering conversation
• 2:49:43
  and the doctor fell asleep, we were of necessity obliged to entertain each other.
• 2:49:48
  This was what I wished in, being determined not to remain in ignorance
• 2:49:50
  for want of asking, I began the conversation in the following manner. Have
• 2:49:56
  you been long in Essex? Ma'am? I arrived on Tuesday? You came
• 2:50:00
  from Derbyshire, No, ma'am. Appearing surprised at my question from Suffolk,
• 2:50:07
  you will think this a good dash of mine, my dear Mary, But
• 2:50:11
  you know that I am not wanting for impudence when I have my end in
• 2:50:13
  view. Are you pleased with the country, Miss Grenville? Do you find
• 2:50:16
  it equal to the one you have left? Much superior? Ma'am? In
• 2:50:20
  point of beauty? She sighed, I longed to know for why, But
• 2:50:26
  the face of any country, however, beautiful, said I can be but
• 2:50:31
  a poor consolation for the loss of one's dearest friends. She shook her head
• 2:50:35
  as if she felt the truth of what I said. My curiosity was much
• 2:50:39
  raised that I was resolved at any rate to satisfy it. You regret having
• 2:50:43
  left Suffolk, then, Miss Grenville, indeed, I do you were born
• 2:50:48
  there? I suppose, yes, ma'am, I was, and passed many
• 2:50:50
  happy years there. That is a great comfort, said I. I hope,
• 2:50:56
  ma'am, that you never spent any unhappy ones there. Perfect felicity is
• 2:51:01
  not the property of mortals, and no one has a right to expect uninterrupted
• 2:51:05
  happiness. Some misfortunes I have suddenly met with what misfortunes, dear ma'am?
• 2:51:11
  Replied I burning with impatience to know everything? None, ma'am. I hope
• 2:51:18
  that have been the effect of any wilful fault in me. I daresay not,
• 2:51:22
  ma'am, and have no doubt but that any sufferings you may have experienced
• 2:51:26
  could only arise from the cruelties of relations or the errors of friends. She
• 2:51:31
  sighed, you seemed unhappy, my dear Miss Grenville. Is it in my
• 2:51:35
  power to soften your misfortunes your power, ma'am replied, She extremely surprised.
• 2:51:43
  It is in no one's power to make me happy. She pronounced these words
• 2:51:48
  in so mournful and solemn accent that for some time I had not courage to
• 2:51:52
  reply. I was actually silenced. I recovered myself, however, in a
• 2:51:56
  few moments, and looking at her with all the affection I could. My
• 2:52:00
  dear Miss Grenville said, I you appear extremely young and may probably stand in
• 2:52:05
  need of some one's advice whose regard for you joined superior age, perhaps superior
• 2:52:09
  judgment might authorize her to give it. I am that person, and I
• 2:52:13
  now challenge you to accept the offer I make you of my confidence and friendship,
• 2:52:18
  in return to which I shall only ask for yours. You are extremely
• 2:52:22
  obliging, ma'am, and I am highly flattered by your attention to me.
• 2:52:26
  But I am in no difficulty, no doubt, no uncertainty of situation in
• 2:52:31
  which any advice can be wanted whenever I am, however, continued she brightening
• 2:52:35
  into a complaisant smile, I shall know where to apply. I bowed,
• 2:52:41
  but felt a good deal mortified by such a repulse. Still, however,
• 2:52:46
  I had not given up my point. I found that by the appearance of
• 2:52:48
  sentiment and friendship nothing was to be gained, and determined therefore to renew my
• 2:52:52
  attacks by questions and suppositions. Do you intend staying long in this part of
• 2:52:58
  England, Miss Grenville? Yes, ma'am, some time, I believe.
• 2:53:01
  But how will mister and missus Grenville bear your absence? They are neither of
• 2:53:07
  them alive? Ma'am. Oh, this was an answer I did not expect.
• 2:53:11
  I was quite silenced and never felt so awkward in my life. End
• 2:53:18
  of section nine. Letter the fifth from a young lady very much in love
• 2:53:24
  to her friend. My uncle gets more stingy, my aunt more particular,
• 2:53:31
  and I more in love every day. What shall we all be at this
• 2:53:35
  rate by the end of the year. I had this morning the happiness of
• 2:53:39
  receiving the following letter from my dear Musgrove, Sackville Street, January seventh.
• 2:53:46
  It is a month to day since I first beheld my lovely Henrietta, and
• 2:53:50
  the sacred anniversary must and shall be kept in a manner becoming the day by
• 2:53:56
  writing to her. Never shall I forget the moment when her beauties first broke
• 2:54:01
  on my sight. No time as you well know, can erase it from
• 2:54:05
  my memory. It was at Lady Scutemore's, Happy Lady Scutamor to live within
• 2:54:09
  a mile of the divine Henrietta. When the lovely creature first entered the room,
• 2:54:15
  Oh, what were my sensations. The sight of you was like the
• 2:54:18
  sight of a wonderful, fine thing. I started. I gazed at her
• 2:54:24
  with admiration. She appeared every moment more charming, and the unfortunate Musgrove became
• 2:54:30
  a captive to your charms before I had time to look about me. Yes,
• 2:54:35
  Madam, I had the happiness of adoring you, and happiness for which
• 2:54:39
  I cannot be too grateful. What said he to himself? Is Musgrove allowed
• 2:54:45
  to die for Henrietta? Enviable, mortal? And may he pine for her,
• 2:54:50
  who is the object of universal admiration, who is adored by a colonel
• 2:54:54
  and toasted by a baronet. Adorable, Henrietta, How beautiful you are?
• 2:55:00
  I declare you are quite divine. You are more than mortal. You are
• 2:55:03
  an angel, You are Venus herself. In short, Madam, you are
• 2:55:07
  the prettiest girl I ever saw in my life, And her beauty is increased
• 2:55:13
  in her Musgrove's eyes by permitting him to love her and allowing me to hope
• 2:55:18
  and ah angelic, Miss Henrietta, Heaven is my witness. How ardently I
• 2:55:22
  do hope for the death of your villainous uncle and his abandoned wife, since
• 2:55:28
  my fair one will not consent to be mine till their decease has placed her
• 2:55:31
  in affluence above what my fortune can procure. Though it is an improvable estate
• 2:55:37
  cruel, Henrietta, to persist in such a resolution. I am at present
• 2:55:43
  with my sister, where I mean to continue till my own house, which
• 2:55:46
  though an excellent one, is at present somewhat out of repair, is ready
• 2:55:50
  to receive me, amiable Princess of my heart. Farewell of that heart which
• 2:55:56
  trembles while it signs itself your most ardent, admirer and devoted, humble servant,
• 2:56:03
  T. Musgrove. There is a pattern for a love letter, Matilda.
• 2:56:07
  Did you ever read such a masterpiece of writing, such sense, such
• 2:56:13
  sentiment, such purity of thought, such flow of language, and such unfeigned
• 2:56:18
  love in one sheet? No? Never I can answer for it, Since
• 2:56:22
  a Musgrove is not to be met with by every girl. Oh how I
• 2:56:26
  long to be with him. I intend to send him the following in answer
• 2:56:31
  to his letter tomorrow. My dearest Musgrove, words cannot express how happy your
• 2:56:37
  letter made me. I thought I should have cried for joy, for I
• 2:56:41
  love you better than anybody in the world. I think you the most amiable
• 2:56:46
  and the handsomest man in England, and so to be sure you are.
• 2:56:52
  I never read so sweet a letter in my life. Do write me another
• 2:56:56
  just like it, and tell me you are in love with me in every
• 2:56:58
  other line. I quite die to see you. How shall we manage to
• 2:57:03
  see one another? For we are so much in love that we cannot live
• 2:57:07
  asunder? Oh, my dear Musgrove, you cannot think how impatiently I wait
• 2:57:13
  for the death of my uncle and aunt. If they will not die soon,
• 2:57:16
  I believe I shall run mad, for I get more in love with
• 2:57:20
  you every day of my life. How happy your sister is to enjoy the
• 2:57:24
  pleasure of your company in her house, and how happy everybody in London must
• 2:57:28
  be because you are there. I hope you will be so kind as to
• 2:57:33
  write to me again soon, for I never read such sweet letters as yours.
• 2:57:39
  I am, my dearest Musgrove, most truly and faithfully yours forever and
• 2:57:43
  ever, Henrietta Halton. I hope you will like my answer. It is
• 2:57:50
  as good a one as I can write, though nothing to his Indeed,
• 2:57:54
  I had always heard what a dab he was at a love letter. I
• 2:57:58
  saw him, you know, for the first time. I'm at Lady Scutemor's,
• 2:58:01
  and when I saw her ladyship afterwards, she asked me how I liked
• 2:58:05
  her cousin Musgrove. Why upon my word, said I. I think he
• 2:58:09
  is a very handsome young man. I am glad you think so, replied
• 2:58:15
  she, for he is distractedly in love with you. Law Lady Scutamore,
• 2:58:20
  said I how can you talk so ridiculously? Nay, tis very true,
• 2:58:26
  answered she, I assure you, for he was in love with you from
• 2:58:31
  the first moment he beheld you. I wish it may be true, said
• 2:58:35
  I, for that is the only kind of love I would give a farthing,
• 2:58:37
  for there is some sense in being in love at first sight. Well,
• 2:58:43
  I give you joy of your conquest, replied Lady Scutemore, and I
• 2:58:48
  believe it to have been a very complete one. I am sure it is
• 2:58:52
  not a contemptible one, for my cousin is a charming young fellow, has
• 2:58:56
  seen a great deal of the world, and writes the best love letters I
• 2:59:01
  ever read. This made me very happy, and I was excessively pleased with
• 2:59:05
  my conquest. However, I thought it was proper to give myself a few
• 2:59:09
  airs, so I said to her, this is all very pretty, Lady
• 2:59:13
  Scutemore, But you know that we young ladies who are heiresses must not throw
• 2:59:18
  ourselves away upon men who have no fortune at all. My dear miss Halton,
• 2:59:24
  said she. I am as much convinced of that as you can be,
• 2:59:28
  and I do assure you that I should be the last person to encourage
• 2:59:31
  your marrying any one who had not some pretensions to expect a fortune with you.
• 2:59:37
  Mister Musgrove is so far from being poor that he has an estate of
• 2:59:41
  several hundreds a year, which is capable of great improvement, and an excellent
• 2:59:46
  house, though at present it is not quite in repair. If that is
• 2:59:50
  the case, replied I, I have nothing more to say against him.
• 2:59:54
  And if, as you say, he is an informed young man and can
• 2:59:58
  write a good look letter, I am sure I have no reason to find
• 3:00:01
  fault with him for admiring me, though perhaps I may not marry him.
• 3:00:05
  For all that, Lady Scutemore, you are certainly under no obligation to marry
• 3:00:11
  him, answered her Ladyship, except that which Love himself will dictate to you.
• 3:00:16
  For if I am not greatly mistaken, you are, at this very
• 3:00:20
  moment, unknown to yourself, cherishing a most tender affection for him law Lady
• 3:00:28
  Scutamore replied, I, blushing, How can you think of such a thing,
• 3:00:33
  because every look, every word betrays it, answered she, Come,
• 3:00:37
  my dear Henrietta, consider me as a friend and be sincere with me.
• 3:00:43
  Do not you prefer mister Musgrove to any man of your acquaintance? Pray,
• 3:00:48
  do not ask me such questions, Lady Scutemore, said I, turning away
• 3:00:52
  my head, for it is not fit for me to answer them. Nay,
• 3:00:58
  my love, replied she, Now you can affirm my suspicions. But
• 3:01:01
  why, Henrietta, should you be ashamed to own a well placed love,
• 3:01:05
  or why refuse to confide in me? I am not ashamed to own it,
• 3:01:11
  said I, taking courage. I do not refuse to confide in you,
• 3:01:16
  or blush to say that I do love your cousin mister Musgrove, that
• 3:01:20
  I am sincerely attached to him, for it is no disgrace to love a
• 3:01:24
  handsome man. If you were plain, indeed, I might have had reason
• 3:01:28
  to be ashamed of a passion which must have been mean, since the object
• 3:01:33
  would have been unworthy. But with such a figure and face and such beautiful
• 3:01:37
  hair as your cousin has, why should I blush to own that such superior
• 3:01:43
  merit has made an impression on me? My sweet girl, said Lady Scutemor,
• 3:01:48
  embracing me with great affection. What a delicate way of thinking you have
• 3:01:52
  in these matters, and what a quick discernment for one of your years.
• 3:01:58
  Oh how I honor you for such noble sentiments? Do you? Ma'am?
• 3:02:03
  Said I, You are vastly obliging. But pray, Lady Scutemor, did
• 3:02:07
  your cousin himself tell you of his affection for me? I shall like him
• 3:02:13
  the better if he did, For what is a lover without a confidante,
• 3:02:18
  Oh, my love, replied she. You were born for each other.
• 3:02:22
  Every word you say more deeply convinces me that your minds are actuated by the
• 3:02:28
  invisible power of sympathy for your opinions and sentiments so exactly coincide. Nay,
• 3:02:35
  the color of your hair is not very different. Yes, my dear girl,
• 3:02:39
  the poor despairing Musgrove did reveal to me the story of his love.
• 3:02:43
  Nor was I surprised at it. I know not how it was, but
• 3:02:48
  I had a kind of presentiment that he would be in love with you.
• 3:02:54
  Well, but how did he break it to you? It was not till
• 3:02:58
  after supper. We were sitting round the fire together, talking on indifferent subjects.
• 3:03:03
  Though, to say the truth, the conversation was chiefly on my side,
• 3:03:07
  for he was thoughtful and silent, when on a sudden he interrupted me
• 3:03:11
  in the midst of something I was saying by exclaiming, in a most theatrical
• 3:03:15
  tone, Yes, I am in love. I feel it now, And
• 3:03:18
  Henrietta Halton has undone me. Oh, what a sweet way, replied I,
• 3:03:24
  of declaring his passion to make such a couple of charming lines about me.
• 3:03:30
  What a pity it is that they were not in rhyme. I am
• 3:03:33
  very glad you like it, answered she. To be sure, there was
• 3:03:37
  a great deal of taste in it. And are you in love with her?
• 3:03:43
  Cousin? Said I. I am very sorry for it, for unexceptional
• 3:03:46
  as you are in every respect, with a pretty estate, capable of great
• 3:03:50
  improvements, and an excellent house, though somewhat out of repair. Yet,
• 3:03:56
  who can hope to aspire with success to the adoreable Henrietta, who has had
• 3:04:01
  an offer from a colonel and been toasted by a baronet. That I have
• 3:04:07
  cried, I, Lady Scutemore, continued, Ah, dear cousin replied he,
• 3:04:13
  I am so well convinced of the little chance I have of winning her,
• 3:04:16
  who is adored by thousands, that I need no assurances of yours to
• 3:04:22
  make me more thoroughly so. Yet surely neither you or the fair Henrietta herself
• 3:04:28
  will deny me the exquisite gratification of dying for her, of falling a victim
• 3:04:33
  to her charms. And when I am dead, continued her. Oh,
• 3:04:39
  Lady Scutemore, said, I wiping my eyes, that such a sweet creature
• 3:04:43
  should talk of dying. It is an affecting circumstance. Indeed, replied Lady
• 3:04:50
  Scudamore, when I am dead, said he let me be carried and lain
• 3:04:54
  at her feet. And perhaps she may not disdain to drop a pitying tear
• 3:05:00
  on my poor remains. Dear lady, Scutemore interrupted, I say no more
• 3:05:05
  on this affecting subject. I cannot bear it. Oh how I admire the
• 3:05:11
  sweet sensibility of your soul, and as I would not for worlds wound it
• 3:05:16
  too deeply, I will be silent pray go on, said I. She
• 3:05:22
  did so, and then added, he, Ah, cousin, imagine what
• 3:05:26
  my transports will be when I feel the dear precious drops trickle on my face.
• 3:05:33
  Who would not die to haste such ecstasy? And when I am interred?
• 3:05:37
  May the divine Henrietta bless some happier youth with her affection. May he
• 3:05:43
  be as tenderly attached to her as the hapless musgrove, And while he crumbles
• 3:05:48
  to dust, may they live an example of felicity in the conjugal state.
• 3:05:54
  Did you ever hear anything so pathetic? What a charming wish to be lain
• 3:05:58
  at my feet when he was dead? Oh, what an exalted mind he
• 3:06:01
  must have to be capable of such a wish. Lady Scutemore went on,
• 3:06:07
  Ah, my dear cousin, replied I to him, Such noble behavior as
• 3:06:11
  this must melt the heart of any woman, however obdurate it may naturally be,
• 3:06:18
  and could the divine Henrietta. But hear your generous wishes for her happiness,
• 3:06:22
  all gentle as is her mind. I have not a doubt that she
• 3:06:26
  would pity your affection and endeavor to return it, Oh cousin, answered he
• 3:06:33
  do not endeavor to raise my hopes by such flattering assurances. No, I
• 3:06:39
  cannot hope to please this angel of a woman, and the only thing which
• 3:06:43
  remains for me to do is to die. True love is never desponding,
• 3:06:48
  replied I. But I, my dear Tom, will give you even greater
• 3:06:52
  hopes of conquering this fair one's heart than I have yet given you, by
• 3:06:58
  assuring you that I have watched her with the strictest attention during the whole day,
• 3:07:01
  and could plainly discover that she cherishes in her bosom, though unknown to
• 3:07:07
  herself, a most tender affection for you. Dear lady, Scudamore, cried,
• 3:07:13
  I, this is more than I ever knew. Did not I say
• 3:07:18
  that it was unknown to yourself? I did not, continued I to him
• 3:07:22
  encourage you by saying this at first, that surprise might render the pleasure still
• 3:07:28
  greater, no cousin, replied he in a languid voice. Nothing will convince
• 3:07:33
  me that I can have touched the heart of Henrietta Halton. And if you
• 3:07:37
  are deceived yourself, do not attempt deceiving me. In short, my love,
• 3:07:43
  it was the work of some hours for me to persuade the poor,
• 3:07:46
  despairing youth that you had really a preference for him. But when at last
• 3:07:52
  he could no longer deny the force of my arguments or discredit what I told
• 3:07:56
  him, his transports, his raptures, his ecstasies are beyond my power to
• 3:08:03
  describe. Oh the dear creature, cried I, how passionately he loves me.
• 3:08:09
  But dear lady scutemor, did you tell him that I was totally dependent
• 3:08:13
  on my uncle and aunt? Yes? I told him everything. And what
• 3:08:18
  did he say? He exclaimed with virulence against uncles and aunts, accused the
• 3:08:24
  laws of England for allowing them to possess their estates when wanted by their nephews
• 3:08:28
  or nieces, and wished he were in the House of Commons, that he
• 3:08:33
  might reform the legislature and rectify all its abuses. Oh, the sweet man,
• 3:08:39
  what a spirit he has said I. He could not flatter himself.
• 3:08:43
  He added that the adorable Henrietta would condescend, for his sake to resign those
• 3:08:50
  luxuries and that splendor to which she had been used, and except only in
• 3:08:54
  exchange the comforts and elegancies which his limited income could afford her, even supposing
• 3:09:00
  that his house were in readiness to receive her, I told him that it
• 3:09:05
  could not be expected that she would. It would be doing her an injustice
• 3:09:09
  to suppose her capable of giving up the power she now possesses, and so
• 3:09:13
  nobly uses of doing such extensive good to the poorer part of her fellow creatures,
• 3:09:18
  merely for the gratification of you and herself. To be sure, said
• 3:09:22
  I, I am very charitable every now and then. And what did mister
• 3:09:28
  Musgrove say to this? He replied that he was under a melancholy necessity of
• 3:09:33
  owning the truth of what I said, and that therefore, if he should
• 3:09:37
  be the happy creature destined to be the husband of the beautiful Henrietta, he
• 3:09:41
  must bring himself to wait, however, impatiently, for the fortunate day when
• 3:09:46
  she might be freed from the power of worthless relations and able to bestow herself
• 3:09:52
  on him. What a noble creature he is, Oh Matilda, what a
• 3:09:56
  fortunate one I am, who am to be his wife. My aunt is
• 3:10:01
  calling me to come and make the pies. So adieu, my dear friend,
• 3:10:05
  and believe me yours et cetera. H. Halton Phoenis scraps to Miss
• 3:10:16
  Fanny Catherine Austen, my dear niece. As I am prevented by the great
• 3:10:20
  distance between Rolling and Steventon from superintending your education myself, the care of which
• 3:10:28
  will probably on that account devolve on your father and mother, I think it
• 3:10:31
  is my particular duty to prevent your feeling, as much as possible the want
• 3:10:35
  of my personal instructions, by addressing to you on paper my opinions and admonitions
• 3:10:43
  on the conduct of young women, which you will find expressed in the following
• 3:10:46
  pages. I am, my dear niece, your affectionate aunt, the author
• 3:10:54
  end of section ten The Female Philosopher. A letter, My dear Louisa,
• 3:11:01
  your friend mister Miller called upon us yesterday in his way to Bath, whither
• 3:11:07
  he is going for his health. Two of his daughters were with him,
• 3:11:11
  but the eldest and the three boys are with their mother in Sussex. Though
• 3:11:15
  you have often told me that miss Miller was remarkably handsome, you never mentioned
• 3:11:20
  anything of her sister's beauty. Yet they are certainly extremely pretty. I'll give
• 3:11:24
  you their description. Julia is eighteen, with a countenance in which modesty,
• 3:11:30
  sense and dignity are happily blended. She has a form which at once presents
• 3:11:35
  you with grace, elegance, and symmetry. Charlotte, who is just sixteen,
• 3:11:41
  is shorter than her sister, and though her figure cannot boast the easy
• 3:11:45
  dignity of Julia's, yet it has a pleasing plumpness, which is in a
• 3:11:48
  different way as estimable. She is fair, and her face is expressive,
• 3:11:54
  sometimes of softness the most bewitching, and at others of vivacity, the most
• 3:11:58
  striking. She appears to have infinite wit and a good humour unalterable. Her
• 3:12:05
  conversation during the half hour they set with us was replete with humorous Sally's beaumons
• 3:12:11
  and repartees, while the sensible, the amiable Julia uttered sentiments of morality worthy
• 3:12:16
  of a heart like her own. Mister Miller appeared to answer the character I
• 3:12:22
  had always received of him. My father met him with that look of love,
• 3:12:28
  that social shake and cordial kiss, which marked his gladness at beholding an
• 3:12:33
  old and valued friend from whom, through various circumstances, he had been separated
• 3:12:37
  nearly twenty years. Mister Miller observed, and very justly too, that many
• 3:12:43
  events had befallen each during that interval of time, which gave occasion to the
• 3:12:48
  lovely Julia for making most sensible reflections on the many changes in their situation which
• 3:12:54
  so long a period had occasioned, on the advantages of some and the disadvantages
• 3:13:00
  of others. From this subject, she made a short digression to the instability
• 3:13:05
  of human pleasures and the uncertainty of their duration, which led her to observe
• 3:13:11
  that all earthly joys must be imperfect. She was proceeding to illustrate this doctrine
• 3:13:16
  by examples from the lives of great men. When the carriage came to the
• 3:13:20
  door, and the amiable Moralist, with her father and sister, was obliged
• 3:13:26
  to depart, but not without a promise of spending five or six months with
• 3:13:31
  us. On their return, we of course mentioned you, and I assure
• 3:13:35
  you that ample justice was done to your merits by all, Louisa Clark said,
• 3:13:41
  I is in general a very pleasant girl. Yet sometimes her good humor
• 3:13:46
  is clouded by peevishness, envy, and spite. She neither wants understanding or
• 3:13:52
  is without some pretensions to beauty. But these are so very trifling that the
• 3:13:56
  value she sets on her personal charms, and the nations she expects them to
• 3:14:01
  be offered, are at once a striking example of her vanity, her pride,
• 3:14:05
  and her folly. So said I, And to my opinion, every
• 3:14:11
  one added weight by the concurrence of their own Your affectionate Arabella Smith. The
• 3:14:20
  first act of a comedy. Characters pop Gun, Maria, Charles, Pistoletta,
• 3:14:28
  postilion hostess, chorus of plowboys, Cook and Strephon and Chloe. Scene
• 3:14:39
  an inn enter, Hostess, Charles, Maria and Cook. Hostess to Maria.
• 3:14:50
  If the gentry in the lion should want beds, show them number nine
• 3:14:54
  Maria yes, Mistress exit Maria, Hostess to Cook. If their honors in
• 3:15:03
  the moon ask for the bill of fare, give it them Cook, I
• 3:15:07
  woll I woll exit. Cook, Hostess to Charles. If their ladyships in
• 3:15:16
  the sun ring their bell, answer it? Charles, yes, Madam excellant
• 3:15:22
  severally. Scene changes to the moon and discovers pop gun and pistoletta, pistoletta,
• 3:15:35
  Pray Papa. How far is it to London? Pop gun? My
• 3:15:39
  girl, my darling, my favorite of all my children? Who art the
• 3:15:43
  picture of thy poor mother who died two months ago? With whom I am
• 3:15:48
  going to town to marry, to Strephon, and to whom I mean to
• 3:15:52
  bequeath my whole estate. It wants seven miles. Scene changes to the sun,
• 3:16:01
  Enter Chloe and a chorus of plowboys. Chloe, Where am I at
• 3:16:07
  Hounslow? Where go I to London? What to do to be married?
• 3:16:13
  Unto whom? Unto Strephon? Who is he a youth? Then I will
• 3:16:20
  sing a song song I go to town, and when I come down,
• 3:16:26
  I shall be married to Stree Fun note the t ease, and that to
• 3:16:31
  me will be fun. Chorus, be fun, be fun, be fun,
• 3:16:35
  and that to me will be fun. Enter Cook, Cook, Here
• 3:16:43
  is the bill of fare. Chloe reads, two ducks, a leg of
• 3:16:48
  beef, a stinking partridge, and a tart. I will have the leg
• 3:16:52
  of beef and the partridge. Exit Cook, and now I will sing another
• 3:16:58
  song. Song. I am going to have my dinner, after which I
• 3:17:05
  shan't be thinner. I wish I had her Strephan, for he would carve
• 3:17:07
  the partridge if it should be a tough one. Chorus tough one, tough
• 3:17:13
  one, tough one, for he would carve the partridge if it should be
• 3:17:16
  a tough one. Exit Chloe and chorus. Scene changes to the inside of
• 3:17:24
  the lion. Enter Strephon and postilion stref. You drove me from Stains to
• 3:17:33
  this place. From whence I mean to go to town to marry Chloe?
• 3:17:37
  How much is your due? Post eighteen pence stref Alas, my friend,
• 3:17:45
  I have but a bad guinea with which I mean to support myself in town.
• 3:17:48
  But I will pawn to you an undirected letter that I received from Chloe
• 3:17:54
  post Sir, I accept your offer. End of the first act, A
• 3:18:03
  letter from a young lady whose feelings, being too strong for her judgment,
• 3:18:09
  led her into the commission of errors which her heart disapproved. Many have been
• 3:18:15
  the cares and vicissitudes of my past life, my beloved Eleanor, And the
• 3:18:20
  only consolation I feel for their bitterness is that, on a close examination of
• 3:18:24
  my conduct, I am convinced that I have strictly deserved them. I murdered
• 3:18:30
  my father at a very early period of my life. I have since murdered
• 3:18:33
  my mother, and I am now going to murder my sister. I have
• 3:18:37
  changed my religion so often that at present I have not an idea of any
• 3:18:41
  left. I have been a perjured witness in every public trial for these last
• 3:18:46
  twelve years, and I have forded my own will. In short, there
• 3:18:50
  is scarcely a crime that I have not committed, but I am now going
• 3:18:54
  to reform. Colonel Martin of the Horse Guard has paid his addresses to me,
• 3:18:58
  and we are to be married in a few days. As there is
• 3:19:01
  something singular in our courtship, I will give you an account of it.
• 3:19:05
  Colonel Martin is the second son of the late Sir John Martin, who died
• 3:19:09
  immensely rich, but bequeathing only one hundred thousand pounds apiece to his three younger
• 3:19:15
  children, left the bulk of his fortune about eight million to the present Sir
• 3:19:20
  Thomas. Upon his small pittance, the Colonel lived tolerably contented for nearly four
• 3:19:26
  months when he took it into his head to determine on getting the whole of
• 3:19:28
  his eldest brother's estate. A new will was forged, and the Colonel produced
• 3:19:33
  it in court, but nobody would swear to wits being the right will,
• 3:19:37
  except himself, and he had sworn so much that nobody believed him. At
• 3:19:41
  that moment. I happened to be passing by the door of the court and
• 3:19:45
  was beckoned in by the judge, who told the Colonel that I was a
• 3:19:48
  lady ready to witness anything for the cause of justice, and advised him to
• 3:19:52
  apply to me. In short, the affair was soon adjusted. The Colonel
• 3:19:56
  and I swore to wits being the right will, and Sir Thomas as been
• 3:20:00
  obliged to resign all his ill gotten wealth. The Colonel, and gratitude,
• 3:20:03
  waited on me the next day with an offer of his hand. I am
• 3:20:07
  now going to murder my sister yours ever Anna Parker a tour through Wales in
• 3:20:15
  a letter from a young lady, my dear Clara, I have been so
• 3:20:20
  long on the ramble that I have not till now had it in my power
• 3:20:22
  to thank you for your letter. We left our dear home on last Monday
• 3:20:28
  month and have proceeded on our tour through Wales, which is a principality contiguous
• 3:20:31
  to England and gives the title to the Prince of Wales. We traveled on
• 3:20:35
  horseback by preference. My mother rode upon our little pony, and Fanny and
• 3:20:41
  I walked by her side, or rather ran, for my mother is so
• 3:20:45
  fond of riding fast that she galloped all the way. You may be sure
• 3:20:48
  that we were in a fine perspiration when we came to our place of resting.
• 3:20:52
  Fanny has taken a great many drawings of the country, which are very
• 3:20:56
  beautiful, though perhaps not such exact resemblances as my might be wished from their
• 3:21:01
  being taken as she ran along. It would astonish you to see all the
• 3:21:05
  shoes we wore out in our tour. We determined to take a good stock
• 3:21:07
  with us, and therefore each took a pair of our own Besides those set
• 3:21:11
  off in. However, we were obliged to have them both capped and heel
• 3:21:16
  pieced at Carmathin, And at last, when they were quite gone, Mamma
• 3:21:18
  was so kind as to lend us a pair of blue satin slippers, of
• 3:21:22
  which we each took one and hopped home from Hereford delightfully. I am your
• 3:21:28
  ever affectionate Elizabeth Johnson a tale. A gentleman whose family name I shall conceal
• 3:21:37
  bought a small cottage in Pembrokeshire about two years ago. This daring action was
• 3:21:41
  suggested to him by his elder brother, who promised to furnish two rooms and
• 3:21:46
  a closet for him, provided he would take a small house near the borders
• 3:21:50
  of an extensive forest and about three miles from the sea. Wilhelminess gladly accepted
• 3:21:56
  the offer and continued for some time searching after such a retreat. When he
• 3:22:01
  was one morning agreeably relieved from his suspense by reading this advertisement in a newspaper.
• 3:22:05
  Two be let a neat cottage on the borders of an extensive forest,
• 3:22:11
  and about three miles from the sea. It is ready furnished except two rooms
• 3:22:15
  and a closet. The delighted Wilhelminus posted away immediately to his brother and showed
• 3:22:20
  him the advertisement. Robertus congratulated him and sent him in his carriage to take
• 3:22:26
  possession of the cottage. After traveling for three days and six nights without stopping,
• 3:22:31
  they arrived at the forest, and following a track which led by its
• 3:22:33
  side down a steep hill over which ten rivulets meandered. They reached the cottage
• 3:22:39
  in half an hour. Wilhelminus alighted, and, after knocking for some time
• 3:22:43
  without receiving any answer or hearing anyone stir within, he opened the door,
• 3:22:48
  which was fastened only by a wooden latch, and entered a small room,
• 3:22:52
  which he immediately perceived to be one of the two that were unfurnished. From
• 3:22:56
  thence he proceeded into a closet equally bare. A pair of stairs that went
• 3:23:00
  out of it led him into a rum above no less destitute, and these
• 3:23:03
  apartments he found composed the whole of the house. He was by no means
• 3:23:07
  displeased with this discovery, as he had the comfort of reflecting that he should
• 3:23:11
  not be obliged to lay out anything on furniture himself. He returned immediately to
• 3:23:16
  his brother, who took him the next day to every shop in town and
• 3:23:20
  bought whatever was requisite to furnish the two rooms and the closet. In a
• 3:23:24
  few days everything was completed, and Wilhelmines returned to take possession of his cottage.
• 3:23:30
  Robertus accompanied him with his lady, the amiable Cecilia, and her two
• 3:23:35
  lovely sisters, Arabella and Marina, to whom Wilhelminus was tenderly attached, and
• 3:23:39
  a large number of attendants. An ordinary genius might probably have been embarrassed in
• 3:23:45
  endeavoring to accommodate so large a party, but Wilhelmines, with admirable presence of
• 3:23:48
  mind, gave orders for the immediate erection of two noble tents in an open
• 3:23:52
  spot in the forest adjoining to the house. Their construction was both simple and
• 3:23:58
  elegant. A couple of old blankets, each supported by for sticks, gave
• 3:24:01
  a striking proof of that taste for architecture and that happy ease in overcoming difficulties,
• 3:24:07
  which were some of Wilhelminess's most striking virtues. End of Section twelve.
• 3:24:16
  One Lady Susan Vernon to mister Vernon, Langford, December, My dear brother,
• 3:24:26
  I can no longer refuse myself the pleasure of profiting by your kind invitation
• 3:24:31
  when we last parted of spending some weeks with you at Churchill, and therefore,
• 3:24:35
  if quite convenient to you and missus Vernon to receive me at present,
• 3:24:41
  I shall hope within a few days to be introduced to a sister whom I
• 3:24:45
  have so long desired to be acquainted with my kind friends here are most affectionately
• 3:24:52
  urgent with me to prolong my stay. But their hospitable and cheerful dispositions lead
• 3:24:56
  them too much into society for my presence at you are and state of mind,
• 3:25:01
  and I impatiently look forward to the hour when I shall be admitted into
• 3:25:05
  your delightful retirement. I long to be made known to your dear little children,
• 3:25:11
  in whose hearts I shall be very eager to secure an interest I shall
• 3:25:15
  soon have need for all my fortitude. As I am on the point of
• 3:25:18
  separation from my own daughter, the long illness of her dear father prevented my
• 3:25:24
  paying her that attention which duty and affection equally dictated, And I have too
• 3:25:31
  much reason to fear that the governess to whose care I consigned her was unequal
• 3:25:35
  to the charge. I have therefore resolved on placing her at one of the
• 3:25:39
  best private schools in town, where I shall have an opportunity of leaving her
• 3:25:43
  myself in my way to you. I am determined, you see, not
• 3:25:46
  to be denied admittance at Churchill. It would indeed give me most painful sensations
• 3:25:52
  to know that it were not in your power to receive me, your most
• 3:25:56
  obliged and affectionate sister s Vernon. Two, Lady Susan Vernon to missus Johnson,
• 3:26:07
  Langford. You are mistaken, my dear Alicia, in supposing me fixed
• 3:26:13
  at this place for the rest of the winter. It grieves me to say
• 3:26:16
  how greatly you were mistaken, for I have seldom spent three months more agreeably
• 3:26:20
  than those which have just flown away. At present, nothing goes smoothly.
• 3:26:26
  The females of the family are united against me. You foretold how it would
• 3:26:31
  be when I first came to Langford, and mainwaring is so uncommonly pleasing that
• 3:26:35
  I was not without apprehensions for myself. I remember saying to myself as I
• 3:26:41
  drove to the house, I like this man, Pray heaven no harm come
• 3:26:45
  of it. But I was determined to be discreet, to bear in mind
• 3:26:48
  my being only four months a widow, and to be as quiet as possible.
• 3:26:54
  And I have been so, my dear creature. I have admitted no
• 3:26:56
  one's attentions but mainwarings. I have avoided all general flirtation. Whatever I have
• 3:27:03
  distinguished no creature besides of all the numbers resorting hither except Sir James Martin,
• 3:27:09
  on whom I bestowed a little notice in order to detach him from Miss Mainwaring.
• 3:27:16
  But if the world could know my motive there, they would honor me.
• 3:27:20
  I have been called an unkind mother, but it was the sacred impulse
• 3:27:24
  of maternal affection. It was the advantage of my daughter that led me on,
• 3:27:28
  And if that daughter were not the greatest simpleton on earth, I might
• 3:27:33
  have been rewarded for my exertions as I ought. Sir James did make proposals
• 3:27:39
  to me for Frederica, but Frederica, who was born to be the torment
• 3:27:43
  of my life, chose to set herself so violently against the match, that
• 3:27:48
  I thought it better to lay aside the scheme for the present. I have
• 3:27:52
  more than once repented that I did not marry him myself, and were he
• 3:27:56
  but one degree less contemptibly weak, I certainly should. But I must own
• 3:28:01
  myself rather romantic in that respect, and that riches only will not satisfy me.
• 3:28:07
  The event of all this is very provoking. Sir James is gone,
• 3:28:11
  Maria highly incensed, and missus Mainwaring insupportably jealous, so jealous, in short,
• 3:28:18
  and so enraged against me, that, in the fury of her temper,
• 3:28:20
  I should not be surprised at her appealing to her guardian if she had
• 3:28:24
  the liberty of addressing him. But there your husband stands, my friend,
• 3:28:30
  and the kindest, most amiable action of his life was his throwing her off
• 3:28:33
  forever on her marriage. Keep up his resentment. Therefore, I charge you.
• 3:28:39
  We are now in a sad state. No house was ever more altered.
• 3:28:43
  The whole party are at war, and Mainwaring scarcely dares speak to me.
• 3:28:48
  It is time for me to be gone. I have therefore determined on
• 3:28:52
  leaving them, and shall spend I hope a comfortable day with you in town
• 3:28:56
  within this week. If I am as little in favor with mister Johnson as
• 3:29:00
  ever, you must come to me at ten Wigmore Street. But I hope
• 3:29:05
  this may not be the case. For as mister Johnson, with all his
• 3:29:07
  faults, is a man to whom that great word respectable is always given,
• 3:29:13
  and I am known to be so intimate with his wife, he is slighting
• 3:29:16
  me. Has an awkward look. I take London in my way to that
• 3:29:22
  insupportable spot a country village for I am really going to church Hill. Forgive
• 3:29:28
  me, my dear friend. It is my last resource. Were there another
• 3:29:31
  place in England open to me, I would prefer it. Charles Vannin is
• 3:29:35
  my aversion, and I am afraid of his wife at Churchhill. However,
• 3:29:41
  I must remain till I have something better in view. My young lady accompanies
• 3:29:46
  me to town, where I shall deposit her under the care of Miss Somers
• 3:29:50
  in Wigmore Street till she becomes a little more reasonable. She will make good
• 3:29:54
  connections there, as the girls are all of the best families. The as
• 3:30:00
  immense and much beyond what I can ever attempt to pay adieu. I will
• 3:30:05
  send you a line as soon as I arrive in town. Yours ever,
• 3:30:09
  s Vernon three, missus Vernon to Lady de Courcy, Churchill, my dear
• 3:30:18
  mother, I am very sorry to tell you that it will not be in
• 3:30:22
  our power to keep our promise of spending our Christmas with you, and we
• 3:30:24
  are prevented that happiness by a circumstance which is not likely to make us any
• 3:30:30
  amends. Lady Susan, in a letter to her brother in law, has
• 3:30:33
  declared her intention of visiting us almost immediately and as such a visit is,
• 3:30:39
  in all probability merely an affair of convenience, it is impossible to conjecture its
• 3:30:43
  length. I was by no means prepared for such an event, nor can
• 3:30:48
  I now account for her ladyship's conduct. Langford appeared so exactly the place for
• 3:30:52
  her in every respect, as well from the elegant and expensive style of living
• 3:30:58
  there, as from a particular attack to mister mainwaring that I was very far
• 3:31:01
  from expecting so speedy a distinction. Though I always imagine, from her increasing
• 3:31:07
  friendship for us since her husband's death, that we should, at some future
• 3:31:11
  period be obliged to receive her. Mister Vernon I think was a great deal
• 3:31:16
  too kind to her when he was in Staffordshire. Her behavior to him,
• 3:31:20
  independent of her general character, has been so inexcusably artful and ungenerous since our
• 3:31:26
  marriage was first in agitation, that no one less amiable and mild than himself
• 3:31:31
  could have overlooked it all. And though as his brother's widow and in narrow
• 3:31:35
  circumstances it was proper to render her pecuniary assistance, I cannot help thinking his
• 3:31:41
  pressing invitation to her to visit us at Churchhill perfectly unnecessary disposed. However,
• 3:31:46
  as he always is to think the best of every one, her display of
• 3:31:50
  grief and professions of regret, and general resolutions of prudence were sufficient to soften
• 3:31:56
  his heart and make him really confide in her sincerity. But as for myself,
• 3:32:01
  I am still unconvinced, and plausibly, as her ladyship now has written,
• 3:32:05
  I cannot make up my mind till I better understand her real meaning in
• 3:32:09
  coming to us. You may guess therefore, my dear Madam, with what
• 3:32:13
  feelings I look forward to her arrival. She will have occasion for all those
• 3:32:18
  attractive powers for which she is celebrated to gain any share of my regard,
• 3:32:22
  and I shall certainly endeavor to guard myself against their influence, if not accompanied
• 3:32:28
  by something more substantial. She expresses a most eager desire of being acquainted with
• 3:32:33
  me, and makes very gracious mention of my children. But I am not
• 3:32:37
  quite weak enough to suppose a woman who has behaved with inattention, if not
• 3:32:41
  with unkindness, to her own child, should be attached to any of mine.
• 3:32:45
  Miss Vernon is to be placed at a school in London before her mother
• 3:32:48
  comes to us. Which I am glad of for her sake and my own.
• 3:32:52
  It must be to her advantage to be separated from her mother, and
• 3:32:56
  a girl of sixteen who has received so wretched an edge education could not be
• 3:33:01
  a very desirable companion. Here Reginald has long wished, I know, to
• 3:33:05
  see the captivating lady Susan, and we shall depend on his joining our party
• 3:33:09
  soon. I am glad to hear that my father continues so well and Anne
• 3:33:15
  with best love, et cetera. Catherine Vernon four, mister de Courcy,
• 3:33:22
  to missus Vernon Parkland's, my dear sister, I congratulate you and mister Vernon
• 3:33:30
  on being about to receive into your family the most accomplished coquette in England.
• 3:33:35
  As a very distinguished flirt I have always been taught to consider her, but
• 3:33:39
  it has lately fall in my way to hear some particulars of her conduct at
• 3:33:43
  Langford, which prove that she does not confine herself to that sort of honest
• 3:33:48
  flirtation which satisfies most people, but aspires to the more delicious gratification of making
• 3:33:52
  a whole family miserable. By her behavior to mister Mainwaring, she gave jealousy
• 3:33:58
  and wretchedness to his wife, and by her attentions to a young man previously
• 3:34:01
  attached to mister Mainwaring's sister, deprived an amiable girl of her lover. I
• 3:34:07
  learned all this from mister Smith, now in this neighborhood. I have dined
• 3:34:11
  with him at Hurst and Wilford, who is just come from Langford where he
• 3:34:16
  was a fortnight with her ladyship, and who is therefore well qualified to make
• 3:34:18
  the communication. What a woman she must be. I long to see her,
• 3:34:24
  and shall certainly accept your kind invitation that I may form some idea of
• 3:34:30
  those bewitching powers which can do so much engaging at the same time, and
• 3:34:35
  in the same house, the affections of two men who were neither of them
• 3:34:39
  at liberty to bestow them, and all this without the charms of youth.
• 3:34:43
  I am glad to find Miss Vernon does not accompany her mother to church Hill,
• 3:34:46
  as she has not even manners to recommend her, and, according to
• 3:34:50
  mister Smith's account, as equally dull and proud, where pride and stupidity unite,
• 3:34:56
  there can be no dissimulation worthy notice, and Miss Vernon shall be consigned
• 3:35:00
  to unrelenting contempt. But by all that I can gather, Lady Susan possesses
• 3:35:05
  a degree of captivating deceit, which it must be pleasing to witness and detect.
• 3:35:11
  I shall be with you very soon, and am ever your affectionate brother.
• 3:35:16
  Ah decorsy five, Lady Susan Vernon to missus Johnson Churchhill. I received
• 3:35:24
  your note, my dear Alicia, before I left town, and rejoice to
• 3:35:28
  be assured that mister Johnson suspected nothing of your engagement the evening before. It
• 3:35:33
  is undoubtedly better to deceive him entirely, and since he will be stubborn,
• 3:35:39
  he must be tricked. I arrived here in safety and have no reason to
• 3:35:43
  complain of my reception from mister Vernon. But I confess myself not equally satisfied
• 3:35:48
  with the behavior of his lady. She is perfectly well bred, indeed,
• 3:35:52
  and has the air of a woman of fashion, but her manners are not
• 3:35:56
  such as can persuade me of her being prepossessed in my favor. I wanted
• 3:36:01
  her to be delighted at seeing me. I was as amiable as possible on
• 3:36:05
  the occasion, but all in vain. She does not like me to be
• 3:36:11
  sure, when we consider that I did take some pains to prevent my brother
• 3:36:16
  in law's marrying her, this want of cordiality is not very surprising, and
• 3:36:20
  yet it shows an illiberal and vindictive spirit to resent a project which influenced me
• 3:36:26
  six years ago and which never succeeded at last. I am sometimes disposed to
• 3:36:31
  repent that I did not let Charles buy Vernon Castle when we were obliged to
• 3:36:35
  sell it. But it was a trying circumstance, especially as the sale took
• 3:36:41
  place exactly at the time of his marriage, and everybody ought to respect the
• 3:36:45
  delicacy of those feelings which could not endure that my husband's dignity should be lessened
• 3:36:50
  by his younger brothers having possession of the family estate. Could matters have been
• 3:36:54
  so arranged as to prevent the necessity of our leaving the castle? Could we
• 3:36:58
  have lived with Charles and kept him single. I should have been very far
• 3:37:01
  from persuading my husband to dispose of it elsewhere. But Charles was on the
• 3:37:07
  point of marrying mister Corsey, and the event has justified me. Here our
• 3:37:11
  children in abundance, and what benefit could have accrued to me from his purchasing
• 3:37:16
  Vernon. My having prevented it may perhaps have given his wife an unfavorable impression.
• 3:37:24
  But where there is a disposition to dislike, a motive will never be
• 3:37:26
  wanting. And as to money matters, it has not withheld him from being
• 3:37:31
  very useful to me. I really have a regard for him. He is
• 3:37:35
  so easily imposed upon. The house is a good one, the furniture fashionable,
• 3:37:39
  and everything announces plenty and elegance. Charles is very rich. I am
• 3:37:45
  sure when a man has once got his name in a banking house, he
• 3:37:48
  rolls in money, but they do not know what to do with it.
• 3:37:52
  Keep very little company, and never go to London. But on business we
• 3:37:56
  shall be as stupid as possible. I mean to win my sister in law's
• 3:38:01
  heart through the children. I know all their names already, and am going
• 3:38:05
  to attach myself with the greatest sensibility to one, in particular, a young
• 3:38:09
  Frederick, whom I take on my lap and sigh over for his dear uncle's
• 3:38:15
  sake, poor Mainwaring. I need not tell you how much I miss him,
• 3:38:20
  how perpetually he is in my thoughts. I found a dismal letter from
• 3:38:24
  him on my arrival here full of complaints of his wife and sister, and
• 3:38:30
  lamentations on the cruelty of his fate. I passed off the letter as his
• 3:38:33
  wife's to the Vernons, and when I write to him, it must be
• 3:38:37
  under cover. To you, ever, yours s Vernon six, Missus Vernon
• 3:38:45
  to mister de Courcy church Hill, Well, my dear Reginald, I have
• 3:38:50
  seen this dangerous creature and must give you some description of her, though I
• 3:38:56
  hope you will be soon able to form your own judgment. She really is
• 3:39:00
  excessively pretty. However you may choose to question the allurements of a lady no
• 3:39:03
  longer young, I must, for my own part, declare that I have
• 3:39:07
  seldom seemed so lovely a woman as Lady Susan. She is delicately fair,
• 3:39:11
  with fine gray eyes and dark eyelashes, and from her appearance one would not
• 3:39:16
  suppose her more than five and twenty, though she must in fact be ten
• 3:39:20
  years older. I was certainly not disposed to admire her, though always hearing
• 3:39:26
  she was beautiful, but I cannot help feeling that she possesses an uncommon union
• 3:39:30
  of symmetry, brilliancy and grace. Her address to me was so gentle frank
• 3:39:35
  and even affectionate. That if I had not known how much she has always
• 3:39:39
  disliked me for marrying mister Vernon, and that we had never met before,
• 3:39:43
  I should have imagined her an attached friend. One is apt I believe to
• 3:39:48
  connect assurance of manner with coquetry, and to expect that an impudent address will
• 3:39:54
  naturally attend an impudent mind. At least, I was myself prepared for an
• 3:39:58
  improper degree of confidence in Lady Susan. But her countenance is absolutely sweet,
• 3:40:03
  and her voice and manner winningly mild. I am sorry it is so for
• 3:40:09
  what is this but deceit? Unfortunately, one knows her too well. She
• 3:40:15
  is clever and agreeable, has all that knowledge of the world which makes conversation
• 3:40:20
  easy, and talks very well, with a happy command of language which is
• 3:40:24
  too often used, I believe, to make black appear white. She has
• 3:40:28
  already almost persuaded me of her being warmly attached to her daughter, though I
• 3:40:33
  have been so long convinced to the contrary. She speaks of her with so
• 3:40:37
  much tenderness and anxiety, lamenting so bitterly. The neglect of her education which
• 3:40:43
  she represents, however, is wholly unavoidable that I am forced to recollect how
• 3:40:48
  many successive springs her ladyship spent in town while her daughter was left in Staffordshire
• 3:40:52
  to the care of servants or a governess very little better to prevent my believing
• 3:40:58
  what she says. If her manners have so great an influence on my resentful
• 3:41:03
  heart, you may judge how much more strongly they operate on mister Vernon's generous
• 3:41:07
  temper. I wish I could be as well satisfied as he is that it
• 3:41:11
  was really her choice to leave Langford for Churchill. And if she had not
• 3:41:16
  stayed there for months before she discovered that her friend's manner of living did not
• 3:41:20
  suit her situation or feelings, I might have believed that concern for the loss
• 3:41:24
  of such a husband as mister Vernon, to whom her own behavior was far
• 3:41:28
  from unexceptionable, might for a time make her wish for retirement. But I
• 3:41:33
  cannot forget the length of her visit to the Mainwarings, And when I reflect
• 3:41:37
  on the different mode of life which she led with them from that to which
• 3:41:41
  she must now submit, I can only suppose that the wish of establishing her
• 3:41:45
  reputation by following through late the path of propriety occasioned her removal from a family
• 3:41:50
  where she must, in reality have been particularly happy. Your friend mister Smith's
• 3:41:56
  story, however, cannot be quite correct, as she corresponds regularly with Missus
• 3:42:01
  Mainwaring. At any rate, it must be exaggerated. It is scarcely possible
• 3:42:05
  that two men should be so grossly deceived by her at once Yours, et
• 3:42:09
  cetera, Catherine Vernon seven, Lady Susan Vernon to Missus Johnson Churchill, My
• 3:42:20
  dear Alicia, you are very good in taking notice of Frederica, and I
• 3:42:24
  am grateful for it as a mark of your friendship. But as I cannot
• 3:42:28
  have any doubt of the warmth of your affection, I am far from exacting
• 3:42:33
  so heavy a sacrifice. She is a stupid girl and has nothing to recommend
• 3:42:37
  her. I would not, therefore, on my account, have you encumber
• 3:42:41
  one moment of your precious time by sending for her to Edward Street, especially
• 3:42:46
  as every visit is so much deducted from the grand affair of education, which
• 3:42:50
  I really wish to have attended to. While she remains at Miss Somers,
• 3:42:54
  I want her to play and sing with some portion of taste, and a
• 3:42:58
  good deal of assurance, as she has my hand and arm in a tolerable
• 3:43:01
  voice. I was so much indulged in my intifant yet as that I was
• 3:43:05
  never obliged to attend to anything, and consequently am without the accomplishments which are
• 3:43:09
  now necessary to finish a pretty woman. Not that I am an advocate for
• 3:43:15
  the prevailing fashion of acquiring a perfect knowledge of all languages, arts and sciences.
• 3:43:20
  It is throwing time away to be mistress of French, Italian and German
• 3:43:24
  music. Singing and drawing, et cetera. Will gain a woman some applause,
• 3:43:28
  but will not add one lover to her list. Grace and manner,
• 3:43:33
  after all, are of the greatest importance. I do not mean, therefore,
• 3:43:37
  that Frederica's acquirement should be more than superficial, and I flatter myself that
• 3:43:41
  she will not remain long enough at school to understand anything thoroughly. I hope
• 3:43:46
  to see her the wife of Sir James within a twelvemonth. You know on
• 3:43:50
  what I ground my hope, and it is certainly a good foundation. For
• 3:43:54
  school must be very humiliating to a girl of Frederica's age, and by the
• 3:44:00
  by, you had better not invite her any more on that account, as
• 3:44:03
  I wish her to find a situation as unpleasant as possible. I am sure
• 3:44:07
  of Sir James at any time, and could make him renew his application by
• 3:44:11
  a line. I shall trouble you meanwhile, to prevent his forming any other
• 3:44:15
  attachment when he comes to town, ask him to your house occasionally, and
• 3:44:20
  talk to him of Frederica, that he might not forget her. Upon the
• 3:44:22
  whole I commend my own conduct in this affair extremely and regard it as a
• 3:44:26
  very happy instance of circumspection and tenderness. Some mothers would have insisted on their
• 3:44:33
  daughters accepting so good an offer on the first overture, But I could not
• 3:44:37
  reconcile it to myself to force Frederica into a marriage from which her heart revolted,
• 3:44:41
  And instead of adopting so harsh a measure, merely proposed to make it
• 3:44:46
  her own choice by rendering her thoroughly uncomfortable till she does accept him. But
• 3:44:52
  enough of this tiresome girl. You may well wonder how I contrive to pass
• 3:44:56
  my time here. And for the first week it was insufferably dull. Now,
• 3:45:01
  however, we begin to mend. Our party is enlarged by Missus Vernon's
• 3:45:05
  brother, a handsome young man who promises me some amusement. There is something
• 3:45:09
  about him which rather interests me, a sort of sauciness and familiarity which I
• 3:45:15
  shall teach him to correct. He is lively and seems clever, And when
• 3:45:20
  I have inspired him with greater respect for me than his sister's kind offices have
• 3:45:24
  implanted, he may be an agreeable flirt. There is exquisite pleasure in subduing
• 3:45:30
  an insolent spirit, in making a person predetermined to dislike acknowledge one's superiority.
• 3:45:35
  I have disconcerted him already by my calm reserve, and it shall be my
• 3:45:41
  endeavor to humble the pride of these self important de curses still lower, to
• 3:45:46
  convince Missus Vernon that her sisterly cautions have been bestowed in vain, and to
• 3:45:50
  persuade Reginald that he has scandalously belied me. This project will serve at least
• 3:45:56
  to amuse me and prevent my feeling so acutely this dreadful sep from you and
• 3:46:01
  all whom I love, Yours ever, s Vernon, end of section thirteen
• 3:46:11
  eight missus Vernon to Lady de Courcy Churchhill, my dear mother, you must
• 3:46:18
  not expect Reginald back again for some time. He desires me to tell you
• 3:46:24
  that the present open weather induces him to accept mister Vernon's invitation to prolong his
• 3:46:28
  stay in Sussex, that they may have some hunting together. He means to
• 3:46:33
  send for his horses immediately, and it is impossible to say when you may
• 3:46:37
  see him in Kent. I will not disguise my sentiments on this change from
• 3:46:41
  you, my dear mother, though I think you had better not communicate them
• 3:46:46
  to my father, whose excessive anxiety about Reginald would subject him to an alarm
• 3:46:50
  which might seriously affect his health and spirits. Lady Susan has certainly contrived,
• 3:46:58
  in the space of a fortunight ight to make my brother like her. In
• 3:47:03
  short, I am persuaded that his continuing here beyond the time originally fixed for
• 3:47:07
  his return his occasioned as much by a degree of fascination towards her as by
• 3:47:11
  the wish of hunting with mister Vernon, And of course I cannot receive that
• 3:47:16
  pleasure from the length of his visit, which my brother's company would otherwise give
• 3:47:20
  me. I am indeed provoked at the artifice of this unprincipled woman. What
• 3:47:26
  stronger proof of her dangerous abilities can be given than this perversion of Reginald's judgment,
• 3:47:33
  which, when he entered the house was so decidedly against her. In
• 3:47:37
  his last letter he actually gave me some particulars of her behavior at Langford,
• 3:47:43
  such as he received from a gentleman who knew her perfectly well, which if
• 3:47:46
  true, must raise a borrence against her, and which Reginald himself was entirely
• 3:47:52
  disposed to credit. His opinion of her, I am sure, was as
• 3:47:56
  low as of any woman in England. And when he first came it was
• 3:47:58
  evident that he considered her as one entitled neither to delicacy nor respect, and
• 3:48:03
  that he felt she would be delighted with the attentions of any man inclined to
• 3:48:07
  flirt with her. Her behavior, I confess, has been calculated to do
• 3:48:11
  away with such an idea. I have not detected the smallest impropriety in it,
• 3:48:16
  nothing of vanity, of pretension of levity. And she is altogether so
• 3:48:22
  attractive that I should not wonder at his being delighted with her, had he
• 3:48:26
  known nothing of her previous to this personal acquaintance, But against reason, against
• 3:48:31
  conviction, to be so well pleased with her, as I am sure he
• 3:48:35
  is, does really astonish me. His admiration was at first very strong,
• 3:48:41
  but no more than was natural, and I did not wonder at his being
• 3:48:45
  much struck by the gentleness and delicacy of her manners. But when he has
• 3:48:50
  mentioned her of late, it has been in terms of more extraordinary praise.
• 3:48:54
  And yesterday he actually said that he could not be surprised at any effect produced
• 3:48:58
  on the heart of man by such loveliness and such abilities. And when I
• 3:49:03
  lamented in reply the badness of her disposition, he observed that whatever may have
• 3:49:09
  been her errors, they were to be imputed to her neglected education and early
• 3:49:13
  marriage, and that she was altogether a wonderful woman. This tendency to excuse
• 3:49:18
  her conduct, or to forget it in the warmth of admiration, vexes me.
• 3:49:24
  And if I did not know that Reginald is too much at home at
• 3:49:26
  Churchill to need an invitation for lengthening his visit, I should regret mister Vernon's
• 3:49:31
  giving him any. Lady Susan's intentions are, of course those of absolute coquetry
• 3:49:37
  or a desire of universal admiration. I cannot for a moment imagine that she
• 3:49:41
  has anything more serious in view. But it mortifies me to see a young
• 3:49:45
  man of Reginald's sense duped by her at all. I am et cetera,
• 3:49:50
  Catherine Vernon nine, missus Johnson to Lady s Vernon, Edward Street, my
• 3:50:00
  dearest friend, I congratulate you on mister de Cursey's arrival, and I advise
• 3:50:05
  you by all means to marry him. His father's estate is we know,
• 3:50:09
  considerable, and I believe certainly entailed. Sir Reginald is very infirm and not
• 3:50:16
  likely to stand in your way. Long. I hear the young man well
• 3:50:20
  spoken of, And though no one can really deserve you, my dearest Susan,
• 3:50:24
  mister de Courcy may be worth having. Main wearing was storm, of
• 3:50:28
  course, but you easily pacify him. Besides, the most scrupulous point of
• 3:50:33
  honor could not require you to wait for his emancipation. I have seen Sir
• 3:50:39
  James. He came to town for a few days last week and called several
• 3:50:43
  times in Edward Street. I talked to him about you and your daughter,
• 3:50:48
  and he is so far from having forgotten you that I am sure he would
• 3:50:52
  marry either of you with pleasure. I gave him hopes of Frederica's relenting and
• 3:50:56
  told him a great deal of her improvement. I scolded him for making love
• 3:51:01
  to Maria Mainwaring. He protested that he had only been in choke, and
• 3:51:07
  we both laughed heartily at her disappointment, and in short were very agreeable.
• 3:51:13
  He is as silly as ever yours, Faithfully, Alicia ten Lady Susan Vernon
• 3:51:22
  to missus Johnson Churchill, I am much obliged to you, my dear friend,
• 3:51:28
  for your advice respecting mister de Courcy, which I know was given with
• 3:51:33
  the full conviction of its expediency, though I am not quite determined on following
• 3:51:37
  it. I cannot easily resolve on anything so serious as marriage, especially as
• 3:51:43
  I am not at present in want of money, and might perhaps till the
• 3:51:48
  old gentleman's death, be very little benefited by the match. It is true
• 3:51:52
  that I am vain enough to believe it within my reach. I have made
• 3:51:56
  him sensible of my power, and can now enjoy the pleasure of triumphing over
• 3:52:01
  a mind prepared to dislike me and prejudiced against all my past actions. His
• 3:52:07
  sister, too, is, I hope, convinced how little the ungenerous representations
• 3:52:11
  of any one to the disadvantage of another will avail when opposed by the immediate
• 3:52:16
  influence of intellect and manner. I see plainly that she is uneasy at my
• 3:52:20
  progress in the good opinion of her brother, and conclude that nothing will be
• 3:52:24
  wanting on her part to counteract me. But having once made him doubt the
• 3:52:30
  justice of her opinion of me, I think I may defy her. It
• 3:52:33
  has been delightful to me to watch his advances towards intimacy, especially to observe
• 3:52:39
  his altered manner in consequence of my repressing by the cool dignity of my deportment
• 3:52:45
  his insolent approach to direct familiarity. My conduct has been equally guarded from the
• 3:52:50
  first, and I never behaved less like a coquette in the whole course of
• 3:52:54
  my life. Though perhaps my desire of dominion was never more decided. I
• 3:53:00
  have subdued him entirely by sentiment and serious conversation, and made him, I
• 3:53:05
  may venture to say, at least half in love with me, without the
• 3:53:09
  semblance of the most commonplace flirtation. Missus Vernon's consciousness of deserving every sort of
• 3:53:16
  revenge that it can be in my power to inflict for her ill offices could
• 3:53:20
  alone enable her to perceive that I am actuated by any design and behavior so
• 3:53:24
  gentle and unpretending. Let her think and act as she chooses. However,
• 3:53:30
  I have never yet found that the advice of a sister could prevent a young
• 3:53:33
  man's being in love if he chose. We are advancing now to some kind
• 3:53:39
  of confidence, and in short, are likely to be engaged in a sort
• 3:53:43
  of platonic friendship. On my side, you may be sure of its never
• 3:53:48
  being more. For if I were not attached to another person as much as
• 3:53:52
  I can be to any one, I should make a point of not bestowing
• 3:53:54
  my affection on a man who had dared to think so meanly of me.
• 3:53:58
  Reginald has a good figure and is not unworthy the praise you have heard given
• 3:54:03
  him, but is still greatly inferior to our friend at Langford. He is
• 3:54:07
  less polished, less insinuating than Mainwaring, and is comparatively deficient in the power
• 3:54:13
  of saying those delightful things which put one in a good humor with oneself and
• 3:54:16
  all the world. He is quite agreeable enough, however, to afford me
• 3:54:22
  amusement, and to make many of those hours pass very pleasantly, which would
• 3:54:26
  otherwise be spent in endeavoring to overcome my sister in law's reserve and listening to
• 3:54:31
  the insipid talk of her husband. Your account of Sir James's most satisfactory,
• 3:54:37
  and I mean to give Miss Frederica a hint of my intentions very soon yours,
• 3:54:43
  et cetera. S Vernon eleven, missus Vernon to Lady to Causey church
• 3:54:52
  Hill. I really grow quite uneasy, my dearest mother, about Reginald,
• 3:54:56
  from witnessing the very rapid increase of Lady Susan's influence. They are now on
• 3:55:03
  terms of the most particular friendship, frequently engaged in long conversations together, and
• 3:55:09
  she has contrived, by the most artful coquetry, to subdue his judgment to
• 3:55:13
  her own purposes. It is impossible to see the intimacy between them so very
• 3:55:18
  soon established without some alarm, though I can hardly suppose that Lady Susan's plans
• 3:55:24
  extend to marriage. I wish you could get Reginald to come home again on
• 3:55:28
  any plausible pretense. He is not at all disposed to leave us, and
• 3:55:33
  I have given him as many hints of my father's precarious state of health as
• 3:55:37
  common decency will allow me to do in my own house. Her power over
• 3:55:41
  him must now be boundless, as she has entirely effaced all his former ill
• 3:55:46
  opinion and persuaded him not merely to forget, but to justify her conduct.
• 3:55:52
  Mister Smith's account of her proceedings at Langford, where he accused her of having
• 3:55:56
  made mister Mainwaring and a young man engaged to Miss Maineward distractedly in love with
• 3:56:01
  her, which Reginald firmly believed when he came here. Is now he is
• 3:56:05
  persuaded only a scandalous invention. He has told me so with a warmth of
• 3:56:11
  manner, which spoke his regret at having believed the contrary himself. How sincerely
• 3:56:16
  do I agrieve that she ever entered this house. I always looked forward to
• 3:56:20
  her coming with uneasiness, but very far was it from originating an anxiety for
• 3:56:24
  Reginald. I expected a most disagreeable companion for myself, but could not imagine
• 3:56:31
  that my brother would be in the smallest danger of being captivated by a woman
• 3:56:35
  with whose principles he was so well acquainted, and whose character he so heartily
• 3:56:39
  despised. If you can get him away, it will be a good thing.
• 3:56:45
  Yours, et cetera, Catherine Vernon twelve. Sir Reginald de Courcy to
• 3:56:52
  his son Parklands. I know that young men in general do not admit of
• 3:56:58
  any inquiry, even from their nearest relations, into affairs of the heart.
• 3:57:03
  But I hope, my dear Reginald, that you will be superior to such
• 3:57:07
  as allow nothing for a father's anxiety, and think themselves privileged to refuse him
• 3:57:13
  their confidence and slight his advice. You must be sensible that, as an
• 3:57:18
  only son and the representative of an ancient family, your conduct in life is
• 3:57:24
  most interesting to your connections, and in the very important concern of marriage especially,
• 3:57:31
  there is everything at stake your own happiness, that of your parents,
• 3:57:35
  and the credit of your name. I do not suppose that you would deliberately
• 3:57:41
  form an absolute engagement of that nature without acquainting your mother and myself, or
• 3:57:46
  at least without being convinced that we should approve of your choice. But I
• 3:57:50
  cannot help fearing that you may be drawn in by the lady who has lately
• 3:57:56
  attached you to a marriage which the whole of your family far and near,
• 3:58:01
  must highly reprobate. Lady Susan's age is itself a material objection, but her
• 3:58:07
  want of character is one so much more serious that the difference of even twelve
• 3:58:13
  years becomes in comparison of small amount. Were you not blinded by a sort
• 3:58:18
  of fascination, it would be ridiculous in me to repeat the instances of great
• 3:58:22
  misconduct on her side, so very generally known. Her neglect of her husband,
• 3:58:28
  her encouragement of other men, her extravagance and dissipation, were so gross
• 3:58:33
  and notorious that no one could be ignorant of them at the time, nor
• 3:58:37
  can now have forgotten them. To our family, she has always been represented
• 3:58:43
  in softened colors by the benevolence of mister Charles Vernon, and yet in spite
• 3:58:48
  of his generous endeavors to excuse her, we know that she did, from
• 3:58:52
  the most selfish motives, take all possible pains to prevent his marriage with Catherine.
• 3:58:58
  My years and increasing infirmities make me very desirous of seeing you settled in
• 3:59:03
  the world to the fortune of a wife. The goodness of my own will
• 3:59:07
  make me indifferent, but her family and character must be equally unexceptionable. When
• 3:59:13
  your choice is fixed so that no objection can be made to it, then
• 3:59:18
  I can promise you a ready and cheerful consent. But it is my duty
• 3:59:22
  to oppose a match which deep art only could render possible, and must in
• 3:59:28
  the end make wretched. It is possible her behavior may arise only from vanity,
• 3:59:33
  or the wish of gaining the admiration of a man whom she must imagine
• 3:59:37
  to be particularly prejudiced against her. But it is more likely that she should
• 3:59:41
  aim at something further. She is poor, and may naturally seek an alliance
• 3:59:48
  which must be advantageous to herself. You know your own rights, and that
• 3:59:52
  it is out of my power to prevent your inheriting the family estate. My
• 3:59:58
  ability of distressing you during myne my life would be a species of revenge to
• 4:00:01
  which I could hardly stoop under any circumstances. I honestly tell you my sentiments
• 4:00:07
  and intentions. I do not wish to work on your fears, but on
• 4:00:11
  your sense and affection. It would destroy every comfort of my life to know
• 4:00:18
  that you were married to Lady Susan Vernon. It would be the death of
• 4:00:22
  that honest pride with which I have hitherto considered my son. I should blush
• 4:00:26
  to see him, to hear of him, to think of him. I
• 4:00:31
  may perhaps do no good but that of relieving my own mind by this letter.
• 4:00:35
  But I felt it my duty to tell you that your partiality for Lady
• 4:00:39
  Susan is no secret to your friends, and to warn you against her.
• 4:00:43
  I should be glad to hear your reasons for disbelieving mister Smith's intelligence. You
• 4:00:48
  had no doubt of its authenticity a month ago. If you can give me
• 4:00:52
  your assurance of having no design beyond enjoying the conversation of a clever woman for
• 4:00:56
  a short period, and of yielding admiration only to her beauty and abilities,
• 4:01:01
  without being blinded by them to her faults, you will restore me to happiness.
• 4:01:07
  But if you cannot do this, explain to me at least what has
• 4:01:11
  occasioned so great an alteration in your opinion of her. I am, et
• 4:01:16
  cetera, et cetera, Reginald de Coursey, thirteen, Lady de Courcy,
• 4:01:24
  to missus Vernon Parkland's, My dear Catherine. Unluckily, I was confined to
• 4:01:31
  my room when your last letter came by a code which affected my eyes so
• 4:01:35
  much as to prevent my reading it myself, so I could not refuse your
• 4:01:39
  father when he offered to read it to me, by which means he became
• 4:01:43
  acquainted, to my great vexation with all your fears about your brother. I
• 4:01:48
  had intended to write to Reginald myself as soon as my eyes would let me,
• 4:01:52
  to point out as well as I could the danger of an intimate acquaintance
• 4:01:56
  with so artful a woman as Lady Susan to a young man of his age
• 4:02:01
  and high expectations. I meant moreover to have reminded him of our being quite
• 4:02:05
  alone now, and very much in need of him to keep up our spirits
• 4:02:09
  these long winter evenings. Whether it would have done any good can never be
• 4:02:13
  settled now. But I am excessively vexed that Sir Reginald should know anything of
• 4:02:18
  a matter which we foresaw would make him so uneasy. He caught all your
• 4:02:24
  fears the moment he has read your letter, and I am sure he has
• 4:02:26
  not had the business out of his head since he wrote by the same post
• 4:02:31
  to Reginald a long letter, full of it all, and particularly asking an
• 4:02:35
  explanation of what he may have heard from Lady Susan to contradict the late shocking
• 4:02:39
  reports. His answer came this morning, which I shall enclose to you,
• 4:02:43
  as I think you will like to see it. I wish it was more
• 4:02:46
  satisfactory, but it seems written with such a determination to think well of Lady
• 4:02:52
  Susan, that his assurances as to marriage, et cetera do not set my
• 4:02:56
  heart at ease. I say all I can, however, to satisfy your
• 4:03:00
  father, and he is certainly less uneasy since Reginald's letter. How provoking it
• 4:03:05
  is, my dear Catherine, that this unwelcome guest of yours should not only
• 4:03:09
  prevent our meeting this Christmas, but be the occasion of so much vexation and
• 4:03:13
  trouble. Kiss the dear children for me, your affectionate mother. C.
• 4:03:18
  De Cursey fourteen Mister de Curcy to Sir Reginald Churchhill, My dear Sir,
• 4:03:28
  I have this moment received your letter, which has given me more astonishment than
• 4:03:33
  I ever felt before. I am to thank my sister, I suppose,
• 4:03:37
  for having represented me in such a light as to injure me in your opinion
• 4:03:39
  and give you all this alarm. I know not why she should choose to
• 4:03:43
  make herself and her family uneasy by apprehending an event which no one but herself,
• 4:03:48
  I can affirm, would ever have thought possible. To impute such a
• 4:03:52
  design to Lady Susan would be taking from her every claim to that excellent understanding
• 4:03:58
  which her bitterest enemies have never denied, and equally low must sink my pretensions
• 4:04:03
  to common sense. If I am suspected of matrimonial views in my behavior to
• 4:04:07
  her, our difference of age must be an insuperable objection, and I entreat
• 4:04:13
  you, my dear father, to quiet your mind and no longer harbor a
• 4:04:16
  suspicion which cannot be more injurious to your own peace than to our understandings.
• 4:04:22
  I can have no other view in remaining with Lady Susan than to enjoy,
• 4:04:26
  for a short time, as you have yourself expressed it, the conversation of
• 4:04:30
  a woman of high intellectual powers. If Missus Vernon would allow something to my
• 4:04:35
  affection for herself and a husband in the length of my visit, she would
• 4:04:39
  do more justice to us all but my sister is unhappily prejudiced beyond the hope
• 4:04:43
  a conviction against Lady Susan from an attachment to her husband, which in itself
• 4:04:50
  does honor to both. She cannot forgive the endeavors at preventing their union which
• 4:04:54
  have been attributed to selfishness in Lady Susan. But in this case, as
• 4:04:58
  well as in many others, the world has most grossly injured that lady by
• 4:05:03
  supposing the worst. Where the motives of her conduct have been doubtful, Lady
• 4:05:07
  Susan had heard something so materially to the disadvantage of my sister as to persuade
• 4:05:13
  her that the happiness of mister Vernon, to whom she was always much attached,
• 4:05:16
  would be wholly destroyed by the marriage. And this circumstance, whilet explained
• 4:05:22
  the true motives of Lady Susan's conduct, and removes all the blame which has
• 4:05:26
  been so lavished on her, may also convince us how little the general report
• 4:05:30
  of any one ought to be credited, since no character, however upright,
• 4:05:35
  can escape the malevolence of slander. If my sister, in the security of
• 4:05:39
  retirement, with his little opportunity as inclination to do evil could not avoid censure.
• 4:05:45
  We must not rashly condemn those who, living in the world and surrounded
• 4:05:48
  with temptations, should be accused of errors which they are known to have the
• 4:05:52
  power of committing. I blame myself severely for having so easily believed the slanderest
• 4:05:58
  tales invented by Charles Smith to the prejudice of Lady Susan, as I am
• 4:06:03
  now convinced how greatly they have produced her. As to missus Mainwaring's jealousy,
• 4:06:09
  it was totally his own invention, and his account of her attaching Miss Mainwaring's
• 4:06:13
  lover was scarcely better founded. Sir James Martin had been drawn in by that
• 4:06:18
  young lady to pay her some attention, and as he is a man of
• 4:06:20
  fortune, it was easy to see her views extended to marriage. It is
• 4:06:26
  well known that miss em is absolutely on the catch for a husband, and
• 4:06:28
  no one therefore can pity her for losing, by the superior attractions of another
• 4:06:33
  woman, the chance of being able to make a worthy man completely wretched.
• 4:06:39
  Lady Susan was far from intending such a conquest, and on finding how warmly
• 4:06:43
  Miss Mainwaring resented her, lover's defection determined in spite of mister and missus Mainwaring's
• 4:06:48
  most urgent entreaties to leave the family. I have reason to imagine she did
• 4:06:54
  receive serious proposals from Sir James, But her removing to Langford immediately on the
• 4:06:58
  discovery of his attachment must acquit her on that article. With any mind of
• 4:07:01
  common candor you will. I am sure, my dear Sir, feel the
• 4:07:05
  truth of this, and will hereby learn to do justice to the character of
• 4:07:09
  a very injured woman. I know that Lady Susan, in coming to Churchill,
• 4:07:13
  was governed only by the most honorable and amiable intentions. Her prudence and
• 4:07:18
  economy are exemplary, her regard for mister Vernon equal even to his deserts,
• 4:07:24
  and her wish of obtaining my sister's good opinion merits a better return than it
• 4:07:28
  has received. As a mother, she is unexceptionable. Her solid affection for
• 4:07:33
  her child is shown by placing her in hands where her education will be properly
• 4:07:35
  attended to. But because she is not the blind and weak partiality of most
• 4:07:41
  mothers, she is accused of wanting maternal tenderness. Every person of sense however,
• 4:07:46
  will know how to value and commend her well directed affection, and will
• 4:07:50
  join me in wishing that Frederica Vernon may prove more worthy than she has yet
• 4:07:54
  done of her mother's tender care. I have now, my dear father,
• 4:07:58
  written my real sentiments of Lady Susan. You will know from this letter how
• 4:08:03
  highly I admire her abilities and esteem her character. But if you are not
• 4:08:07
  equally convinced by my full and solemn assurance that your fears have been most idly
• 4:08:11
  created, you will deeply mortify and distress me. I am et cetera,
• 4:08:18
  et cetera R. De Coursey and of section fourteen fifteen Missus Vernon to Lady
• 4:08:28
  de Coursey, Churchill, my dear mother. I return you Reginald's letter and
• 4:08:33
  rejoice with all my heart that my father is made easy by it. Tell
• 4:08:39
  him so with my congratulations. But between ourselves I must own it has only
• 4:08:43
  convinced me of my brother's having no present intention of marrying Lady Susan, not
• 4:08:48
  that he is in no danger of doing so. Three months hence he gives
• 4:08:52
  a very plausible account of her behavior at Langford. I wish it may be
• 4:08:56
  true, but his intelligence must come from herself, and I am less disposed
• 4:09:01
  to believe it than to lament the degree of intimacy subsisting between them implied by
• 4:09:07
  the discussion of such a subject. I am sorry to have incurred his displeasure,
• 4:09:11
  but can expect nothing better. While he is so very eager in Lady
• 4:09:15
  Susan's justification, he is very severe against me, indeed, and yet I
• 4:09:20
  hope I have not been hasty in my judgment of her. Poor woman.
• 4:09:26
  Though I have reasons enough for my dislike, I cannot help pitying her at
• 4:09:28
  present, as she is in real distress and with too much cause. She
• 4:09:33
  had this morning a letter from the lady with whom she has placed her daughter,
• 4:09:37
  to request that Miss Vernon might be immediately removed, as she had been
• 4:09:41
  detected in an attempt to run away. Why or whither she intended to go
• 4:09:48
  does not appear, but as her situation seems to have been unexceptionable. It
• 4:09:52
  is a sad thing, and of course highly distressing to Lady Susan. Frederica
• 4:09:58
  must be as much as sixteen and ought to know better. But from what
• 4:10:01
  her mother insinuates, I am afraid she is a perverse girl. She has
• 4:10:07
  been sadly neglected, however, and her mother ought to remember it. Mister
• 4:10:11
  Vernon set off for London as soon as he had determined what should be done.
• 4:10:15
  He is, if possible to prevail on Miss Somers to let Frederica continue
• 4:10:18
  with her, and if he cannot succeed, to bring her to church Hill
• 4:10:22
  for the present till some other situation can be found for her. Her Ladyship
• 4:10:28
  is comforting herself meanwhile, by strolling along the shrubbery with Reginald calling forth all
• 4:10:33
  his tender feelings. I suppose on this distressing occasion she has been talking a
• 4:10:37
  great deal about it to me. She talks vastly well. I am afraid
• 4:10:43
  of being ungenerous, or I should say too well to feel so very deeply.
• 4:10:48
  But I will not look for her faults. She may be Reginald's wife,
• 4:10:52
  oh heaven forbid it. But why should I be quicker sighted than any
• 4:10:56
  one else? Mister Vernon declares that he know I ever saw deeper distress than
• 4:11:01
  hers on the receipt of the letter, and is his judgment inferior to mine.
• 4:11:05
  She was very unwilling that Frederica should be allowed to come to Churchill,
• 4:11:09
  and justly enough, as it seems a sort of reward to behavior deserving very
• 4:11:15
  differently. But it was impossible to take her anywhere else, and she is
• 4:11:18
  not to remain here long. It will be absolutely necessary, said she,
• 4:11:24
  as you, my dear sister, must be sensible to treat my daughter with
• 4:11:26
  some severity while she is here. A most painful necessity. But I will
• 4:11:31
  endeavor to submit to it. I am afraid I have often been too indulgent,
• 4:11:37
  but my poor Frederica's temper could never bear opposition. Well, you must
• 4:11:41
  support and encourage me. You must urge the necessity of reproof if you see
• 4:11:46
  me too lenient. All this sounds very reasonable. Reginald is so incensed against
• 4:11:52
  the poor silly girl. Surely it is not to Lady Susan's credit that he
• 4:11:56
  should be so bitter against her daughter. His idea of her must be drawn
• 4:12:01
  from the mother's description. Well, whatever may be his fate, we have
• 4:12:05
  the comfort of knowing that we have done our utmost to save him. We
• 4:12:09
  must commit the event to a higher power, Yours ever, et cetera.
• 4:12:15
  Catherine Vernon sixteen, Lady Susan to missus Johnson Churchill. Never, my dearest
• 4:12:24
  Alicia was I so provoked in my life as by a letter this morning from
• 4:12:30
  Miss Summers, that horrid girl of mine has been trying to run away.
• 4:12:35
  I have not a notion of her being such a little devil. Before she
• 4:12:39
  seemed to have all the vernon milkiness. But on receiving the letter in which
• 4:12:43
  I declared my intention about Sir James, she actually attempted to elope. At
• 4:12:48
  least I cannot otherwise account for her doing it. She meant I suppose to
• 4:12:52
  go to the clerks in Staffordshire, for she has no other acquaintances. But
• 4:12:56
  she shall be punished. She shall have him. I have sent Charles to
• 4:13:01
  town to make matters up if he can, for I do not, by
• 4:13:05
  any means want her here. If Miss Summers will not keep her, you
• 4:13:09
  must find me out another school, unless we can get her married immediately.
• 4:13:15
  Miss s writes word that she could not get the young lady to assign any
• 4:13:18
  cause for her extraordinary conduct, which confirms me in my own previous explanation of
• 4:13:24
  it. Frederica is too shy, I think, and too much in awe
• 4:13:28
  of me to tell tales. But if the mildness of her uncle should get
• 4:13:31
  anything out of her, I am not afraid. I trust I shall be
• 4:13:35
  able to make my story as good as hers. If I am vain of
• 4:13:39
  anything, it is of my eloquence, consideration, and esteem as surely follow
• 4:13:43
  command of language, as admiration waits on beauty. And here I have opportunity
• 4:13:48
  enough for the exercise of my talent. As the chief of my time is
• 4:13:52
  spent in conversation. Reginald is never easy unless we are by ourselves, and
• 4:13:56
  when the weather is tolerable, we pace the robbery for hours together. I
• 4:14:01
  like him on the whole very well. He is clever and has a good
• 4:14:05
  deal to say, but he is sometimes impertinent and troublesome. There is a
• 4:14:09
  sort of ridiculous delicacy about him which requires the fullest explanation of whatever he may
• 4:14:16
  have heard, to my disadvantage, and is never satisfied till he thinks he
• 4:14:20
  has ascertained the beginning and end of everything. This is one sort of love,
• 4:14:24
  but I confess it does not particularly recommend itself to me. I infinitely
• 4:14:30
  prefer the tender and liberal spirit of Mainwaring, which impressed with the deepest convictions
• 4:14:35
  of my Merit is satisfied that whatever I do must be right, and look
• 4:14:39
  with a degree of contempt on the inquisitive and doubtful fancies of that heart which
• 4:14:45
  seems always debating on the reasonableness of its emotions. Mainwaring is indeed beyond all
• 4:14:50
  compare superior to Reginald, superior in everything with the power of being with me.
• 4:14:56
  Poor fellow, he is much distracted by jealousie, which I am not
• 4:15:01
  sorry for, as I know no better support of love. He has been
• 4:15:05
  teasing me to allow of his coming into this country and lodging somewhere incognito.
• 4:15:09
  But I forbad everything of the kind. Those women are inexcusable, who forget
• 4:15:15
  what is due to themselves and the opinion of the world. Yours, ever,
• 4:15:20
  s Vernon, seventeen, missus Vernon to Lady de Courcy Churchill, my
• 4:15:28
  dear mother. Mister Vannon returned on Thursday night, bringing his niece with him.
• 4:15:33
  Lady Susan had received a line from him by that day's post informing her
• 4:15:39
  that Miss Summers had absolutely refused to allow of Miss Vernon's continuance in her academy.
• 4:15:43
  We were therefore prepared for her arrival and expected them impatiently the whole evening.
• 4:15:50
  They came while we were at tea, and I never saw any creature
• 4:15:52
  look so frightened as Frederica. When she entered the room. Lady Susan,
• 4:15:58
  who had been shedding tears before and showed great agitation at the idea of the
• 4:16:02
  meeting, received her with perfect self command and without betraying the least tenderness of
• 4:16:07
  spirit. She hardly spoke to her, and on Frederica's bursting into tears,
• 4:16:12
  as soon as we were seated, took her out of the room and did
• 4:16:15
  not return for some time. When she did, her eyes looked very red,
• 4:16:21
  and she was as much agitated as before. We saw no more of
• 4:16:25
  her daughter. Poor Reginald was beyond measure concerned to see his fair friend in
• 4:16:30
  such distress, and watched her with so much tender solicitude that I, who
• 4:16:34
  occasionally caught her observing his countenance with exultation, was quite out of patience.
• 4:16:41
  This pathetic representation lasted the whole evening, and so ostentatious and artful a display
• 4:16:47
  has entirely convinced me that she did, in fact feel nothing. I am
• 4:16:52
  more angry with her than ever since I have seen her daughter. The poor
• 4:16:56
  girl looks so unhappy that my heart aches for her. Lady Susan is surely
• 4:17:00
  too severe, for Frederica does not seem to have the sort of temper to
• 4:17:04
  make severity necessary. She looks perfectly timid, dejected, and penitent. She
• 4:17:10
  is very pretty, though not so handsome as her mother, nor at all
• 4:17:14
  like her. Her complexion is delicate, but neither so fair nor so blooming
• 4:17:18
  as Lady Susan's. And she has quite the vernon cast of countenance, the
• 4:17:22
  oval face and mild dark eyes. And there is peculiar sweetness in her look
• 4:17:27
  when she speaks, either to her uncle or me. For as we behave
• 4:17:30
  kindly to her, we have of course engaged her gratitude. Her mother has
• 4:17:36
  insinuated that her temper is intractable. But I never saw a face less indicative
• 4:17:41
  of any evil disposition than hers. And from what I can see of the
• 4:17:45
  behavior of each to the other, the invariable severity of Lady Susan and the
• 4:17:48
  silent dejection of Frederica, I am led to believe, as heretofore, that
• 4:17:53
  the former has no real love for her daughter, and has never done her
• 4:17:57
  justice or treated her affectionately. I have not been able to have any conversation
• 4:18:02
  with my niece. She is shy, and I think I can see that
• 4:18:06
  some pains are taken to prevent her being much with me. Nothing satisfactory transpires
• 4:18:11
  as to her reason for running away. Her kind hearted uncle, you may
• 4:18:15
  be sure, was too fearful of distressing her to ask many questions as they
• 4:18:18
  traveled. I wish it had been possible for me to fetch her instead of
• 4:18:22
  him. I think I should have discovered the truth in the course of a
• 4:18:25
  thirty mile journey. The small piano forte has been removed within these few days
• 4:18:30
  at Lady Susan's request, into her dressing room, and Frederica spends a great
• 4:18:34
  part of the day there, practicing as it is called. But I seldom
• 4:18:38
  hear any noise when I pass that way. What she does with herself there,
• 4:18:42
  I do not know. There are plenty of books, but it is
• 4:18:45
  not every girl who has been running wild the first fifteen years of her life
• 4:18:49
  that can or will read poor creature. The prospects from her window is not
• 4:18:56
  very instructive. For that Romo belooks the lawn, you know, with the
• 4:18:59
  sh shrubbery on one side, where she may see her mother walking for an
• 4:19:03
  hour together in earnest conversation with Reginald, a girl of Frederica's age must be
• 4:19:07
  childish. Indeed, if such things do not strike her, is it not
• 4:19:11
  inexcusable to give such an example to a daughter? Yet Reginald still thinks Lady
• 4:19:17
  Susan the best of mothers, and still condemns Frederica as a worthless girl.
• 4:19:22
  He is convinced that her attempt to run away proceeded from no justifiable cause and
• 4:19:26
  had no provocation. I am sure I cannot say that it had. But
• 4:19:32
  while Miss Summers declares that Miss Vernard showed no signs of obstinacy or perverseness during
• 4:19:37
  her whole stay in Wigmore Street till she was detected in this scheme, I
• 4:19:41
  cannot so readily credit what Lady Susan has made him, and wants to make
• 4:19:45
  me believe that it was merely an impatience of restraint and a desire of escaping
• 4:19:49
  from the tuition of masters, which brought on the plan of an elopement.
• 4:19:53
  Oh, Reginald, how is your judgment enslaved? He scarcely dares even allow
• 4:20:00
  to be handsome, and when I speak of her beauty, replies only that
• 4:20:03
  her eyes have no brilliancy. Sometimes he is sure she is deficient in understanding,
• 4:20:08
  and at others that her temper only is in fault. In short,
• 4:20:12
  when a person is always to deceive, it is impossible to be consistent.
• 4:20:18
  Lady Susan finds it necessary that Frederica should be to blame, and probably has
• 4:20:22
  sometimes judged expedient to excuse her of ill nature and sometimes to lament her want
• 4:20:27
  of sense. Redinald is only repeating after her ladyship. I remain et cetera,
• 4:20:33
  et cetera, Catherine Vernon eighteen from the same to the same churchhill,
• 4:20:44
  My dear mother, I am very glad to find that my description of Frederica
• 4:20:48
  Vernon has interested you, For I do believe her truly deserving of your regard.
• 4:20:53
  And when I have communicated a notion which has recently struck me your kind
• 4:20:56
  impressions in her favor, will I am sure be heightened. I cannot help
• 4:21:02
  fancying that she is growing partial to my brother. I so very often see
• 4:21:07
  her eyes fixed on his face with a remarkable expression of pensive admiration. He
• 4:21:11
  is certainly very handsome, and yet more, there is an openness in his
• 4:21:15
  manner that must be highly prepossessing, and I am sure she feels it so
• 4:21:21
  thoughtful and pensive in general, her countenance always brightens into a smile when Reginald
• 4:21:26
  says anything amusing. And let the subject be ever so serious that he may
• 4:21:30
  be conversing on. I am much mistaken if a syllable of his uttering escapes
• 4:21:33
  her. I want to make him sensible of all this, for we know
• 4:21:37
  the power of gratitude on such a heart as his. And could Frederica's artless
• 4:21:42
  affection detach him from her mother? We might bless the day which brought her
• 4:21:47
  to Churchhill. I think, my dear mother, you would not disapprove of
• 4:21:51
  her as a daughter. She is extremely young, to be sure, has
• 4:21:55
  had a wretched education and a dreadful example of levity in her mother. But
• 4:22:00
  yet I can pronounce her disposition to be excellent, and her natural ability is
• 4:22:03
  very good. Though totally without accomplishments. She is by no means so ignorant
• 4:22:08
  as one might expect to find her, being fond of books and spending the
• 4:22:12
  chief of her time in reading. Her mother leaves her more to herself than
• 4:22:15
  she did. And I have her with me as much as possible, and
• 4:22:19
  have taken great pains to overcome her timidity. We are very good friends,
• 4:22:23
  and though she never opens her lips before her mother, she talks enough when
• 4:22:27
  alone with me to make it clear that if properly treated by Lady Susan,
• 4:22:32
  she would always appear to much greater advantage. There cannot be a more gentle,
• 4:22:37
  affectionate heart, or more obliging manners when acting without restraint, and her
• 4:22:42
  little cousins are all very fond of her, Your affectionate daughter c Vernon nineteen
• 4:22:52
  Lady Susan to missus Johnson Churchill. You will be eager, I know,
• 4:22:56
  to hear something further of Frederica, and perhaps may think me negligent for not
• 4:23:02
  writing before she arrived with her uncle last Thursday fortnight, when, of course
• 4:23:07
  I lost no time in demanding the cause of her behavior, and soon found
• 4:23:11
  myself to have been perfectly right in attributing it to my own letter. The
• 4:23:15
  prospect of it frightened her so thoroughly that, with a mixture of true girlish
• 4:23:19
  perverseness and folly, she resolved on getting out of the house and proceeding directly
• 4:23:25
  by the stage to her friend the Clerks, and had really got as far
• 4:23:29
  as the length of two streets in her journey, when she was fortunately missed,
• 4:23:33
  pursued, and overtaken. Such was the first distinguished exploit of Miss Frederica
• 4:23:38
  Vernon, and if we consider that it was achieved at the tender age of
• 4:23:41
  sixteen, we shall have room for the most flattering prognostics of her future renown.
• 4:23:47
  I am excessively provoked, however, at the parade of propriety which prevented
• 4:23:51
  Miss Summers from keeping the girl. And it seems so extraordinary a piece of
• 4:23:55
  nicety, considering my daughter's family connections, that I can only suppose the lady
• 4:24:00
  to be governed by the fear of never getting her money. Be that as
• 4:24:03
  it may. However, Frederica is returned on my hands, and having nothing
• 4:24:07
  else to employ her, is busy in pursuing the plan of romance begun at
• 4:24:11
  Langford. She is actually falling in love with Reginald de Cursey. To disobey
• 4:24:18
  her mother by refusing an unexceptionable offer is not enough. Her affections must also
• 4:24:22
  be given without her mother's approbation. I never saw a girl of her age
• 4:24:26
  bid fairer to be the sport of mankind. Her feelings are tolerably acute,
• 4:24:32
  and she is so charmingly artless in their display as to afford the most reasonable
• 4:24:37
  hope of her being ridiculous and despised by every man who sees her artlessness will
• 4:24:42
  never do in love matters, and that girl is a born simpleton who has
• 4:24:47
  it either by nature or affectation. I am not yet certain that Reginald sees
• 4:24:52
  what she is about, nor is it of much consequence. She is now
• 4:24:55
  an object of indifference to him, and she would be one of contempt were
• 4:24:59
  he to understand her emotions. Her beauty is much admired by the Vernons,
• 4:25:03
  but it has no effect on him. She is in high favor with her
• 4:25:07
  aunt altogether because she is so little like myself. Of course, she is
• 4:25:11
  exactly the companion for Missus Vernon, who dearly loves to be firm, and
• 4:25:15
  to have all the sense and all the wit of the conversation to herself.
• 4:25:19
  Frederica will never eclipse her. When she first came, I was at some
• 4:25:23
  pains to prevent her seeing much of her aunt. But I have relaxed,
• 4:25:27
  as I believe I may depend on her observing the rules I have laid down
• 4:25:30
  for their discourse. But do not imagine that with all this lenity, I
• 4:25:34
  have for a moment given up my plan of her marriage. No, I
• 4:25:38
  am unalterably fixed on this point, though I have not yet decided on the
• 4:25:44
  manner of bringing it about. I should not choose to have the business brought
• 4:25:48
  on here and canvassed by the wise heads of mister and Missus Vernon, and
• 4:25:52
  cannot just now afford to go to town. Miss Frederica must therefore wait a
• 4:25:56
  little yours ever, s Vernon twenty Missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill,
• 4:26:08
  we have a very unexpected guest with us at present, my dear mother.
• 4:26:12
  He arrived yesterday. I heard a carriage at the door as I was sitting
• 4:26:17
  down with my children while they dined, and, supposing I should be wanted,
• 4:26:21
  left the nursery soon afterwards, and was half way downstairs when Frederica,
• 4:26:25
  as pale as ashes, came running up and rushed by me into her own
• 4:26:29
  room. I instantly followed and asked her what was the matter? Oh,
• 4:26:33
  said she he is come, Sir James has come, and what shall I
• 4:26:37
  do? This was no explanation. I begged her to tell me what she
• 4:26:41
  meant At that moment we were interrupted by a knock at the door. It
• 4:26:45
  was Reginald who came by Lady Susan's direction to call Frederica down. It is
• 4:26:51
  mister de Cursey, said she coloring violently. Mamma has sent for me.
• 4:26:56
  I must go. We all three went down together, and I saw my
• 4:27:00
  brother examining the terrified face of Frederica with surprise. In the breakfast room we
• 4:27:04
  found Lady Susan and a young man of gentlemanlike appearance, whom she introduced by
• 4:27:10
  the name of Sir James Martin, the very person you may remember, whom
• 4:27:14
  it was said she had been at pains to detach from Miss Mainwaring, but
• 4:27:18
  the conquest, it seems, was not designed for herself, or she has
• 4:27:22
  since transferred it to her daughter. For Sir James is now desperately in love
• 4:27:26
  with Frederica, and with full encouragement from Mamma. The poor girl, however,
• 4:27:30
  I am sure dislikes him, and though his person and address are very
• 4:27:34
  well, he appears both to mister Vernon and me, a very weak young
• 4:27:38
  man. Frederica looked so shy, so confused when we entered the room,
• 4:27:44
  that I felt for her exceedingly. Lady Susan behaved with great attention to her
• 4:27:48
  visitor, and yet I thought I could perceive that she had no particular pleasure
• 4:27:52
  in seeing him. Sir James talked a great deal and made many civil excuses
• 4:27:56
  to me for the liberty he had taken in coming to Churchill, mixing more
• 4:28:00
  frequent laughter with his discourse than the subject required, said many things over and
• 4:28:04
  over again, and told Lady Susan three times that he had seen missus Johnson
• 4:28:10
  a few evenings before. He now and then dressed Frederica, but more frequently
• 4:28:15
  her mother. The poor girl sat all this time without opening her lips,
• 4:28:18
  her eyes cast down, and her color varying every instant, while Reginald observed
• 4:28:25
  all that passed in perfect silence. At length, the Lady Susan, weary
• 4:28:29
  I believe, of her situation, proposed walking, and we left the two
• 4:28:33
  gentlemen together to put on our pelisses. As we went upstairs, Lady Susan
• 4:28:37
  begged permission to attend me for a few moments in my dressing room, as
• 4:28:41
  she was anxious to speak with me in private. I led her thither accordingly,
• 4:28:45
  and as soon as the door was closed, she said, I was
• 4:28:48
  never more surprised in my life than by Sir James's arrival, and the suddenness
• 4:28:52
  of it requires some apology to you, my dear sister, though to me
• 4:28:56
  as a mother, it is highly flattering. He is so extremely attached to
• 4:29:00
  my daughter that he could not exist long without seeing her. Sir James as
• 4:29:03
  a young man of an amiable disposition and excellent character, a little too much
• 4:29:07
  of the rattle, perhaps, but a year or two orectify that, and
• 4:29:11
  he is in other respects so very eligible a match for Frederica that I have
• 4:29:15
  always observed his attachment with the greatest pleasure, and I am persuaded that you
• 4:29:18
  and my brother will give the alliance your hearty approbation. I have never before
• 4:29:23
  mentioned the likelihood of its taking place to any one, because I thought that
• 4:29:26
  whilst Frederica continued at school, it had better not be known to exist.
• 4:29:30
  But now, as I am convinced that Frederica is too old ever to submit
• 4:29:34
  to school confinement, and had therefore begun to consider her union with Sir James
• 4:29:37
  as not very distant, I had intended within a few days to acquaint yourself
• 4:29:41
  and mister Vernon with the whole business. I am sure, my dear sister,
• 4:29:45
  you will excuse my remaining silent so long, and agree with me that
• 4:29:49
  such circumstances, while they continue from any cause and suspense, cannot be too
• 4:29:53
  cautiously concealed. When you have the happiness of bestowing your sweet little Catherine some
• 4:29:59
  years hence on a man who, in connection and character is alike unexceptionable,
• 4:30:03
  you will know what I feel now, though, thank Heaven, you cannot
• 4:30:07
  have all my reasons for rejoicing in such an event. Catherine will be amply
• 4:30:11
  provided for, and not like my Frederica, indebted to a fortunate establishment for
• 4:30:15
  the comforts of life. She concluded by demanding my congratulations. I gave them
• 4:30:22
  somewhat awkwardly, I believe, for in fact, the sudden disclosure of so
• 4:30:26
  important a matter took from me the power of speaking with any clearness. She
• 4:30:30
  thanked me, however, most affectionately, for my kind concern in the welfare
• 4:30:33
  of herself and daughter, and then said, I am not apt to deal
• 4:30:38
  in professions, my dear missus Vernon, and I never had the convenient talent
• 4:30:42
  of affecting sensations foreign to my heart, and therefore I trust you will believe
• 4:30:47
  me when I declare that, much as I heard in your praise, before
• 4:30:49
  I knew you, I had no idea that I should ever love you as
• 4:30:52
  much as I do now. And I must further say that your friendship towards
• 4:30:56
  me is more particularly gratifying, because I am reasonable that some attempts were made
• 4:31:00
  to prejudice you against me. I only wish that they, whoever they are,
• 4:31:06
  to whom I am indebted for such kind intentions, could see the terms
• 4:31:08
  on which we now are together and understand the real affection we feel for each
• 4:31:12
  other. But I will not detain you any longer. God bless you for
• 4:31:17
  your goodness to me and my girl, and continue to you all your present
• 4:31:21
  happiness. What can one say of such a woman, my dear mother,
• 4:31:26
  such earnestness, such solemnity of expression, And yet I cannot help suspecting the
• 4:31:30
  truth of everything she says. As for Reginald, I believe he does not
• 4:31:34
  know what to make of the matter. When Sir James came, he appeared
• 4:31:37
  all astonishment and perplexity. The folly of the young man and the confusion of
• 4:31:41
  Frederica entirely engrossed him. And though A little private discourse with Lady Susan has
• 4:31:47
  since had its effect. He is still hurt, I am sure at her
• 4:31:49
  allowing of such a man's attentions to her daughter. Sir James invited himself,
• 4:31:55
  with great composure, to remain here a few days, hoped we would not
• 4:31:57
  think it odd, was aware of it, being very impertinent, But he
• 4:32:02
  took the liberty of a relation and concluded by wishing with a laugh, that
• 4:32:06
  he might be really one very soon. Even Lady Susan seemed a little disconcerted
• 4:32:11
  by this forwardness in her heart. I am persuaded she sincerely wished him gone.
• 4:32:15
  But something must be done for this poor girl. If her feelings are
• 4:32:18
  such as both I and her uncle believed them to be, she must not
• 4:32:22
  be sacrificed policy or ambition, and she must not be left to suffer from
• 4:32:26
  the dread of it. The girl whose heart can distinguish Reginald to Cursey deserves,
• 4:32:32
  however, he may slight her a better fate than to be Sir James
• 4:32:36
  Martin's wife. As soon as I can get her alone, I will discover
• 4:32:38
  the real truth. But she seems to wish to avoid me. I hope
• 4:32:42
  this does not proceed from anything wrong that I shall not find out. I
• 4:32:47
  have thought too well of her. Her behavior to Sir James certainly speaks the
• 4:32:51
  greatest consciousness and embarrassment, but I see nothing in it more like encouragement.
• 4:32:56
  Adieu my dear mother, yours, et cetera. See twenty one Miss Vernon
• 4:33:04
  to mister de Courcy. Sir, I hope you will excuse this liberty.
• 4:33:11
  I am forced upon it by the greatest distress, or I should be ashamed
• 4:33:15
  to trouble you. I am very miserable about Sir James Martin, and have
• 4:33:19
  no other way in the world of helping myself but by writing to you,
• 4:33:23
  for I am forbidden even speaking to my uncle and aunt on the subject.
• 4:33:27
  And this being the case, I am afraid my applying to you will appear
• 4:33:32
  no better than equivocation, and as if I attended to the letter and not
• 4:33:36
  the spirit of Mamma's commands. But if you do not take my part and
• 4:33:41
  persuade her to break it off, I shall be half distracted, for I
• 4:33:45
  cannot bear him no human being. But you could have any chance prevailing with
• 4:33:49
  her if you will therefore have the unspeakably great kindness of taking my part with
• 4:33:53
  her and persuading her to send Sir James away. I shall be more obliged
• 4:33:59
  to you than it is possible of me to express. I always disliked him
• 4:34:03
  from the first. It is not a sudden fancy, I assure you,
• 4:34:06
  Sir. I always thought him silly and impertinent and disagreeable, and now he
• 4:34:11
  has grown worse than ever. I would rather work for my bread than marry
• 4:34:15
  him. I do not know how to apologize enough for this letter. I
• 4:34:19
  know it is taking so great a liberty. I am aware how dreadfully angry
• 4:34:23
  it will make Mamma, but I remember the risk I am, Sir,
• 4:34:29
  your most humble servant. F. S. V end of Section fifteen,
• 4:34:38
  Letter twenty two Lady Susan to missus Johnson Churchill. This is insufferable, my
• 4:34:49
  dearest friend. I was never so enraged before, and must relieve myself by
• 4:34:55
  writing to you, who I know will enter into all my feelings. Who
• 4:35:00
  should come on Tuesday, But Sir James Martin, guess my astonishment and vexation,
• 4:35:07
  For as you well know, I never wished him to be seen at
• 4:35:10
  Churchill. What a pity that you should not have known his intentions not content
• 4:35:15
  with coming, he actually invited himself to remain here a few days. I
• 4:35:21
  could have poisoned him. I made the best of it, however, and
• 4:35:23
  told my story with great success to missus Vernon, who, whatever might be
• 4:35:29
  her real sentiments, said nothing in opposition to mine. I made a point
• 4:35:33
  also of Frederica's behaving civilly to Sir James, and gave her to understand that
• 4:35:38
  I was absolutely determined on her marrying him. She said something of her misery,
• 4:35:44
  but that was all. I have for some time been more particularly resolved
• 4:35:48
  on the match, from seeing the rapid increase of her affection for Reginald,
• 4:35:52
  and from not feeling perfectly secure that a knowledge of that affection might not,
• 4:35:56
  in the end awaken a return contemptible, as a regard founded only on compassion
• 4:36:03
  must make them both in my eyes, I felt, by no means assured
• 4:36:07
  that such might not be the consequence. It is true that Reginald had not
• 4:36:11
  in any degree grown cool towards me, But yet he had lately mentioned Frederica
• 4:36:17
  spontaneously and unnecessarily, and once had said something in praise of her person.
• 4:36:23
  He was all astonishment at the appearance of my visitor, and at first observed
• 4:36:29
  Sir James with an attention which I was pleased to see, not unmixed with
• 4:36:33
  jealousy. But unluckily it was impossible for me really to torment him, as
• 4:36:37
  Sir James, though extremely gallant to me, very soon made the whole party
• 4:36:41
  understand that his heart was devoted to my daughter. I had no great difficulty
• 4:36:47
  in convincing to Cursey when we were alone, that I was perfectly justified all
• 4:36:52
  things considered in desiring the match, and the whole business seemed most comfortably arranged.
• 4:36:57
  They could none of them help thesus receiving that Sir James was no Solomon.
• 4:37:02
  But I had positively forbidden fredericas complaining to Charles Vannon or his wife,
• 4:37:07
  and they had therefore no pretense for interference, though my impertinent sister I believe,
• 4:37:12
  wanted only opportunity for doing so. Everything, however, was going on
• 4:37:18
  calmly and quietly, and though I counted the hours of Sir James's stay,
• 4:37:22
  my mind was entirely satisfied with the posture of affairs. Guess then, what
• 4:37:27
  I must feel at the sudden disturbance of all my schemes, and that too
• 4:37:33
  from a quarter, whence I had least reason to apprehend it. Reginald came
• 4:37:38
  this morning into my dressing room with a very unusual solemnity of countenance, and
• 4:37:44
  after some preface, informed me, in so many words that he wished to
• 4:37:48
  reason with me on the impropriety and unkindness of allowing Sir James Martin to address
• 4:37:53
  my daughter contrary to her inclination. I was all amazement when I found that
• 4:38:00
  he was not to be laughed out of his design. I calmly required an
• 4:38:04
  explanation, and begged to know by what he was impelled and by whom commissioned
• 4:38:10
  to reprimand me. He then told me, mixing in his speech a few
• 4:38:15
  insolent compliments and ill timed expressions of tenderness, to which I listened with perfect
• 4:38:19
  indifference, that my daughter had acquainted him with some circumstances concerning herself, Sir
• 4:38:26
  James, and me, which gave him great uneasiness. In short, I
• 4:38:32
  found that she had, in the first place, actually written to him to
• 4:38:37
  request his interference, and that on receiving her letter, he had conversed with
• 4:38:41
  her on the subject of it in order to understand the particulars and assure himself
• 4:38:47
  of her real wishes. I have not a doubt but that the girl took
• 4:38:52
  this opportunity of making downright love to him. I am convinced of it from
• 4:38:56
  the manner in which he spoke of her. Much good may such love do
• 4:39:00
  him? I shall ever despise the man who can be gratified by the passion
• 4:39:04
  which he never wished to inspire, nor solicited the avowal of I shall always
• 4:39:11
  detest them both. He can have no true regard for me, or he
• 4:39:15
  would not have listened to her, and she, with her little rebellious heart
• 4:39:21
  and indelicate feelings, to throw herself into the protection of a young man with
• 4:39:25
  whom she had scarcely ever exchanged two words before. I am equally confounded at
• 4:39:30
  her impudence and his credulity. How dared he believe what she told him in
• 4:39:36
  my disfavor? Ought he not to have felt assured that I must have unanswerable
• 4:39:41
  motives for all that I had done. Where was his reliance on my sense
• 4:39:45
  or goodness? Then? Where the resentment which true love would have dictated against
• 4:39:48
  the person defaming me? That person too, a chit, a child without
• 4:39:55
  talent or education, whom he had always been taught to despise. I was
• 4:40:00
  calm for some time, but the greatest degree of forbearance may be overcome,
• 4:40:06
  and I hope I was afterwards sufficiently keen. He endeavored long, endeavored to
• 4:40:11
  soften my resentment. But that woman is a fool, indeed, who,
• 4:40:14
  while insulted by accusation, can be worked on by compliments. At length,
• 4:40:19
  he left me as deeply provoked as myself, and he showed his anger more.
• 4:40:25
  I was quite cool, but he gave way to the most violent indignation.
• 4:40:30
  I may therefore expect it will sooner subside, and perhaps his may be
• 4:40:34
  vanished for ever, while mine will still be found fresh and implacable. He
• 4:40:41
  is now shut up in his apartment whither I heard him go on leaving mine.
• 4:40:45
  How unpleasant one would think must his reflections be. But some people's feelings
• 4:40:51
  are incomprehensible. I have not yet tranquilized myself enough to see Frederica. She
• 4:40:56
  shall not soon forget the occurrences of this day. She shall find that she
• 4:41:00
  is poured forth her tender tale of love in vain, and exposed herself forever
• 4:41:07
  to the contempt of the whole world, and the severest resentment of her injured
• 4:41:11
  mother. Yours affectionately, s Vernon, Letter twenty three, Missus Vernon to
• 4:41:22
  Lady de Coursey Churchill. Let me congratulate you, my dearest mother. The
• 4:41:29
  affair which has given us so much anxiety is drawing to a happy conclusion.
• 4:41:33
  Our prospect is most delightful, and since matters have now taken so favorable a
• 4:41:37
  turn, I am quite sorry that I ever imparted my apprehensions to you.
• 4:41:42
  For the pleasure of learning that the danger is over is perhaps dearly purchased by
• 4:41:48
  all that you have previously suffered. I am so much agitated by delight that
• 4:41:52
  I can scarcely hold a pen, But am determined to send you a few
• 4:41:56
  lines by James, that you may have some explanation of what must so greatly
• 4:42:00
  astonish you as that Reginald should be returning to Parkland's. I was sitting about
• 4:42:06
  half an hour ago with Sir James in the breakfast parlor when my brother called
• 4:42:10
  me out of the room. I instantly saw that something was the matter.
• 4:42:14
  His complexion raised, and he spoke of great emotion. You know his eager
• 4:42:18
  manner, my dear Madam, when his mind is interested, Catherine said he
• 4:42:22
  I am going home to day. I am sorry to leave you, but
• 4:42:26
  I must go. It is great while since I have seen my father and
• 4:42:29
  mother. I am going to send James forward with my hunters immediately. If
• 4:42:33
  you have any letter, therefore, he can take it. I shall not
• 4:42:36
  be at home myself till Wednesday or Thursday, as I shall go through London,
• 4:42:40
  where I have business. But before I leave you, he continued,
• 4:42:44
  speaking in a lower voice and with still greater energy, I must warn you
• 4:42:48
  of one thing. Do not let Frederica Vernon be made unhappy by that Martin.
• 4:42:53
  He wants to marry her. Her mother promotes the match, but she
• 4:42:57
  cannot endure the idea of it. Be assured that I speak from the fullest
• 4:43:02
  conviction of the truth of what I say. I know that Frederica is made
• 4:43:04
  wretched by Sir James's continuing here. She is a sweet girl and deserves a
• 4:43:10
  better fate. Send him away immediately. He is only a fool. But
• 4:43:14
  what her mother can mean Heaven only knows. Good Bye, he added,
• 4:43:18
  shaking my hand with earnestness. I do not know when you will see me
• 4:43:22
  again, but remember what I tell you of Frederica, you must make it
• 4:43:26
  your business to see justice done her. She is an amiable girl and has
• 4:43:30
  a very superior mind to what we have ever given her credit for. He
• 4:43:34
  then left me and ran upstairs. I would not try to stop him,
• 4:43:37
  for I knew what his feelings must be the nature of mine. As I
• 4:43:41
  listened to him, I need not attempt to describe. For a minute or
• 4:43:45
  two, I remained in the same spot, overpowered by wonder of a most
• 4:43:49
  agreeable sort. Indeed, yet it required some consideration to be tranquility happy.
• 4:43:56
  In about ten minutes after my return to the parlor, Lady Susan entered the
• 4:44:00
  I concluded, of course, that she and Reginald had been quarreling, and
• 4:44:03
  looked with anxious curiosity for a confirmation of my belief in her face, Mistress
• 4:44:08
  of deceit. However, she appeared perfectly unconcerned, and, after chatting on
• 4:44:14
  indifferent subjects for a short time, said to me, I find from Wilson
• 4:44:18
  that we are going to lose mister de Cursey. Is it true that he
• 4:44:21
  leaves Churchill this morning? I replied that it was. He told us nothing
• 4:44:26
  of all this last night, said she, laughing, Or even this morning
• 4:44:30
  at breakfast, but perhaps he did not know it himself. Young men are
• 4:44:34
  often hasty in their resolutions, and not more sudden informing than unsteady in keeping
• 4:44:40
  them. I should not be surprised if he were to change his mind at
• 4:44:42
  last and not go. She soon afterwards left the room. I trust,
• 4:44:48
  however, my dear mother, that we have no reason to fear in alteration
• 4:44:51
  of his present plan. Things have gone too far. They must have quarreled,
• 4:44:55
  and about Frederica too. Her calmness astonishes me. What delight will be
• 4:45:00
  yours in seeing him again, in seeing him still worthy your esteem, still
• 4:45:04
  capable of forming your happiness. When I next write, I shall be able,
• 4:45:10
  I hope to tell you that Sir James is gone, Lady Susan vanquished,
• 4:45:14
  and Frederica at peace. We have much to do, but it shall
• 4:45:18
  be done. I am all impatient to know how this astonishing change was effected.
• 4:45:22
  I finish as I began, with the warmest congratulations, yours ever,
• 4:45:29
  Catherine Vernon letter twenty four from the same to the same Churchill. Little did
• 4:45:40
  I imagine, my dear mother, when I sent off my last letter,
• 4:45:42
  that the delightful perturbation of spirits I was then in would undergo so speedy,
• 4:45:48
  so melancholy a reverse. I can never sufficiently regret that I wrote to you
• 4:45:52
  at all. Yet who could have foreseen what has happened? My dear mother.
• 4:45:57
  Every hope which but two hours made me so happy, is vanished.
• 4:46:02
  The quarrel between Lady Susan and Reginald is made up, and we are all
• 4:46:06
  as we were before. One point only is gained. Sir James Martin is
• 4:46:11
  dismissed. What are we now to look forward to? I am indeed disappointed.
• 4:46:17
  Reginald was all but gone, his horse was ordered and almost brought to
• 4:46:21
  the door. Who would not have felt safe? For half an hour?
• 4:46:25
  I was in momentary expectation of his departure. After I had sent off my
• 4:46:29
  letter to you, I went to mister Vernon and sat with him in his
• 4:46:32
  room, talking over the whole matter. I then determined to look for Frederica,
• 4:46:36
  whom I had not seen since breakfast. I met her on the stairs
• 4:46:40
  and saw that she was crying. My dear aunt said she he is going,
• 4:46:45
  Mister de Cursey is going, and it is all my fault. I
• 4:46:48
  am afraid you will be angry. But indeed I had no idea it would
• 4:46:52
  end. So my love replied, I do not think it necessary to apologize
• 4:46:56
  to me on that account. I shall feel myself under an obligation to any
• 4:47:00
  one who was the means of sending my brother home, because recollecting myself,
• 4:47:06
  I know my father wants very much to see him. But what is it
• 4:47:08
  that you have done to occasion all this? She blushed deeply as she answered,
• 4:47:14
  I was so unhappy about Sir James that I could not help. I
• 4:47:18
  have done something very wrong, I know, but you have not an idea
• 4:47:21
  of the misery I have been in. And Mamma had ordered me never to
• 4:47:23
  speak to you or my uncle about it, and you therefore spoke to my
• 4:47:27
  brother to engage his interference, said I, wishing to save her the explanation.
• 4:47:33
  No, but I wrote to him. I did. Indeed, I
• 4:47:37
  got up this morning before it was light. I was two hours about it,
• 4:47:40
  and when my letter was done, I thought I never should have courage
• 4:47:42
  to give it. After breakfast, However, as I was going to my
• 4:47:45
  own room, I met him in the passage, and then, as I
• 4:47:48
  knew that everything must depend on that moment, I forced myself to give it.
• 4:47:53
  He was so good as to take it immediately. I dared not look
• 4:47:56
  at him and ran away directly. I was in such a fright that I
• 4:48:00
  could hardly breathe. My dear aunt, you do not know how miserable I
• 4:48:03
  have been, Fredrika said I. You ought to have told me all your
• 4:48:08
  distresses. You would have found in me a friend always ready to assist you.
• 4:48:12
  Do you think that your uncle and I should not have espoused your cause
• 4:48:15
  as warmly as my brother? Indeed, I did not doubt your goodness,
• 4:48:21
  said she, coloring again. But I thought that mister de Courcy could do
• 4:48:25
  anything with my mother. But I was mistaken. They have had a dreadful
• 4:48:27
  quarrel about it, and he is going. Mamma will never forgive me,
• 4:48:32
  and I shall be worse off than ever. No, you shall not,
• 4:48:36
  replied I in such a point as this. Your mother's prohibition ought not to
• 4:48:40
  have prevented your speaking to me on the subject. She has no right to
• 4:48:44
  make you unhappy, and she shall not do it. Your applying, however,
• 4:48:48
  to Reginald, can be productive only of good to all parties. I
• 4:48:52
  believe it is best, as it is depend upon it, that you shall
• 4:48:55
  not be made unhappy any longer. At that moment. Howat was my astonishment
• 4:49:00
  at seeing Reginald come out of Lady Susan's dressing room. My heart misgave me
• 4:49:04
  instantly. His confusion on seeing me was very evident. Frederica immediately disappeared.
• 4:49:11
  Are you going, said I, you will find mister Vernon in his own
• 4:49:14
  room. No, Catherine replied he, I am not going. Will you
• 4:49:19
  let me speak to you a moment we went into my room, I find
• 4:49:23
  continued he, his confusion increasing as he spoke, that I have been acting
• 4:49:29
  with my usual foolish impetuosity. I have entirely misunderstood Lady Susan and was on
• 4:49:33
  the point of leaving the house under a false impression of her conduct. There
• 4:49:37
  has been some very great mistake. We have all been mistaken. I fancy
• 4:49:41
  Frederica does not know her mother. Lady Susan means nothing but her good.
• 4:49:45
  But Frederka will not make a friend of her. Lady Susan therefore does not
• 4:49:49
  always know what will make her daughter happy. Besides, I could have no
• 4:49:53
  right to interfere. Miss Vernon was mistaken and applying to me. In short,
• 4:49:59
  Catherine, everything has gone wrong, but it is all now happily settled.
• 4:50:03
  Lady Susan, I believe wished to speak to you about it, if
• 4:50:07
  you are at leisure, certainly, replied I, deeply, sighing at the
• 4:50:11
  recital of so lame a story. I made no remarks, however, for
• 4:50:15
  words would have been in vain. Reginald was glad to get away, and
• 4:50:19
  I went to Lady Susan, curious, indeed to hear her account of it.
• 4:50:23
  Did not I tell you, said she, with a smile. That
• 4:50:27
  your brother would not leave us after all you did, indeed, replied I,
• 4:50:33
  very gravely. But I flattered myself that you would be mistaken. I
• 4:50:37
  should not have hazarded such an opinion, returned she, if it had not.
• 4:50:41
  At that moment occurred to me that his resolution of going might be occasioned
• 4:50:45
  by a conversation in which we had been this morning engaged, and which had
• 4:50:48
  ended very much to his dissatisfaction from our not rightly understanding each other's meaning.
• 4:50:53
  This idea struck me at the moment, and I instantly determined that an accidental
• 4:50:57
  dispute in which I might be as much to blame as himself, should not
• 4:51:02
  deprive you of your brother. If you remember, I left the room almost
• 4:51:06
  immediately. I was resolved to lose no time in clearing up these mistakes as
• 4:51:10
  far as I could. The case was this, Frederica had set herself violently
• 4:51:15
  against marrying Sir James. And can your ladyship wonder that she should cried I
• 4:51:21
  with some warmth. Frederica has an excellent understanding, and Sir James has none.
• 4:51:26
  I am at least very far from regretting it, my dear sister,
• 4:51:30
  said she. On the contrary, I am grateful for so favorable a sign
• 4:51:33
  of my daughter's sense. Sir James is certainly under par. His boyish manners
• 4:51:38
  make him appear the worse. And had Frederica possessed the penetration the abilities which
• 4:51:44
  I could have wished in my daughter, or had I even known her to
• 4:51:47
  possess so much as she does, I should not have been anxious for the
• 4:51:49
  match. It is ought that you alone should be ignorant of your daughter's sense.
• 4:51:56
  Frederica never does justice to herself her manners. A shy and childish she
• 4:52:00
  is besides afraid of me, she scarcely loves me. During her poor father's
• 4:52:06
  life, she was a spoilt child. The severity which it has since been
• 4:52:08
  necessary for me to show has entirely alienated her affection. Neither has she any
• 4:52:14
  of that brilliancy of intellect, that genius, or vigor of mind which will
• 4:52:18
  force itself forward. Say rather that she has been unfortunate in her education.
• 4:52:25
  Heaven knows, my dearest missus Vernon, how fully I am aware of that.
• 4:52:30
  But I would wish to forget every circumstance that might throw blame on the
• 4:52:33
  memory of one whose name is sacred. With me here she pretended to cry,
• 4:52:40
  Ah, I was out of patience with her? But what said I
• 4:52:44
  was your ladyship going to tell me about your disagreement with my brother? It
• 4:52:48
  originated in an action of my daughter's, which equally marks her want of judgment
• 4:52:52
  and the unfortunate dread of me I have been mentioning. She wrote to mister
• 4:52:56
  de Cursey, I know she did. You had forbidden her speaking to mister
• 4:53:02
  VanIn or to me on the cause of her distress. What could she do
• 4:53:04
  therefore but apply to my brother? Good God, she exclaimed, What an
• 4:53:11
  opinion you must have of me? Can you possibly suppose that I was aware
• 4:53:15
  of her unhappiness, that it was my object to make my own child miserable,
• 4:53:18
  and that I had forbidden her speaking to you on the subject from a
• 4:53:22
  fear of your interrupting the diabolical scheme? Do you think me destitute of every
• 4:53:26
  honest, every natural feeling? Am I capable of consigning her to everlasting misery?
• 4:53:32
  Whose welfare it is my first earthly duty to promote? The idea is
• 4:53:37
  horrible? What then, was your intention when you insisted on her silence?
• 4:53:42
  Of what use, my dear sister, could be any application to you,
• 4:53:47
  however the affair might stand. Why should I subject you to entreaties which I
• 4:53:52
  refuse to attend to myself. Neither for your sake, for hers, nor
• 4:53:56
  for my own could such a thing be desirable? When my own resolution was
• 4:54:00
  taken, I could not wish for the interference, however friendly of another person.
• 4:54:06
  I was mistaken, it is true, but I believed myself to be
• 4:54:10
  right. But what was this mistake to which your ladyship so often alludes from?
• 4:54:15
  Whence a rose so astonishing a misapprehension of your daughter's feelings? Did not
• 4:54:19
  you know that she disliked Sir James? I knew that he was not absolutely
• 4:54:23
  the man she would have chosen, But I was persuaded that her objections to
• 4:54:27
  him did not arise from any perception of his deficiency. You must not question
• 4:54:33
  me, however, my dear sister too minutely on this point, continued she,
• 4:54:37
  taking me affectionately by the hand. I honestly own that there is something
• 4:54:41
  to conceal Frederica makes me very unhappy. Her applying to mister de Cursey hurt
• 4:54:48
  me particularly. What is it that you mean to infer? Said I by
• 4:54:52
  this appearance of mystery? If you think your daughter at all attached to Reginald,
• 4:54:56
  her objecting to Sir James could not less deserve to be attended to than
• 4:55:00
  if the cause of her objecting had been a consciousness of his folly. And
• 4:55:04
  why should your ladyship at any rate quarrel with my brother for an interference which
• 4:55:08
  you must know it was not in his nature to refuse when urged in such
• 4:55:12
  a manner. His disposition, you know, is warm. And he came
• 4:55:17
  to expostulate with me his compassion all alive for this ill used girl, this
• 4:55:22
  heroine in distress. We misunderstood each other. He believed me more to blame
• 4:55:26
  than I really was. I considered his interference as less excusable than I find
• 4:55:30
  it now. I have a real regard for him, and was beyond expression
• 4:55:34
  mortified to find it, as I thought so ill bestowed. We were both
• 4:55:40
  warm and of course both to blame his resolution of leaving Churchills consistent with his
• 4:55:45
  general eagerness. When I understood his intention, however, and at the same
• 4:55:49
  time began to think that we had perhaps been equally mistaken in each other's meaning,
• 4:55:53
  I resolved to have an explanation before it were too late for any member
• 4:55:57
  of your family. I must always be the degree of affection, and I
• 4:56:00
  own it would have sensibly hurt me if my acquaintance with mister de Cursey had
• 4:56:04
  ended so gloomily. I have now only to say further that, as I
• 4:56:10
  am convinced of Frederica's having a reasonable dislikeness Sir James, I shall instantly inform
• 4:56:15
  him that he must give up all hope of her. I reproach myself for
• 4:56:18
  having ever, though so innocently made her unhappy on that score. She shall
• 4:56:22
  have all the retribution in my power to make if she value her own happiness
• 4:56:26
  as much as I do. If she judge wisely and command herself as she
• 4:56:30
  ought, she may now be easy excuse me, my dearest sister, for
• 4:56:36
  thus trespassing on your time. But I owed it to my own character.
• 4:56:41
  And after this explanation, I trust I am in no danger of sinking in
• 4:56:44
  your opinion. I could have said not much, indeed, but I left
• 4:56:49
  her almost in silence. It was the greatest stretch of forbearance I could practice.
• 4:56:56
  I could not have stopped myself had I begun her assurance a deceit.
• 4:57:02
  But I will not allow myself to dwell on them. They will strike you
• 4:57:04
  sufficiently. My heart sickens within me. As soon as I was tolerably composed,
• 4:57:11
  I returned to the parlor. Sir James's carriage was at the door,
• 4:57:14
  and he merry as usual, soon afterwards took his leave. How easily does
• 4:57:19
  her ladyship encourage or dismiss a lover. In spite of this release, Frederica
• 4:57:25
  still looks unhappy, still fearful perhaps of her mother's anger, and though dreading
• 4:57:30
  my brother's departure, jealous it may be, of his staying. I see
• 4:57:33
  how closely she observes him, and Lady Susan, poor girl. I have
• 4:57:37
  now no hope for her. There is not a chance of her affection being
• 4:57:41
  returned, he thinks very differently of her from what he used to do.
• 4:57:45
  He does his sum justice, but his reconciliation with her mother precludes every dearer
• 4:57:49
  hope. Prepare, my dear Madam, for the worst. The probability of
• 4:57:55
  their marrying is surely heightened. He is more securely hers than ever. When
• 4:57:59
  that wretched event takes place, Frederica must wholly belong to us. I am
• 4:58:04
  thankful that my last letter will precede this by so little his every moment,
• 4:58:08
  that you can be saved from feeling a joy which leads only to disappointment,
• 4:58:11
  is of consequence, yours ever, Catherine Vernon, Letter twenty five, Lady
• 4:58:19
  Susan to missus Johnson Churchill, I call on you, dear Alicia, for
• 4:58:26
  congratulations. I am again myself gay and triumphant. When I wrote to you
• 4:58:33
  the other day, I was in truth, in high irritation, and with
• 4:58:36
  ample cause. Nay, I know not whether I ought to be quite tranquil
• 4:58:40
  now, for I have had more trouble in restoring peace than I ever intended
• 4:58:42
  to submit to this. Reginald has a proud spirit of his own, a
• 4:58:48
  spirit too, resulting from a fancied sense of superior integrity, which is peculiarly
• 4:58:53
  insolent. I shall not easily forgive him, I assure you, he was
• 4:58:57
  actually on the point of leaving Churchill. I had scarcely concluded my last when
• 4:59:03
  Wilson brought me word of it. I found therefore that something must be done,
• 4:59:07
  for I did not choose to have my character at the mercy of a
• 4:59:11
  man whose passions were so violent and resentful. It would have been trifling with
• 4:59:15
  my reputation to allow of his departing with such an impression in my disfavor.
• 4:59:19
  In this light, condescension was necessary. I sent Wilson to say that I
• 4:59:25
  desired to speak with him before he went. He came immediately. The angry
• 4:59:29
  emotions which had marked every feature when we last parted, were partially subdued.
• 4:59:33
  He seemed astonished at the summons, and looked as if half wishing and half
• 4:59:37
  fearing to be softened by what I might say. If my countenance expressed what
• 4:59:41
  I aimed at, It was composed and dignified, and yet with a degree
• 4:59:47
  of pensiveness which might convince him that I was not quite happy. I beg
• 4:59:51
  your pardon, sir, for the liberty I have taken in sending to you,
• 4:59:55
  said I. But as I have just learnt your intention of leaving this
• 4:59:59
  place to day, I feel it my duty to entreats that you will not,
• 5:00:02
  on my account shorten your visit here even an hour. I am perfectly
• 5:00:07
  aware that after what has passed between us, it would ill suit the feelings
• 5:00:11
  of either to remain longer in the same house. So very great, so
• 5:00:15
  total a change from the intimacy of friendship must render any future intercourse the severest
• 5:00:19
  punishment, And your resolution of quitting Churchill is undoubtedly in unison with our situation
• 5:00:26
  and with those lively feelings which I know you to possess. But at the
• 5:00:30
  same time, it is not for me to suffer such a sacrifice as it
• 5:00:33
  must be to leave relations to whom you are so much attached and are so
• 5:00:37
  dear. My remaining here cannot give that pleasure to mister and missus vernon which
• 5:00:42
  your society must, and my visit has already perhaps been too long. My
• 5:00:48
  removal, therefore, which must at any rate take place soon, may with
• 5:00:52
  perfect convenience, be hastened. And I make it my particular request that I
• 5:00:56
  may not in any way be instrumental in separating of family so affectionately attached to
• 5:01:02
  each other. Where I go is of no consequence to any one, a
• 5:01:06
  very little to myself. But you are of importance to all your connections.
• 5:01:11
  Here I concluded, and I hope you'll be satisfied with my speech. Its
• 5:01:15
  effect on Reginald justifies some portion of vanity, for it was no less favorable
• 5:01:19
  than instantaneous. Oh how delightful it was to watch the variations of his countenance
• 5:01:26
  while I spoke, to see the struggle between returning tenderness and the remains of
• 5:01:30
  displeasure. There is something agreeable in feeling so easily worked on. Not that
• 5:01:37
  I would envy him their possession, nor would for the world have such myself,
• 5:01:41
  but they are very convenient when one wishes to influence the passions of another.
• 5:01:47
  And yet this Reginald, who are very few words from me, softened
• 5:01:49
  at once into the utmost submission, and rendered more tractable, more attached,
• 5:01:55
  more devoted than ever would have left me in the first angry swelling of his
• 5:01:59
  pre heart, without deigning to seek an explanation. Humbled as he now is,
• 5:02:04
  I cannot forgive him such an instance of pride, and am doubtful whether
• 5:02:08
  I ought not to punish him by dismissing him at once after this our reconciliation,
• 5:02:15
  or by marrying and teasing him forever. But these measures are each too
• 5:02:19
  violent to be adopted without some deliberation. At present, my thoughts are fluctuating
• 5:02:25
  between various schemes. I have many things to compass. I must punish Frederica,
• 5:02:32
  and pretty severely too, for her application to Reginald. I must punish
• 5:02:37
  him for receiving it so favorably, and for the rest of his conduct.
• 5:02:41
  I must torment my sister in law for the insolent triumph of her look and
• 5:02:45
  manner. Since Sir James has been dismissed for in reconciling Reginald to me,
• 5:02:51
  I was not able to save that ill fated young man, and I must
• 5:02:53
  make myself amends for the humiliations to which I have stooped within these few days.
• 5:02:59
  To effect all this, I have various plans. I have also an
• 5:03:03
  idea of being soon in town, and whatever may be my determination as to
• 5:03:07
  the rest, I shall probably put that project in execution, for London will
• 5:03:11
  be always the fairest field of action. However, my views may be directed,
• 5:03:17
  and at any rate I shall there be rewarded by your society and a
• 5:03:21
  little dissipation for a ten week's penance at Churchill. I believe I owe it
• 5:03:26
  to my own character to complete the match between my daughter and Sir James,
• 5:03:30
  after having so long intended it. Let me know your opinion on this point.
• 5:03:34
  Flexibility of mind a disposition easily biased by others, is an attribute which
• 5:03:41
  you know I am not very desirous of obtaining. Nor has Fredrika any claim
• 5:03:45
  to the indulgence of her whims at the expense of her mother's inclination her idle
• 5:03:48
  love for Reginald. Too, it is surely my duty to discourage such romantic
• 5:03:52
  nonsense. All things considered, therefore, it seems incumbent on me to take
• 5:03:59
  her to town and marry her immediately to Sir James, when my own will
• 5:04:03
  is affected contrary to his, I shall have some credit in being on good
• 5:04:07
  terms with Reginald, which at present, in fact I have not, for
• 5:04:11
  though he is still in my power, I have given up the very article
• 5:04:15
  by which our quarrel was produced, and at best the honor of victory is
• 5:04:18
  doubtful. Send me your opinion on all these matters, my dear Alicia,
• 5:04:23
  and let me know whether you can get lodgings to suit me within a short
• 5:04:26
  distance, or you your most attached s Vernon Letter twenty six, missus Johnson
• 5:04:37
  to Lady Susan Edward Street. I am gratified by your reference, and this
• 5:04:44
  is my advice that you come to town yourself without loss of time, but
• 5:04:48
  that you leave Frederica behind. It would surely be much more to the purpose
• 5:04:52
  to get yourself well established by marrying mister de Curcy than to irritate him and
• 5:04:57
  the rest of his family by making her marry Sir James. You should think
• 5:05:03
  more of yourself and less of your daughter. She is not of a disposition
• 5:05:07
  to do you credit in the world, and seems precisely in her proper place
• 5:05:11
  at Churchill with the Vernons. But you are fitted for society, and it
• 5:05:17
  is shameful to have you exiled from it. Leave Frederica therefore, to punish
• 5:05:22
  herself for the plague she has given you by indulging that romantic tender heartedness which
• 5:05:26
  will always insure her misery. Enough, and come yourself to town as soon
• 5:05:30
  as you can. I have another reason for urging this Mainwaring came to town
• 5:05:36
  last week and has contrived, in spite of mister Johnson, to make opportunities
• 5:05:41
  of seeing me. He is absolutely miserable about you and jealous to such a
• 5:05:45
  degree of de Cursey that it would be highly unadvisable for them to meet at
• 5:05:49
  present. And yet if you do not allow him to see you here,
• 5:05:53
  I cannot answer for his not committing some great imprudence, such as going to
• 5:05:57
  Churchhill, for instance, which would be dreadful. Besides, if you take
• 5:06:03
  my advice and resolve to marry to Cursey, it will be indispensably necessary for
• 5:06:07
  you to get Main Wearing out of the way, and you only can have
• 5:06:11
  influence enough to send him back to his wife. I have still another motive
• 5:06:15
  for your coming. Mister Johnson leaves London next Tuesday. He is going for
• 5:06:19
  his health to Bath, where, if the waters are favorable to his constitution
• 5:06:25
  and my wishes, he will be laid up with the gow to many weeks.
• 5:06:29
  During his absence. We shall be able to choose our own society and
• 5:06:33
  have true enjoyment. I would ask you to Edward Street, but that he
• 5:06:37
  once forced from me a kind of promise never to invite you to my house.
• 5:06:41
  Nothing but my being in the utmost distress for money, could have extorted
• 5:06:44
  it from me. I can get you, however, a very nice drawing
• 5:06:48
  room apartment in Upper Seymour Street, and we may be always together there or
• 5:06:52
  here. For I consider my promise to mister Johnson as comprehending only at least
• 5:06:57
  in his absence. You're not sleeping in the house. Poor Mainwaring gives me
• 5:07:03
  such histories of his wife jealousy. Silly woman to expect constancy from so charming
• 5:07:08
  a man. But she was always silly, intolerably so in marrying him at
• 5:07:12
  all. She the heiress of a large fortune, he without a shilling one
• 5:07:18
  title I know she might have had besides baronet's. Her folly informing the connection
• 5:07:22
  was so great that though mister Johnson was her guardian, and I do not
• 5:07:26
  in general share his feelings, I never can forgive her. Adieu, Yours,
• 5:07:33
  Alicia. End of Section sixteen. Letter twenty seven Missus Vernon to Lady
• 5:07:42
  de Courcy Churchill. This letter, my dear mother, will be brought to
• 5:07:48
  you by Reginald. His long visit is about to be concluded at last.
• 5:07:52
  But I fear the separation takes place too late to do us any good.
• 5:07:57
  She is going to town to see her particular friend, Missus Johnson. It
• 5:08:03
  was at first her intention that Frederica should accompany her for the benefit of masters,
• 5:08:08
  but we overruled her there. Frederica was wretched in the idea of going,
• 5:08:12
  and I could not bear to have her at the mercy of her mother.
• 5:08:17
  Not all the masters in London could compensate for the ruin of her comfort.
• 5:08:21
  I should have feared too, for her health and for everything in short,
• 5:08:25
  but her principles there I believe she is not to be injured, even
• 5:08:29
  by her mother or all her mother's friends. But with those friends a very
• 5:08:33
  bad set, I doubt not. She must have mixed or have been left
• 5:08:37
  in total solitude. And I can hardly tell which would have been worse for
• 5:08:41
  her. If she is with her mother. Moreover, she must alas in
• 5:08:45
  all probability be with Reginald, than that would be the greatest evil of all.
• 5:08:51
  Here we shall in time be at peace, our regular employments, our
• 5:08:56
  books and conversation, with exercise, the children, and every domestic pleasure in
• 5:09:00
  my power to procure her will, I trust gradually overcome this youthful attachment.
• 5:09:07
  I should not have a doubt of it, were she slighted for any other
• 5:09:10
  woman in the world than her own mother. How long Lady Susan will be
• 5:09:15
  in town, or whether she returns here again, I know not. I
• 5:09:18
  could not be cordial in my invitation, but if she chooses to come,
• 5:09:23
  no want of cordiality on my part will keep her away. I could not
• 5:09:29
  help asking Reginald if he intends being in town this winter as soon as I
• 5:09:33
  found that her Ladyship's steps would be bent thither. And though he professed himself
• 5:09:37
  quite undetermined, there was a something in his look and voice as he spoke
• 5:09:41
  which contradicted his words. I have done with lamentation. I look upon the
• 5:09:48
  event is so far decided that I resign myself to it in despair. If
• 5:09:52
  he leaves you soon for London, everything will be concluded. Yours affectionately,
• 5:09:59
  Catherine Verner, letter twenty eight, Missus Johnson to Lady Susan Edward Street,
• 5:10:07
  My dearest friend, I write in the greatest distress. The most unfortunate event
• 5:10:12
  has just taken place. Mister Johnson has hit on the most effectual manner of
• 5:10:18
  plaguing us all he had heard I imagine, by some means or other that
• 5:10:22
  you were soon to be in London, and immediately contrived to have such an
• 5:10:26
  attack of the gout as must at least delay his journey to Bath, if
• 5:10:30
  not wholly prevent it. I am persuaded the gout is brought on or kept
• 5:10:36
  off at pleasure. It was the same when I wanted to join the Hamiltons
• 5:10:40
  to the lakes, and three years ago, when I had a fancy for
• 5:10:44
  Bath, nothing could induce him to have a gouty symptom. I have received
• 5:10:48
  yours and have engaged the lodgings in consequence. I am pleased to find that
• 5:10:52
  my letter had so much effect on you, and that De Cursey is certainly
• 5:10:56
  your own. Let me hear from you as soon as you were, and
• 5:11:00
  in particular tell me what you mean to do with main wearing. It is
• 5:11:03
  impossible to say when I shall be able to see you. My confinement must
• 5:11:07
  be great. It is such an abominable trick to be ill here instead of
• 5:11:11
  at Bath, that I can scarcely command myself at all. At Bath his
• 5:11:17
  old aunts would have nursed him. But here it all falls upon me,
• 5:11:22
  and he bears pain with such patience that I have not the common excuse for
• 5:11:26
  losing my temper yours ever, Alicia, Letter twenty nine, Lady Susan to
• 5:11:34
  missus Johnson up A Seymour Street. My dear Alicia, there needed not this
• 5:11:41
  last fit of the gout to make me detest mister Johnson. But now the
• 5:11:45
  extent of my aversion is not to be estimated to have you confined a nurse
• 5:11:51
  in his apartment. My dear Alicia, of what a mistake were you guilty
• 5:11:56
  in marrying a man of his age, just old enough to be formal,
• 5:12:00
  ungovernable, and to have the gout, too old to be agreeable, and
• 5:12:03
  too young to die. I arrived last night about five, and had scarcely
• 5:12:08
  swallowed my dinner when Mainwaring made his appearance. I will not dissemble what real
• 5:12:15
  pleasure his sight afforded me, nor how strongly I felt the contrast between his
• 5:12:18
  person and manners and those of Reginald, to the infinite disadvantage of the latter.
• 5:12:25
  For an hour or two I was even staggered in my resolution of marrying
• 5:12:27
  him. And though this was too idle and nonsensical, an idea to remain
• 5:12:32
  long on my mind, I do not feel very eager for the conclusion of
• 5:12:34
  my marriage, or look forward with mush impatience to the time in Reginald,
• 5:12:38
  according to our agreement, is to be in town. I shall probably put
• 5:12:42
  off his arrival under some pretense or other. He must not come till Mainwaring
• 5:12:48
  is gone. I am still doubtful at times as to marriage. If the
• 5:12:52
  old man would die, I might not hesitate. But a state of dependence
• 5:12:56
  on the caprice of Sir Reginald will not suit the free of my spirit,
• 5:13:00
  and if I resolve to wait for that event, I shall have excuse enough
• 5:13:03
  at present, in having been scarcely ten months a widow, I have not
• 5:13:08
  given main Wearing any hint of my intention, or allowed him to consider my
• 5:13:12
  acquaintance with Reginald as more than the commonest flirtation, and he is tolerably appeased.
• 5:13:18
  Adieu till we meet. I am enchanted with my lodgings. Yours ever,
• 5:13:25
  s Vernon letter thirty Lady Susan to mister de Courcy a persimou street.
• 5:13:34
  I have received your letter, and though I do not attempt to conceal that,
• 5:13:38
  I am gratified by your impatience for the hour of meeting. I yet
• 5:13:42
  feel myself under the necessity of delaying that hour beyond the time originally fixed.
• 5:13:48
  Do not think me unkind for such an exercise of my power, or accuse
• 5:13:53
  me of instability without first hearing my reasons. In the course of my journey
• 5:13:59
  from Churchhill, I had ample leisure for reflection on the present state of our
• 5:14:03
  affairs, and every review has served to convince me that they require a delicacy
• 5:14:07
  and cautiousness of conduct to which we have hitherto been too little attentive. We
• 5:14:14
  have been hurried on by our feelings to a degree of precipitance which ill accords
• 5:14:18
  with the claims of our friends or the opinion of the world. We have
• 5:14:22
  been unguarded in forming this hasty engagement. But we must not complete the imprudence
• 5:14:27
  by ratifying it, while there is so much reason to fear the connection would
• 5:14:32
  be opposed by those friends on whom you depend. It is not for us
• 5:14:37
  to blame any expectation on your father's side of your marrying to advantage. Where
• 5:14:41
  possessions are so extensive as those of your family, the wish of increasing them,
• 5:14:45
  if not strictly reasonable, is too common to excite surprise or resentment.
• 5:14:52
  He has a right to require a woman of fortune in his daughter in law,
• 5:14:56
  And I am sometimes quarreling with myself for suffering you to form a connection
• 5:14:59
  so imprudent. But the influence of reason is often acknowledged too late by those
• 5:15:04
  who feel like me. I have now been but a few months a widow,
• 5:15:10
  and however little indebted to my husband's memory for any happiness derived from him
• 5:15:15
  during a union of some years. I cannot forget that the indelicacy of so
• 5:15:19
  early a second marriage must subject me to the censure of the world, and
• 5:15:23
  incur what would be still more insupportable the displeasure of mister Vernon. I might
• 5:15:29
  perhaps harden myself in time against the injustice of general reproach, But the loss
• 5:15:33
  of his valued esteem I am, as you well know, ill fitted to
• 5:15:38
  endure. And when to this may be added the consciousness of having injured you
• 5:15:42
  with your family, how am I to support myself with feeling so poignant as
• 5:15:48
  mine. The conviction of having divided the son from his parents would make me,
• 5:15:53
  even with you, the most miserable of beings. It will surely therefore
• 5:15:59
  be advice to delay our union to delay it till appearances a more promising,
• 5:16:03
  till affairs have taken a more favorable turn to assist us in such a resolution.
• 5:16:10
  I feel that absence will be necessary. We must not meet cruel as
• 5:16:15
  this sentence may appear. The necessity of pronouncing it, which can alone reconcile
• 5:16:19
  it to myself, will be evident to you. When you have considered our
• 5:16:22
  situation, the light in which I have found myself imperiously obliged to place it,
• 5:16:29
  You may be you must be well assured that nothing but the strongest conviction
• 5:16:33
  of duty could induce me to wound my own feelings by urging a lengthened separation,
• 5:16:38
  and of insensibility to yours, you will hardly suspect me again. Therefore,
• 5:16:44
  I say that we ought not, We must not yet meet. By
• 5:16:48
  a removal for some months from each other, we shall tranquilize the sisterly fears
• 5:16:52
  of missus Vernon, who accustomed herself to the enjoyment of riches, considers fortune
• 5:16:56
  as necessary everywhere, and whose sense abilities are not of a nature to comprehend
• 5:17:02
  ours. Let me hear from you soon, very soon. Tell me that
• 5:17:07
  you submit to my arguments and do not reproach me for using such I cannot
• 5:17:12
  bear reproaches. My spirits are not so high as to need being repressed.
• 5:17:18
  I must endeavor to seek amusement abroad, and fortunately many of my friends are
• 5:17:22
  in town, among them the main wearings. You know how sincerely I regard
• 5:17:29
  both husband and wife. I am, ever faithfully yours. S Vernon Letter
• 5:17:37
  thirty one, Lady Susan to missus Johnson, Upper Seymour Street, My dear
• 5:17:45
  friend, that tormenting creature Reginald is here. My letter, which was intended
• 5:17:51
  to keep him longer in the country, has hastened him to town. Much
• 5:17:55
  as I wish him away. However, I cannot help being pleased with such
• 5:17:57
  a proof of attachment. He is devoted to me heart and soul. He
• 5:18:03
  will carry this note himself, which is to serve as an introduction to you,
• 5:18:07
  with whom he longs to be acquainted. Allow him to spend the evening
• 5:18:11
  with you, that I may be in no danger of his returning here.
• 5:18:15
  I have told him that I am not quite well and must be alone,
• 5:18:18
  and should he call again, there might be confusion, for it is impossible
• 5:18:22
  to be sure of servants keep him. Therefore, I entreat you in Edward
• 5:18:26
  Street. You will not find him a heavy companion, and I allow you
• 5:18:30
  to flirt with him as much as you like. At the same time,
• 5:18:33
  do not forget my real interest. Say all that you can to convince him
• 5:18:37
  that I shall be quite wretched if he remain here. You know my reasons,
• 5:18:41
  propriety and so forth. I would urge them more myself, but that
• 5:18:44
  I am impatient to be rid of him, as Mainwaring comes within half an
• 5:18:48
  hour. Adieu s V. Letter thirty two, Missus Johnson to Lady Susan
• 5:18:56
  Edward Street. Ah, my dear creature, I am in agonies and know
• 5:19:00
  not what to do nor what you can do. Mister de Cursey arrived just
• 5:19:04
  when he should not. Missus Mainwaring had that instant entered the house and forced
• 5:19:10
  herself into her guardian's presence, though I did not know a syllable of it
• 5:19:14
  till afterwards, for I was out when both she and Reginald came, or
• 5:19:18
  I would have sent him away at all events, but she was shut up
• 5:19:21
  with mister Johnson while he waited in the drawing room for me. She arrived
• 5:19:25
  yesterday in pursuit of her husband. But perhaps you know this already from himself.
• 5:19:30
  She came to this house to entreat my husband's interference, and before I
• 5:19:33
  could be aware of it, everything that you could wish to be concealed was
• 5:19:37
  known to him, And unluckily she had wormed out of Mainwaring servant that he
• 5:19:41
  had visited you every day since your being in town, and had just watched
• 5:19:45
  him to your door herself. What could I do? Facts are such horrid
• 5:19:51
  things. All is by this time known to de Cursey, who is now
• 5:19:55
  alone with mister Johnson. Do not accuse me. Indeed, it was impossible
• 5:19:59
  to prevent it. Mister Johnson has for some time suspected De Cursey of intending
• 5:20:03
  to marry you, and would speak with him alone as soon as he knew
• 5:20:06
  him to be in the house. That detestable missus Mainwaring, who for your
• 5:20:10
  comfort has read at herself thinner and uglier than ever, is still here,
• 5:20:15
  and they have all been closeted together. What can be done? If Mainwaring
• 5:20:19
  is now with you, he had better be gone at any rate. I
• 5:20:22
  hope you will plague his wife more than ever with anxious wishes, Yours faithfully,
• 5:20:27
  Alicia Letter thirty three. Lady Susan to missus Johnson up a Seymour Street.
• 5:20:37
  This e clercisement is rather provoking. How unlucky that you should have been
• 5:20:41
  from home. I thought myself sure of you at seven. I am undismayed.
• 5:20:45
  However, do not torment yourself with fears. On my account. Depend
• 5:20:51
  upon it. I can make my own story good. With Reginald Mainwaring is
• 5:20:53
  just gone. He brought me the news of his wife's arrival. Silly woman.
• 5:20:59
  What does she expect by such maneuvers? Yet I wish she had stayed
• 5:21:02
  quietly at Langford. Reginald will be a little enraged at first, but by
• 5:21:07
  to morrow's dinner everything will be well again. Adieu s V. Letter thirty
• 5:21:14
  four Mister de Courcy to Lady Susan Hotel. I write only to Pidue farewell.
• 5:21:22
  The spell is removed. I see you as you are since we parted
• 5:21:26
  yesterday. I have received from indisputable authority such an history of you as must
• 5:21:30
  bring the most mortifying conviction of the imposition I have been under, and the
• 5:21:34
  absolute necessity of an immediate and eternal separation from you. You cannot doubt to
• 5:21:41
  what I allude Langford, Langford. That word will be sufficient. I received
• 5:21:47
  my information in mister Johnson's house from Missus Mainwaring herself. You know how I
• 5:21:52
  have loved you. You can intimately judge of my present feelings. But I
• 5:21:56
  am not so weak as to find indulging in describing them to a woman who
• 5:22:00
  will glory in having excited their anguish, but whose affection they have never been
• 5:22:04
  able to gain. Ah de Coursy end of Section seventeen, Letter thirty five,
• 5:22:15
  Lady Susan to mister de Courcy, up A Seymour Street. I will
• 5:22:19
  not attempt to describe my astonishment on reading the note this moment received from you.
• 5:22:25
  I am bewildered in my endeavors to form some rational conjecture of what Missus
• 5:22:30
  Mainwaring can have told you to occasion so extraordinary a change in your sentiments.
• 5:22:34
  Have I not explained everything to you with respect to myself which could bear a
• 5:22:38
  doubtful meaning, and which the ill nature of the world had interpreted to my
• 5:22:44
  discredit? What can you now have heard just stagger your esteem for me?
• 5:22:48
  Have I ever had a concealment from you? Reginald? You agitate me beyond
• 5:22:52
  expression. I cannot suppose that the old story of Missus Mainwaring's jealousy can be
• 5:22:57
  revived again, or at least be listened to again. Come to me immediately
• 5:23:03
  and explain what is at present absolutely incomprehensible. Believe me, the single word
• 5:23:07
  of Langford is not of such potent inteligence as to supersede the necessity of more.
• 5:23:12
  If we are to part, it will at least be handsome to take
• 5:23:17
  your personal leave. But I have little heart to jest. In truth,
• 5:23:21
  I am serious enough for to be sunk, though, but an hour,
• 5:23:25
  in your opinion, is an humiliation to which I know not how to submit.
• 5:23:30
  I shall count every moment till your arrival. S V. Letter thirty
• 5:23:37
  six, Mister de Cursey to Lady Susan Hotel. Why would you write to
• 5:23:44
  me? Why do you require particulars? But since it must be so,
• 5:23:48
  I am obliged to declare that all the accounts of your misconduct during the life
• 5:23:52
  and since the death of mister Vernon, which had reached me in common with
• 5:23:55
  the world in general, and gained my entire belief before I saw you,
• 5:23:59
  but which you, by the exertion of your perverted abilities, that made me
• 5:24:02
  resolve to disallow, have been unanswerably proved to me. Nay more, I
• 5:24:07
  am assured that a connection of which I had never before entertained a thought,
• 5:24:11
  has for some time existed, and still continues to exist between you and the
• 5:24:17
  man whose family you robbed of its peace in return for the hospitality with which
• 5:24:21
  you were received into It that you have corresponded with him ever since your leaving
• 5:24:26
  Langford, not with his wife, but with him, and he now visits
• 5:24:30
  you every day? Can you Dare you deny it? And all this at
• 5:24:34
  the time when I was an encouraged and accepted lover from what have I not
• 5:24:40
  escaped? I have only to be grateful. Far from me be all complaint
• 5:24:45
  and every sigh of regret. My own folly has endangered me. My preservation
• 5:24:49
  I owe to the kindness the integrity of another. But the unfortunate missus Mainwaring,
• 5:24:55
  whose agonies while she related the past, seemed to threaten her reason.
• 5:24:59
  I wish she to be consoled after such a discovery as this. You will
• 5:25:03
  scarcely affect farther. Wonder at my meaning in bidding you adieu. My understanding
• 5:25:08
  is at length restored and teaches me no less to abhor the artifices which had
• 5:25:12
  subdued me than to despise myself for the weakness on which their strength was founded.
• 5:25:18
  H. De Cursey Letter thirty seven, Lady Susan to mister de Cursey,
• 5:25:26
  Upper Seymour Street. I am satisfied and will trouble you no more when
• 5:25:32
  these few lines are dismissed. The engagement which you were eager to form a
• 5:25:37
  fortnight ago is no longer compatible with your views, and I rejoice to find
• 5:25:41
  that the prudent advice of your parents had not been given in vain. Your
• 5:25:45
  restoration to peace will I doubt not speedily follow this act of filial obedience,
• 5:25:51
  and I flatter myself with the hope of surviving my share in this disappointment.
• 5:25:56
  S V. Letter thirty Ye, missus Johnson to Lady Susan Edward Street.
• 5:26:04
  I am grieved, though I cannot be astonished at your rupture with mister de
• 5:26:10
  Cursey. He had just informed mister Johnson of it by letter he leaves London.
• 5:26:15
  He says, to day be assured that I partake in all your feelings,
• 5:26:18
  and do not be angry if I say that our intercourse, even by
• 5:26:22
  letter, must soon be given up. It makes me miserable, but mister
• 5:26:26
  Johnson vows that if I persist in the connection, he will settle in the
• 5:26:30
  country for the rest of his life. And you know it is impossible to
• 5:26:33
  submit to such extremity while any other alternative remains. You have heard, of
• 5:26:38
  course, that the mainwarings are to part. I am afraid missus m will
• 5:26:42
  come home to us again. But she is still fond of her husband,
• 5:26:45
  and frets so much about him that perhaps she may not live long. Miss
• 5:26:51
  Mainwaring is just come to town to be with her aunt, and they say
• 5:26:55
  that she declares she will have Sir James Martin before she leaves London again.
• 5:26:59
  If I were you, I would certainly get him myself. I had almost
• 5:27:03
  forgot to give you my opinion of de Cursey. I am really delighted with
• 5:27:07
  him. He is full as handsome, I think his main wearing, and
• 5:27:10
  with such an open, good humored countenance that one cannot help loving him at
• 5:27:14
  first sight. Mister Johnson and he are the greatest friends in the world.
• 5:27:18
  Adieu, my dearest Susan. I wish matters did not go so perversely that
• 5:27:23
  unlucky visit to Langford, but I dare say you did all for the best
• 5:27:27
  and there is no defying destiny. Your sincerely attached Alicia, Letter thirty nine,
• 5:27:37
  Lady Susan to missus Johnson, up A Seymour Street. My dear Alicia,
• 5:27:44
  I yield to the necessity which parts us under such circumstances. You could
• 5:27:48
  not act otherwise. Our friendship cannot be impaired by it. And in happier
• 5:27:52
  times, when your situation is as independent as mine, it will unite us
• 5:27:56
  again in the same intimacy as ever. Or this I shall impatiently wait,
• 5:28:02
  and meanwhile can safely assure you that I never was more at ease or better
• 5:28:06
  satisfied with myself and everything about me than at the present hour. Your husband
• 5:28:11
  I abhor, Reginald. I despise, and I am secure of never seeing
• 5:28:15
  either again. Have I not reason to rejoice? Mainwaring is more devoted to
• 5:28:21
  me than ever, And were he at liberty, I doubt if I could
• 5:28:23
  resist even matrimony offered by him this event. If his wife live with you,
• 5:28:30
  it may be in your power to hasten the violence of her feelings,
• 5:28:33
  which must wear her out. May be easily kept in irritation. I rely
• 5:28:37
  on your friendship for this. I am now satisfied that I never could have
• 5:28:41
  brought myself to marry Reginald, and am equally determined that Frederica never shall.
• 5:28:48
  To morrow, I shall fetch her from Churchill and let Maria Mainwaring tremble.
• 5:28:52
  For the consequence, Frederica shall be Sir James's wife. Before she quits my
• 5:28:56
  house. She may whimper, and the Vernons may storm. I regard them
• 5:29:00
  not. I am tired of submitting my will to the caprices of others,
• 5:29:04
  of resigning my own judgment in deference to those to whom I owe no duty
• 5:29:08
  and for whom I feel no respect. I have given up too much,
• 5:29:12
  have been too easily worked on. But Frederica shall now find the difference.
• 5:29:19
  Adieu, dearest of friends. May the next gouty attack be more favorable,
• 5:29:26
  and may you always regard me as unalterably yours, s Vernon Letter forty Lady
• 5:29:34
  de Cursey to missus Vernon Parkland's, My dear Catherine, I have charming news
• 5:29:41
  for you, and if I had not sent off my letter this morning,
• 5:29:45
  you might have been spared the vexation of knowing of Reginald's being gone to town,
• 5:29:48
  for he is returned Reginald is returned, not to ask our consent of
• 5:29:52
  his marrying lady Susan, but to tell us that they are parted forever.
• 5:29:56
  He has been only an hour in the house. I have not been able
• 5:30:00
  to learn particulars, for he is so very low that I have not the
• 5:30:03
  heart to ask questions. But I hope we shall soon know all. This
• 5:30:08
  is the most joyful hour he has ever given us since the day of his
• 5:30:11
  birth. Nothing is wanting but to have you here, and it is our
• 5:30:15
  particular wish and entreaty that you would come to us as soon as you can.
• 5:30:19
  You have owed us a visit many long weeks. I hope nothing will
• 5:30:23
  make it inconvenient to mister Vernon, and pray bring all my grandchildren, and
• 5:30:27
  your dear niece is included. Of course, I long to see her.
• 5:30:32
  It has been a sad, heavy winter hitherto without Reginald and seeing nobody from
• 5:30:36
  Churchill. I never found the season so dreary before. But this happy meeting
• 5:30:41
  will make us young again. Frederica runs much in my thoughts, and when
• 5:30:45
  Reginald has recovered his usual good spirits, as I trust he soon will,
• 5:30:49
  we will try to rob him of his heart once more, and I am
• 5:30:52
  full of hopes of seeing their hands joined at no great distance your affectionate mother
• 5:30:59
  see de curse letter forty one missus Vernon to Lady de Courcy Churchill. My
• 5:31:07
  dear Madam, your letter has surprised me beyond measure. Can it be true
• 5:31:12
  that they are really separated and for ever? I should be overjoyed if I
• 5:31:17
  dared depend on it. But after all that I have seen, how can
• 5:31:21
  one be secure and Reginald really with you? My surprise is the greater because
• 5:31:26
  on Wednesday, the very day of his coming to Parkland's, we had a
• 5:31:29
  most unexpected and unwelcome visit from Lady Susan, looking all cheerfulness and good humor,
• 5:31:34
  and seeming more as if she were to marry him when she got back
• 5:31:37
  to town than as if parted from him for ever. She stayed nearly two
• 5:31:41
  hours, was as affectionate and agreeable as ever, and not a syllable,
• 5:31:47
  not a hint was dropped of any disagreement or coolest between them. I asked
• 5:31:51
  her whether she had seen my brother since his arrival in town, Not as
• 5:31:53
  you may suppose, with any doubt of the fact, but merely to see
• 5:31:56
  how she looked. She immediately answered, without any embarrassment, that he had
• 5:32:02
  been kind enough to call on her on Monday, but she believed he had
• 5:32:06
  already returned home, which I was very far from crediting. Your kind invitation
• 5:32:11
  is accepted by us with pleasure, and on Thursday next we and our little
• 5:32:15
  ones will be with you. Pray heaven. Reginald may not be in town
• 5:32:18
  again by that time. I wish we could bring dear Frederica too, But
• 5:32:23
  I am sorry to add that her mother's errand hither was to fetch her away,
• 5:32:26
  and miserable as it made the poor girl, it was impossible to detain
• 5:32:30
  her. I was thoroughly unwilling to let her go, and so was her
• 5:32:33
  uncle. And all that could be urged we did urge. But Lady Susan
• 5:32:38
  declared that as she was now about to fix herself in town for several months,
• 5:32:41
  she could not be easy if her daughter were not with her, for
• 5:32:45
  masters, et cetera. Her manner, to be sure, was very kind
• 5:32:48
  and proper, and mister Vernon believes that Frederica will now be treated with affection.
• 5:32:53
  I wish I could think so too. The poor girl's heart was almost
• 5:32:57
  broke at taking leave of us. I charged her to write me very often,
• 5:33:02
  and to remember that if she were in any distress, we should always
• 5:33:04
  be her friends. I took care to see her alone that I might say
• 5:33:08
  all this, and I hope I made her a little more comfortable. But
• 5:33:12
  I shall not be easy till I can go to town and judge of her
• 5:33:15
  situation myself. I wish there were a better prospect than now appears of the
• 5:33:21
  match which the conclusion of your letter declares her expectation of. At present,
• 5:33:26
  it is not very likely yours et cetera, Catherine Vernon conclusion. This correspondence,
• 5:33:34
  by a meeting between some of the parties and a separation between the others,
• 5:33:38
  could not, to the great detriment of the post office revenue, be
• 5:33:41
  continued longer. Very little assistance to the state could be derived from the epistolary
• 5:33:47
  intercourse of Missus Vernon and her niece. For the former soon perceived by the
• 5:33:51
  style of Frederica's letters that they were written all under her mother's inspection, and
• 5:33:56
  therefore defferring all particular enquiry till she could make it personally in town, ceased
• 5:34:00
  writing minutely or often having learnt enough in the meanwhile from her open hearted brother
• 5:34:07
  of what had passed between him and Lady Susan to sink the latter lower than
• 5:34:11
  ever. In her opinion, she was proportionably more anxious to get Frederica removed
• 5:34:15
  from such a mother and placed under her own care, and, though with
• 5:34:18
  little hope of success, was resolved to leave nothing unattempted that might offer a
• 5:34:22
  chance of obtaining her sister in law's consent to it. Her anxiety on the
• 5:34:26
  subject made her press for an early visit to London, and mister Vernon,
• 5:34:32
  who, as it must have already appeared, lived only to do whatever he
• 5:34:34
  was desired, soon found some accommodating business to call him thither. With a
• 5:34:40
  heart full of the matter. Missus Vernon waited on Lady Susan shortly after her
• 5:34:44
  arrival in town, and she was met with such an easy and cheerful affection
• 5:34:48
  as made her almost turn from her with horror. No remembrance of Reginald,
• 5:34:52
  no consciousness of guilt, gave one look of embarrassment. She was in excellent
• 5:34:56
  spirits and seemed eager to show it once by every possible attention to her brother
• 5:35:02
  and sister. Her sense of their kindness and her pleasure in their society.
• 5:35:07
  Frederica was no more altered than Lady Susan, the same restrained manners, the
• 5:35:11
  same timid look in the presence of her mother, as heretofore assured her aunt
• 5:35:15
  of her situation as being uncomfortable, and confirmed her in the plan of altering
• 5:35:18
  it. No unkindness, however, on the part of Lady Susan, appeared.
• 5:35:23
  Persecution on the subject of Sir James was entirely at an end. His
• 5:35:26
  name merely mentioned to say that he was not in London, and in all
• 5:35:30
  her conversation she was solicitous only for the welfare and improvement of her daughter,
• 5:35:34
  acknowledging in terms of grateful delight that Frederica was now growing every day more and
• 5:35:40
  more what her parent could desire. Missus Vernon, surprised and incredulous, knew
• 5:35:45
  not what to suspect, and without any change in her own views, only
• 5:35:48
  feared greater difficulty in accomplishing them. The first hope of anything better was derived
• 5:35:53
  from Lady Susan's asking her whether she thought Frederica looked quite as well as she
• 5:35:57
  had done at Churchill. As she must can confess herself to have sometimes an
• 5:36:00
  anxious doubt of London's Perfectly agreeing with her, Missus Vernon, encouraging the doubt,
• 5:36:07
  directly proposed her niece's returning with them into the country. Lady Susan was
• 5:36:11
  unable to express her sense of such kindness, yet knew not from a variety
• 5:36:15
  of reasons, how to part with her daughter, And as though her own
• 5:36:18
  plans were not yet wholly fixed, she trusted it would ere long be in
• 5:36:22
  her power to take Frederica into the country. Herself concluded by declining entirely to
• 5:36:26
  profit by such unexampled attention. Missus Vernon, however, persevered in the offer
• 5:36:32
  of it, and though Lady Susan continued to resist, her resistance in the
• 5:36:36
  course of a few days, seemed somewhat less formidable. The lucky alarm of
• 5:36:41
  an influenza decided what might not have been decided quite so soon. Lady Susan's
• 5:36:45
  maternal fears were then too much awakened for her to think of anything but Frederica's
• 5:36:49
  removal from the risk of infection. Above all disorders in the world, she
• 5:36:55
  most dreaded the influenza for her daughter's constitution Frederica returned to Churchill with her aunt
• 5:37:00
  and uncle, and three weeks afterwards Lady Susan announced her being married to Sir
• 5:37:06
  James Martin. Missus Vannon was then convinced of what she had only suspected before,
• 5:37:11
  that she might have spared herself all the trouble of urging a removal,
• 5:37:15
  which Lady Susan had doubtless resolved on from the first. Frederica's visit was nominally
• 5:37:19
  for six weeks, but her mother, though inviting her to return in one
• 5:37:23
  or two affectionate letters, was very ready to oblige the whole party by consenting
• 5:37:27
  to a prolongation of her stay, and in the course of two months ceased
• 5:37:32
  to write of her absence, and in the course of two more to write
• 5:37:36
  to her at all. Frederica was therefore fixed in the family of her uncle
• 5:37:40
  and aunt till such time as Reginald de Cursey could be talked, flattered,
• 5:37:44
  and finessed into an affection for her, which, allowing leisure for the conquest
• 5:37:48
  of his attachment to her mother, for his abjuring all future attachments and detesting
• 5:37:52
  the sex, might be reasonably looked for in the course of a twelvemonth three
• 5:37:56
  months might have done it in general, but read Dochnaud's feelings were no less
• 5:38:00
  lasting than lively. Whether Lady Susan was or was not happy in her second
• 5:38:07
  choice, I do not see how it can ever be ascertained, for who
• 5:38:10
  would take her assurance of it? On either side of the question. The
• 5:38:14
  world must judge from probability she had nothing against her but her husband and her
• 5:38:19
  conscience. Sir James may seem to have drawn a harder lot than mere folly
• 5:38:25
  merited. I leave him therefore to all the pity that anybody can give him.
• 5:38:29
  For myself, I confess that I can pity only Miss Mainwaring, who,
• 5:38:33
  coming to town, and putting herself to an expense and clothes which impoverished
• 5:38:37
  her for two years on purpose to secure him, was defrauded of her due
• 5:38:42
  by a woman ten years older than herself, and of Lady Susan,