I am, indeed, very much dis- for a week, in honour of a niece obliged with you: so is Lady so dearly beloved, as I am sure Sarah. But I shall have a very she will be of us all.

speedy opportunity to tell you so

Being but in lodgings in town, in person; being obliged to go to neither you nor your lady can retown on my old chancery-affair. quire much preparation.

My cousin Leeson, who is, it Some time on Monday I hope seems, removed to Albemarle- to attend the dear young lady, to street, has notice of it. I shall be make her my compliments; and at her house, where I bespeak your to receive her apology for your attendance on Sunday night. I negligence: which, and her going have written to my niece Charlotte down with me, as I said before, for either her, or her sister, to shall be full satisfaction. Meanmeet me at Reading, and ac- time, God bless her for her courage company me to town. I shall stay [tell her I say so]; and bless you but a few days; my business being both in each other: and that will matter of form only. On my return be happiness to us all - partiI shall call upon Lord M. at M. cularly, to Hall, to see in what way his last fit has left him.

Meantime, having told you my mind on your negligence, I cannot help congratulating you both on the occasion your fair lady particularly, upon her entrance into a family which is prepared to admire and love her.

Your truly affectionate aunt,
ELIZ. LAWRENCE.

TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ.
DEAR COUSIN,

At last, as we understand, there is some hope of you. Now does my good lord run over his beadroll of proverbs; of black oxen, wild oats, long lanes, and so forth.

My principal intention of writing to you (dispensing with the Now, cousin, say I, is your time necessary punctilio) is, that you come; and you will be no longer, may acquaint my dear new niece, I hope, an infidel either to the that I will not be denied the power or excellence of the sex you honour of her company down with have pretended hitherto so much me into Oxfordshire. I under- to undervalue; nor a ridiculer or stand, that your proposed house scoffer at an institution which all and equipages cannot be soon sober people reverence, and all ready. She shall be with me till rakes, sooner or later, are brought they are. I insist upon it. This to reverence, or to wish they had. shall make all up. My house shall I want to see how you become be her own. My servants and your silken fetters: whether the equipages hers. charming yoke sits light on your Lady Sarah, who has not been shoulders. If with such a sweet out of her own house for months, yoke-fellow it does not, my lord, will oblige me with her company and my sister, as well as I, think

Your old mad playfellow and cousin,

that you will deserve a closer tie | she will not be denied. His lordabout your neck. ship is the willinger to let me be His lordship is very much dis- the person, as I am in a manner pleased, that you have not written wild to see her; my sister having him word of the day, the hour, the two years ago had that honour at manner, and every thing. But I Sir Robert Biddulph's. So get ask him how he can already ex- ready to accompany us in our repect any mark of deference or turn; except your lady has obpoliteness from you? He must jections strong enough to satisfy stay, I tell him, till that sign of us all. Lady Sarah longs to see reformation, among others, ap- her; and says, this accession to pear from the influence and ex- the family will supply to it the ample of your lady: but that, if loss of her beloved daughter. ever you will be good for any I shall soon, I hope, pay my thing it will be quickly seen. And, compliments to the dear lady in O cousin, what a vast, vast journey person: so I have nothing to add, have you to take from the dreary but that I am land of libertinism, through the bright province of reformation, into the serene kingdom of happiness? - You have need to lose no time. You have many a weary The women having read the step to tread, before you can over- copies of these two letters, I take those travellers, who set out thought that I might then threaten for it from a less remote quarter. and swagger "But very little But you have a charming pole- heart have I, said I, to encourage star to guide you; that's your ad- such a visit from Lady Betty and vantage. I wish you joy of it: Miss Montague to my wife. For and as I have never yet expected after all, I am tired out with her any highly complaisant `thing strange ways. She is not what from you, I make no scruple to she was, and (as I told her in begin first: but it is purely, I must your hearing, ladies) I will leave tell you, in respect to my new this plaguy island, though the cousin; whose accession into our place of my birth, and though the family we most heartily congratulate and rejoice in.

I have a letter from Lady Betty. She commands either my attendance or my sister's at Reading, to proceed with her to town, to our cousin Leeson's. She puts Lord M. in hopes, that she shall certainly bring down with her our lovely new relation; for she says

CHARLOTTE MONTAGUE.

stake I have in it is very considerable; and go and reside in France or Italy, and never think of myself as a married man, nor live like one.'

O dear! said one.

That would be a sad thing! said the other.

Nay, madam [turning to Mrs. Moore]- Indeed, madam [to Miss

Rawlins] - I am quite desperate. myself the same trouble to concan no longer bear such usage. vince people I hate; people from I have had the good fortune to be whom I neither expect nor desire favoured by the smiles of very any favour; and who are deterfine ladies, though I say it [and I mined not to be convinced. And looked modest] both abroad and what, pray, must be the issue, at home- [Thou knowest this to be when her uncle's friend comes, true, Jack]. With regard to my although he seems to be a truly wife here, I had but one hope left worthy man? Is it not natural for (for as to the reconciliation with him to say, "to what purpose, her friends, I scorn them all too Mr. Lovelace, should I endeavour much to value that, but for her to bring about a reconciliation sake); and that was, that if it between Mrs. Lovelace and her pleased God to bless us with chil- friends, by means of her elder dren, she might entirely recover uncle, when a good understandher usual serenity; and we might ing is wanting between yourthen be happy. But the recon- selves?". A fair inference, Mrs. ciliation her heart was so much Moore! A fair inference, Miss set upon, is now, as I hinted be- Rawlins! - and here is the unhapfore, entirely hopeless - made so, piness till she is reconciled to by this rash step of hers, and by them, this cursed oath, in her nothe rasher temper she is in! since tion, is binding. (as you will believe) her brother The women seemed moved; for and sister, when they come to I spoke with great earnestness, know it, will make a fine handle though low and besides, they of it against us both; affecting love to have their sex, and its as they do at present to disbelieve favours appear of importance to our marriage and the dear us. They shook their deep heads creature herself too ready to at each other, and looked sorrowcountenance such a disbelief- as ful: and this moved my tender nothing more than the ceremony heart too. as nothing more hem! thing more than the ceremony

as no

Here, as thou wilt perceive, I was bashful; for Miss Rawlins, by her preparatory primness, put me in mind, that it was proper to be so

I turned half round; then facing the fan-player and the matron You yourselves, ladies, knew not what to believe till now, that I have told you our story: and I do assure you, that I shall not give

'Tis an unheard-of case, ladies had she not preferred me to all mankind there I stopped and that, resumed I, feeling for my handkerchief, is what staggered Captain Tomlinson when he heard of her flight; who, the last time he saw us together, saw the most affectionate couple on earth!

The most affectionate couple on earth!- in the accent grievous, repeated I.

Out then I pulled my handker

chief, and putting it to my eyes, | fair romancers have in their early arose, and walked to the window womanhood chosen love-names. It makes me weaker than a No parson ever gave more real woman, did I not love her, as names, than I have given fictitious never man loved his wife [I have ones. And to very good purpose: no doubt but I do, Jack]. many a sweet dear has answered me a letter for the sake of owning a name which her godmother never gave her.

No It was her real name,

There again I stopt; and resuming Charming creature, as you see she is, I wish I had never beheld her face! Excuse me, ladies; traversing the room, and said. having rubbed my eyes till I sup- I bid her read out the whole posed them red, I turned to the letter. If the spelling be not women; and, pulling out my exact, Miss Rawlins, said I, you letter-case, I will shew you one will excuse it; the writer is a lord. letter- here it is read it, Miss But, perhaps, I may not shew it Rawlins, if you please it will to Mrs. Lovelace; for if those I confirm to you, how much all my have left with her have no effect family are prepared to admire upon her, neither will this: and I her. I am freely treated in it; shall not care to expose my Lord so I am in the two others: but M. to her scorn. Indeed I begin after what I have told you, no- to be quite careless of consething need be a secret to you two. quences. She took it, with an air of eager curiosity, and looked at the seal,

Miss Rawlins, who could not but be pleased with this mark of ostentatiously coroneted; and at my confidence, looked as if she the superscription, reading out, pitied me. To Robert Lovelace, Esq. madam, that's my name, [giving myself an air, though I had told it to them before] I am not ashamed of it. My wife's maiden name unmarried name, I should rather say

Ay, And here thou mayest read the
Letter, No. III.

TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ.
M. Hall, Wedn. June 7.
COUSIN LOVELACE,

fool that I am! - and I I THINK you might have found rubbed my cheek for vexation time to let us know of your nup[fool enough in conscience, Jack!] tials being actually solemnized. was Harlowe Clarissa Harlowe I might have expected this piece - you heard me call her my Cla- of civility from you. But perhaps the ceremony was performed at the very time that you asked me to be your lady's father but I shall be angry if I proceed in my I wonder what is Miss Rawlins's guesses and little said is soon love-name, Jack. Most of the amended,

rissa

I did but thought it to be a feigned or love-name, said Miss Rawlins.

But I can tell you, that Lady of us to make on this agreeable Betty Lawrence, whatever Lady occasion. Sarah does, will not so soon forWe would have blazed it away, give you, as I have done. Women could we have had timely notice, resent slights longer than men. You and thought it would have been that know so much of the sex (I agreeable to all round. The like speak it not however to your occasion don't happen every day. praise) might have known that. My most affectionate compliBut never was you before ac- ments and congratulations to my quainted with a lady of such an new niece, conclude me, for the amiable character. I hope there present, in violent pain, that with will be but one soul between you. all your heroicalness would make I have before now said, that I will you mad, disinherit you, and settle all I can upon her, if you prove not a good husband to her.

Your truly affectionate uncle,

M.

May this marriage be crowned This letter clenched the nail. with a great many fine boys (I Not but that, Miss Rawlins said, desire no girls) to build up again she saw I had been a wild gentlea family so ancient! The first man; and, truly, she thought so, boy shall take my surname by the moment she beheld me. act of Parliament. That is in my They began to intercede for my will. spouse (so nicely had I turned Lady Betty and niece Charlotte the tables); and that I would not will be in town about business go abroad, and disappoint a rebefore you know where you are. conciliation so much wished for They long to pay their compli- on one side, and such desirable ments to your fair bride. I sup- prospects on the other in my own pose you will hardly be at the family.

Lawn when they get to town; be- Who knows, thought I to mycause Greme informs me, you self, but more may come of this have sent no orders there for your plot, than I had even promised lady's accommodation. myself? What a happy man shall Pritchard has all things in I be, if these women can be readiness for signing. I will take brought to join to carry my marno advantage of your slights. In- riage into consummation! deed I am too much used to them Ladies, you are exceeding good more praise to my patience, to us both. I should have some than to your complaisance, how- hopes if my unhappily nice wife could be brought to dispense with One reason for Lady Betty's the unnatural oath she has laid going up, as I may tell you under me under. You see what my case the rose, is, to buy some suitable is. Do you think I may not insist presents for Lady Sarah and all upon her absolving me from this

ever.