You used to say, that you would be glad to have it in your power to serve me.  That, indeed, was in my prosperity.  But, I dare say, you will not refuse me in a particular that will oblige me, without hurting yourself.

I understand that my father, mother, and sister, and I presume, my brother, and my uncle Antony, are to be at my uncle Harlowe’s this day.  God preserve them all, and may they rejoice in many happy birth-days!  You will write six words to me concerning their healths.

Direct, for a particular reason, to Mrs. Dorothy Salcombe, to be left till called for, at the Four Swans Inn, Bishopsgate-street.

You know my hand-writing well enough, were not the contents of the letter sufficient to excuse my name, or any other subscription, than that of

Your friend.

LETTER LX

Mrs. Hodges [in answer.] Sat.  July 2.

MADDAM,

I return you an anser, as you wish me to doe.  Master is acquented with no sitch man.  I am shure no sitch ever came to our house.  And master sturs very little out.  He has no harte to stur out.  For why?  Your obstinacy makes um not care to see one another.  Master’s birth-day never was kept soe before:  for not a sole heere:  and nothing but sikeing and sorrowin from master to think how it yused to bee.

I axed master, if soe bee he knowed sitch a man as one Captain Tomlinson? but said not whirfor I axed.  He sed, No, not he.

Shure this is no trix nor forgery bruing against master by one Tomlinson —­Won knows not what company you may have been forsed to keep, sen you went away, you knoe, Maddam; but Lundon is a pestilent plase; and that ’Squire Luvless is a devil (for all he is sitch a like gentleman to look to) as I hev herd every boddy say; and think as how you have found by thiss.

I truste, Maddam, you wulde not let master cum to harme, if you knoed it, by any body who may pretend to be acquented with him:  but for fere, I querid with myself if I shulde not tell him.  But I was willin to show you, that I wulde plessure you in advarsity, if advarsity be your lott, as well as prosperity; for I am none of those that woulde doe otherwiss.  Soe no more from

Your humble sarvent, to wish you well,
Sarah Hodges.

LETTER LXI

Miss Cl.  Harlowe, to lady Betty Lawrance. 
Monday, July 3.

MADAM,

I cannot excuse myself from giving your Ladyship this one trouble more; to thank you, as I most heartily do, for your kind letter.

I must own to you, Madam, that the honour of being related to ladies as eminent for their virtue as for their descent, was at first no small inducement with me to lend an ear to Mr. Lovelace’s address.  And the rather, as I was determined, had it come to effect, to do every thing in my power to deserve your favourable opinion.