It seemeth, Sir, she is, notwithstanding, in a very ’ill state of health.’  In this, ‘both’ gentlewomen (that is to say, Mrs. Smith, her landlady, and my friend’s wife) agree.  Yet she goeth often out in a chair, to ‘prayers’ (as it is said).  But my friend’s wife told me, that nothing is more common in London, than that the frequenting of the church at morning prayers is made the ‘pretence’ and ‘cover’ for ’private assignations.’  What a sad thing is this! that what was designed for ‘wholesome nourishment’ to the ‘poor soul,’ should be turned into ’rank poison!’ But as Mr. Daniel de Foe (an ingenious man, though a ‘dissenter’) observeth (but indeed it is an old proverb; only I think he was the first that put it into verse)

      God never had a house of pray’r
      But Satan had a chapel there.

Yet to do the lady ‘justice,’ nobody cometh home with her:  nor indeed ‘can’ they, because she goeth forward and backward in a ‘sedan,’ or ‘chair,’ (as they call it).  But then there is a gentleman of ’no good character’ (an ‘intimado’ of Mr. Lovelace) who is a ‘constant’ visiter of her, and of the people of the house, whom he ‘regaleth’ and ‘treateth,’ and hath (of consequence) their ‘high good words.’

I have thereupon taken the trouble (for I love to be ‘exact’ in any ‘commission’ I undertake) to inquire ‘particularly’ about this ‘gentleman,’ as he is called (albeit I hold no man so but by his actions:  for, as Juvenal saith,

      —­’Nobilitas sola est, atque unica virtus’)

And this I did ‘before’ I would sit down to write to you.

His name is Belford.  He hath a paternal estate of upwards of one thousand pounds by the year; and is now in mourning for an uncle who left him very considerably besides.  He beareth a very profligate character as to ‘women,’ (for I inquired particularly about ‘that,’) and is Mr. Lovelace’s more especial ‘privado,’ with whom he holdeth a ’regular correspondence’; and hath been often seen with Miss (tete a tete) at the ’window’—­in no ‘bad way,’ indeed:  but my friend’s wife is of opinion that all is not ‘as it should be.’  And, indeed, it is mighty strange to me, if Miss be so ‘notable a penitent’ (as is represented) and if she have such an ‘aversion’ to Mr. Lovelace, that she will admit his ‘privado’ into ‘her retirements,’ and see ‘no other company.’

I understand, from Mrs. Smith, that Mr. Hickman was to see her some time ago, from Miss Howe; and I am told, by ‘another’ hand, (you see, Sir, how diligent I have been to execute the ‘commissions’ you gave me,) that he had no ‘extraordinary opinion’ of this Belford at first; though they were seen together one morning by the opposite neighbour, at ‘breakfast’:  and another time this Belford was observed to ‘watch’ Mr. Hickman’s coming from her; so that, as it should seem, he was mighty zealous to ‘ingratiate’ himself with Mr. Hickman; no doubt to engage him to make a ‘favourable report to Miss Howe’ of the ‘intimacy’ he was admitted into by her unhappy friend; who (’as she is very ill’) may ‘mean no harm’ in allowing his visits, (for he, it seemeth, brought to her, or recommended, at least, the doctor and apothecary that attend her:) but I think (upon the whole) ‘it looketh not well.’