FRIDAY MORNING.

Betty was with me just now.  She tells me, that your cousin Morden is so much displeased with them all, that he has refused to lodge any more at your uncle Antony’s; and has even taken up with inconvenient lodgings, till he is provided with others to his mind.  This very much concerns them; and they repent their violent treatment of him:  and the more, as he is resolved, he says, to make you his sole executrix, and heir to all his fortune.

What noble fortunes still, my dearest young lady, await you!  I am thoroughly convinced, if it please God to preserve your life and your health, that every body will soon be reconciled to you, and that you will see many happy days.

Your mother wished me not to attend you as yet, because she hopes that I may give myself that pleasure soon with every body’s good liking, and even at their desire.  Your cousin Morden’s reconciliation with them, which they are very desirous of, I am ready to hope will include theirs with you.

But if that should happen which I so much dread, and I not with you, I should never forgive myself.  Let me, therefore, my dearest young lady, desire you to command my attendance, if you find any danger, and if you wish me peace of mind; and no consideration shall withhold me.

I hear that Miss Howe has obtained leave from her mother to see you; and intends next week to go to town for that purpose; and (as it is believed) to buy clothes for her approaching nuptials.

Mr. Hickman’s mother-in-law is lately dead.  Her jointure of 600L. a-year is fallen to him; and she has, moreover, as an acknowledgement of his good behaviour to her, left him all she was worth, which was very considerable, a few legacies excepted to her own relations.

These good men are uniformly good:  indeed could not else be good; and never fare the worse for being so.  All the world agrees he will make that fine young lady an excellent husband:  and I am sorry they are not as much agreed in her making him an excellent wife.  But I hope a woman of her principles would not encourage his address, if, whether she at present love him or not, she thought she could not love him; or if she preferred any other man to him.

Mr. Pocock undertakes to deliver this; but fears it will be Saturday night first, if not Sunday morning.

May the Almighty protect and bless you!—­I long to see you—­my dearest young lady, I long to see you; and to fold you once more to my fond heart.  I dare to say happy days are coming.  Be but cheerful.  Give way to hope.

Whether for this world, or the other, you must be happy.  Wish to live, however, were it only because you are so well fitted in mind to make every one happy who has the honour to know you.  What signifies this transitory eclipse?  You are as near perfection, by all I have heard, as any creature in this world can be:  for here is your glory—­you are brightened and purified, as I may say, by your sufferings!—­How I long to hear your whole sad, yet instructive story, from your own lips!