“I know there are many young people who are very apt to think it beneath them to take pains;" but I sincerely trust, my dear Mary, you have more sense than to be so very foolish. Next to a good distinct hand of write, and proper stops (which I observe you never put), the thing most to be attended to is your style, which we all think might be greatly improved by a little reflection on your part, joined to a few judicious hints from your friends.  We are all of opinion, that your periods are too short, and also that your expressions are deficient in dignity. Neither are you sufficiently circumstantial in your intelligence, even upon subjects of the highest importance. Indeed, upon some subjects, you communicate no information whatever, which is certainly very extraordinary in a young person, who ought to be naturally extremely communicative.  Miss M’Pry, who is here upon a visit to us at present, is perfectly astonished at the total want of news in your letters. She has a niece residing in the neighbourhood of Bath, who sends her regular lists of the company there, and also an account of the most remarkable events that take place there.  Indeed, had it not been for Patty M’Pry, we never would have heard a syllable of the celebrated Lady Travers’s elopement with Sir John Conquest; and, indeed, I cannot conceal from you, that we have heard more as to what goes on in Lord Courtland’s family through Miss Patty M’Pry, than ever we have heard from you, Mary.

“In short, I must plainly tell you, however painful you may feel it, that not one of us is ever a whit the wiser after reading your letters than we were before.  But I am sorry to say this is not the most serious part of the complaint we have to make against you.  We are all willing to find excuses for you, even upon these points, but I must confess, your neglecting to return any answers to certain inquiries of your aunts’, appears to me perfectly inexcusable.  Of course, you must understand that I allude to that letter of your Aunt Grizzy’s, dated the 17th of December, wherein she expressed a strong desire that you should endeavour to make yourself mistress of Dr. Redgill’s opinion with respect to lumbago, as she is extremely anxious to know whether he considers the seat of the disorder to be in the bones or the sinews; and undoubtedly it is of the greatest consequence to procure the opinion of a sensible well-informed English physician, upon a subject of such vital importance. Your Aunt Nicky, also, in a letter,