But whither am I running?—­Your ladyship, I hope, will excuse this parading freedom of my pen:  for though these notions are well enough with regard to Miss Goodwin, they must be very impertinent to a lady, who can so much better instruct Miss’s tutoress than that vain tutoress can her pupil.  And, therefore, with my humblest respects to my good Lord Davers, and your noble neighbours, and to Mr. H. I hasten to conclude myself your ladyship’s obliged sister, and obedient servant,

P.B.

Your Billy, Madam, is a charming dear!—­I long to have you see him.  He sends you a kiss upon this paper.  You’ll see it stained, just here.  The charmer has cut two teeth, and is about more:  so you’ll excuse the dear, pretty, slabbering boy.  Miss Goodwin is ready to eat him with love:  and Mr. B. is fonder and fonder of us all:  and then your ladyship, and my good Lord Davers love us too.  O, Madam, what a blessed creature am I!

Miss Goodwin begs I’ll send her duty to her noble uncle and aunt; that’s her just distinction always, when she speaks of you both.  She asked me, pretty dear, just now, If I think there is such a happy girl in the world as she is?  I tell her, God always blesses good Misses, and makes them happier and happier.

LETTER LXXXVIII

MY DEAR LADY DAVERS,

I have three marriages to acquaint you with, in one letter.  In the first place, Sir W.G. has sent, by the particular desire of my dear friend, that he was made one of the happiest men in England, on the 18th past; and so I have no longer my Miss Darnford to boast of.  I have a very good opinion of the gentleman; but if he be but half so good a husband as she will make a wife, they will be exceedingly happy in one another.

Mr. Williams’s marriage to a kinswoman of his noble patron (as you have heard was in treaty) is the next; and there is great reason to believe, from the character of both, that they will likewise do credit to the state.

The third is Mr. Adams and Polly Barlow; and I wish them, for both their sakes, as happy as either of the former.  They are set out to his living, highly pleased with one another; and I hope will have reason to continue so to be.

As to the first, I did not indeed think the affair would have been so soon concluded; and Miss kept it off so long, as I understood, that her papa was angry with her:  and, indeed, as the gentleman’s family, circumstances, and character, were such, that there could lie no objection against him, I think it would have been wrong to have delayed it.

I should have written to your ladyship before; but have been favoured with Mr. B.’s company into Kent, on a visit to my good mother, who was indisposed.  We tarried there a week, and left both my dear parents, to my thankful satisfaction, in as good health as ever they were in their lives.

Mrs. Judy Swynford, or Miss Swynford (as she refuses not being called, now and then), has been with us for this week past; and she expects her brother, Sir Jacob, to fetch her away in about a week hence.