After he has left England, therefore, which I suppose he will quickly do, and when I am in Northamptonshire, what opportunities will your Harriet have to see him, except she can obtain, as a favour, the power of obliging his Emily, in her request to be with her?  Then, Lucy, he may, on his return to England, once a year or so, on his visiting his ward, see, and thank for her care and love of his Emily, his half-estranged Harriet!—­Perhaps Lady Clementina Grandison will be with him!  God restore her!  Surely I shall be capable, if she be Lady Grandison, of rejoicing in her recovery!——­

Fie upon it!—­Why this involuntary tear?  You would see it by the large blot it has made, if I did not mention it.

Excellent man!—­Dr. Bartlett has just been telling me of a morning visit he received, before he went out of town, from the two sons of Mrs. Oldham.

One of them is about seven years old; the other about five; very fine children.  He embraced them, the doctor says, with as much tenderness, as if they were children of his own mother.  He enquired into their inclinations, behaviour, diversions; and engaged equally their love and reverence.

He told them, that, if they were good, he would love them; and said, he had a dear friend, whom he reverenced as his father, a man with white curling locks, he told the children, that they might know him at first sight, who would now-and-then, as he happened to be in town, make enquiries after their good behaviour, and reward them, as they gave him cause.  Accordingly he had desired Dr. Bartlett to give them occasionally his countenance; as also to let their mother know, that he should be glad of a visit from her, and her three children, on his return to town.

The doctor had been to see her when he came to me.  He found all three with her.  The two younger, impressed by the venerable description Sir Charles had given of him, voluntarily, the younger, by the elder’s example, fell down on their knees before him, and begged his blessing.

Mr. Oldham is about eighteen years of age; a well-inclined, well-educated youth.  He was full of acknowledgments of the favour done him in this invitation.

The grateful mother could not contain herself.  Blessings without number, she invoked on her benefactor, for his goodness in taking such kind notice of her two sons, as he had done; and said, he had been, ever since his gracious behaviour to her in Essex, the first and last in her prayers to Heaven.  But the invitation to herself, she declared, was too great an honour for her to accept of:  she should not be able to stand in his presence.  Alas! sir, said she, can the severest, truest penitence recall the guilty past?

The doctor said, that Sir Charles Grandison ever made it a rule with him, to raise the dejected and humbled spirit.  Your birth and education, madam, entitle you to a place in the first company:  and where there are two lights in which the behaviour of any person may be set, though there has been unhappiness, he always remembers the most favourable, and forgets the other.  I would advise you, madam, (as he has invited you,) by all means to come.  He speaks with pleasure of your humility and good sense.