LETTER the FIRST is from
Miss MARGARET LESLEY to Miss CHARLOTTE LUTTERELL
Lesley Castle Janry 3rd—1792.
My Brother has just left us. “Matilda (said he at parting) you and
Margaret will I am certain take all the care of my dear little one,
that she might have received from an indulgent, and affectionate and
amiable Mother.” Tears rolled down his cheeks as he spoke these
words—the remembrance of her, who had so wantonly disgraced the
Maternal character and so openly violated the conjugal Duties,
prevented his adding anything farther; he embraced his sweet Child and
after saluting Matilda and Me hastily broke from us and seating himself
in his Chaise, pursued the road to Aberdeen. Never was there a better
young Man! Ah! how little did he deserve the misfortunes he has
experienced in the Marriage state. So good a Husband to so bad a Wife!
for you know my dear Charlotte that the Worthless Louisa left him, her
Child and reputation a few weeks ago in company with Danvers and
dishonour. Never was there a sweeter face, a finer form, or a less
amiable Heart than Louisa owned! Her child already possesses the
personal Charms of her unhappy Mother! May she inherit from her Father
all his mental ones! Lesley is at present but five and twenty, and has
already given himself up to melancholy and Despair; what a difference
between him and his Father! Sir George is 57 and still remains the
Beau, the flighty stripling, the gay Lad, and sprightly Youngster, that
his Son was really about five years back, and that _he_ has affected to
appear ever since my remembrance. While our father is fluttering about
the streets of London, gay, dissipated, and Thoughtless at the age of
57, Matilda and I continue secluded from Mankind in our old and
Mouldering Castle, which is situated two miles from Perth on a bold
projecting Rock, and commands an extensive veiw of the Town and its
delightful Environs. But tho’ retired from almost all the World, (for
we visit no one but the M’Leods, The M’Kenzies, the M’Phersons, the
M’Cartneys, the M’Donalds, The M’kinnons, the M’lellans, the M’kays,
the Macbeths and the Macduffs) we are neither dull nor unhappy; on the
contrary there never were two more lively, more agreable or more witty
girls, than we are; not an hour in the Day hangs heavy on our Hands. We
read, we work, we walk, and when fatigued with these Employments
releive our spirits, either by a lively song, a graceful Dance, or by
some smart bon-mot, and witty repartee. We are handsome my dear
Charlotte, very handsome and the greatest of our Perfections is, that
we are entirely insensible of them ourselves. But why do I thus dwell
on myself! Let me rather repeat the praise of our dear little Neice the
innocent Louisa, who is at present sweetly smiling in a gentle Nap, as
she reposes on the sofa. The dear Creature is just turned of two years
old; as handsome as tho’ 2 and 20, as sensible as tho’ 2 and 30, and as
prudent as tho’ 2 and 40. To convince you of this, I must inform you
that she has a very fine complexion and very pretty features, that she
already knows the two first letters in the Alphabet, and that she never
tears her frocks—. If I have not now convinced you of her Beauty, Sense
and Prudence, I have nothing more to urge in support of my assertion,
and you will therefore have no way of deciding the Affair but by coming
to Lesley-Castle, and by a personal acquaintance with Louisa, determine
for yourself. Ah! my dear Freind, how happy should I be to see you
within these venerable Walls! It is now four years since my removal
from School has separated me from you; that two such tender Hearts, so
closely linked together by the ties of simpathy and Freindship, should
be so widely removed from each other, is vastly moving. I live in
Perthshire, You in Sussex. We might meet in London, were my Father
disposed to carry me there, and were your Mother to be there at the
same time. We might meet at Bath, at Tunbridge, or anywhere else
indeed, could we but be at the same place together. We have only to
hope that such a period may arrive. My Father does not return to us
till Autumn; my Brother will leave Scotland in a few Days; he is
impatient to travel. Mistaken Youth! He vainly flatters himself that
change of Air will heal the Wounds of a broken Heart! You will join
with me I am certain my dear Charlotte, in prayers for the recovery of
the unhappy Lesley’s peace of Mind, which must ever be essential to
that of your sincere freind