Past Twelve o’Clock, Monday night,
[August]
I obey an emotion of my heart, which made me think of wishing thee, my
love, good night! before I go to rest, with more tenderness than I can
to-morrow, when writing a hasty line or two under Colonel ——’s eye. You
can scarcely imagine with what pleasure I anticipate the day, when we
are to begin almost to live together; and you would smile to hear how
many plans of employment I have in my head, now that I am confident that
my heart has found peace in your bosom.—Cherish me with that dignified
tenderness, which I have only found in you; and your own dear girl will
try to keep under a quickness of feeling, that has sometimes given you
pain—Yes, I will be _good_, that I may deserve to be happy: and whilst
you love me, I cannot again fall into the miserable state, which
rendered life a burthen almost too heavy to be borne.
But, good-night!—God bless you! Sterne says, that is equal to a kiss—yet
I would rather give you the kiss into the bargain, glowing with
gratitude to Heaven, and affection to you. I like the word affection,
because it signifies something habitual; and we are soon to meet, to try
whether we have mind enough to keep our hearts warm.
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