Evening. Sept. 23.
I have been playing and laughing with the little girl so long, that I
cannot take up my pen to address you without emotion. Pressing her to my
bosom, she looked so like you (_entre nous_, your best looks, for I do
not admire your commercial face) every nerve seemed to vibrate to the
touch, and I began to think that there was something in the assertion of
man and wife being one—for you seemed to pervade my whole frame,
quickening the beat of my heart, and lending me the sympathetic tears
you excited.
Have I any thing more to say to you? No; not for the present—the rest is
all flown away; and, indulging tenderness for you, I cannot now complain
of some people here, who have ruffled my temper for two or three days
past.
* * * * *
Morning.
Yesterday B—— sent to me for my packet of letters. He called on me
before; and I like him better than I did—that is, I have the same
opinion of his understanding, but I think with you, he has more
tenderness and real delicacy of feeling with respect to women, than are
commonly to be met with. His manner too of speaking of his little girl,
about the age of mine, interested me. I gave him a letter for my sister,
and requested him to see her.
I have been interrupted. Mr. —— I suppose will write about business.
Public affairs I do not descant on, except to tell you that they write
now with great freedom and truth; and this liberty of the press will
overthrow the Jacobins, I plainly perceive.
I hope you take care of your health. I have got a habit of restlessness
at night, which arises, I believe, from activity of mind; for, when I am
alone, that is, not near one to whom I can open my heart, I sink into
reveries and trains of thinking, which agitate and fatigue me.
This is my third letter; when am I to hear from you? I need not tell
you, I suppose, that I am now writing with somebody in the room with me,
and —— is waiting to carry this to Mr. ——’s. I will then kiss the girl
for you, and bid you adieu.
I desired you, in one of my other letters, to bring back to me your
barrier-face—or that you should not be loved by my barrier-girl. I know
that you will love her more and more, for she is a little affectionate,
intelligent creature, with as much vivacity, I think, as you could wish
for.
I was going to tell you of two or three things which displease me here;
but they are not of sufficient consequence to interrupt pleasing
sensations. I have received a letter from Mr. ——. I want you to bring ——
with you. Madame S—— is by me, reading a German translation of your
letters—she desires me to give her love to you, on account of what you
say of the negroes.
Yours most affectionately,
* * * *