It would give me inexpressible concern, could I for a moment believe
that you “himagine” I have forgotten you, or the promise I made you,
when at Farefield Hall. You can be no stranger to the “hevents” which
have taken place in my family since that time; and of course these will
account to you for my “happarent” neglect. I have endeavoured to
practise what I preach, which is more, as Mrs. Dangle says, than _many_
who are paid for preaching do; for, as I have said in my letter to Lady
Maclairn, I see that nothing good comes from sorrowing for those who are
removed from this world. Death is appointed for all; and the best thing
we can do is to submit to the loss of our friends and relations, who are
summoned away before us. I dare say the death of Mr. Flamall has made
her ladyship very unhappy, but time will restore her spirits, unless she
do as my Jerry “_do_,” yield to grief, and mope in her room. My kind
friend, Mrs. Dangle, would not permit me to remain at Putney, where it
was impossible I could have recovered my spirits. She has a charming
house in the Haymarket; and since I have been her guest, I am much
better; and indeed should be quite well, were it not for the vexation
Nora “give” me. You will be quite astonished to see the _halteration_ a
few months of matrimony “have” made in her; and it will give you a dread
of love matches! But I would not discourage you. Nora “have” only to
thank herself for all that “have” happened to disturb her. Captain
Fairly is not to blame, because his wife is jealous; nor Mrs. Dangle,
because her constant good humour “make” her the favourite with _hevery_
gentleman. But Nora was always perverse in her temper! she can be heasy
no where now, but at Putney. When single, she detested the place. She
have been very ill; and her disappointment have perhaps made her lower
in spirits; but, as I tell her, “the worse luck now, the better in
future.” She may have children enow by the time she is forty.
I hope, my dear Miss Cowley, nothing will prevent your visit to me in
February. Captain Fairly has, very politely, offered to be your escort,
and desires me to assure you, that he will, with the utmost pleasure,
come to Farefield to fetch you, if you will permit him to have that
honour; but I conclude you will not be allowed to leave Mrs. Allen
behind you; so that you will _happoint_ the captain to meet you on the
road. I shall be very happy to see Mrs. Allen. She will be nice company
for Mr. Serge, in our absence. I promise you, nothing shall be omitted
for your amusement. Mrs. Dangle is quite in polite life; and she engages
to “hintroduce” you every where. You will meet the best company at her
table; for her husband is never happy without society. There is a Major
Ogle in love with you only from description. He says, that I have
entangled his heart, and that he must be our shadow; therefore, we shall
not want for a beau, nor one that half the women in London are dying
for.
I would advise you not to make up any thing when you are for your
journey; it would be only so much labour lost. But it may not be amiss
for you to begin to accustom yourself to fewer petticoats. We wear here
only one. But we have found out vays and means to obviate the mischief
of going unclothed, and we contrive to keep ourselves warm; but this, as
Mrs. Dangle says, is a secret _haunter nu_; for if the gentlemen knew
you were in the habit of wearing small clothes whilst single, they might
fear for their privileges when you married. You will be delighted with
this charming woman. She is the counter-part of you, only she has seen
more of polite life, since her marriage, than you have been in the vay
of seeing at Farefield; which, to say the truth, is a sad place for such
a young lady as Miss Cowley.
I remain in the expectation of hearing from you the time fixed for
seeing you; and I shall be impatient till I can show you that I am your
affectionate friend,