Much pains seem to have been taken in the MS. of this epistle. _Black
lines_ have been used, apparently. Every t is crossed and every i
dotted with precision. The punctuation is faultless. Yet the
_tout-ensemble_ of the letter has nothing of formality or undue
effeminacy. The characters are free, well-sized, and handsomely
formed, preserving throughout a perfectly uniform and beautiful
appearance, although generally unconnected with each other. Were one
to form an estimate of the character of Mrs. Sigourney's compositions
from the character of her hand writing, the estimate would not be very
far from the truth. Freedom, dignity, precision, and grace of thought,
without abrupt or startling transitions, might be attributed to her
with propriety. The paper is good, the seal small--of green and gold
wax--and without impression.
{207} LETTER III.
_New York_, ----.
_Dear Sir_,--I have delayed replying to your letter of the -- ult.
until I could find time to make the necessary inquiries about the
circumstances to which you allude. I am sorry to inform you that these
inquiries have been altogether fruitless, and that I am consequently
unable, at present, to give you the desired information. If,
hereafter, any thing shall come to light which may aid you in your
researches, it will give me great pleasure to communicate with you
upon the subject.