To Miss Rivers, Clarges Street.
Jan. 13, Eleven o'clock.
We passed a most agreable evening with your brother, though a large
company, which is seldom the case: a most admirable supper, excellent
wine, an elegant dessert of preserved fruits, and every body in spirits
and good humor.
The Colonel was the soul of our entertainment: amongst his other
virtues, he has the companionable and convivial ones to an immense
degree, which I never had an opportunity of discovering so clearly
before. He seemed charmed beyond words to see us all so happy: we staid
till four o'clock in the morning, yet all complained to-day we came
away too soon.
I need not tell you we had fiddles, for there is no entertainment in
Canada without them: never was such a race of dancers.
One o'clock.
The dear man is come, and with an equipage which puts the Empress of
Russia's tranieau to shame. America never beheld any thing so
brilliant:
"All other carrioles, at sight of this,
Hide their diminish'd heads."
Your brother's and Fitzgerald's will never dare to appear now; they
sink into nothing.
Seven in the evening.
Emily has been in tears in her chamber; 'tis a letter of Mrs.
Melmoth's which has had this agreable effect; some wise advice, I
suppose. Lord! how I hate people that give advice! don't you, Lucy?
I don't like this lover's coming; he is almost as bad as a husband:
I am afraid he will derange our little coterie; and we have been so
happy, I can't bear it.
Good night, my dear.
Yours,
A. Fermor.