To the Earl of ----.
My Lord,
Silleri, March 13.
I generally distrust my own opinion when it differs from your
Lordship's; but in this instance I am most certainly in the right:
allow me to say, nothing can be more ill-judged than your Lordship's
design of retiring into a small circle, from that world of which you
have so long been one of the most brilliant ornaments. What you say of
the disagreableness of age, is by no means applicable to your Lordship;
nothing is in this respect so fallible as the parish register. Why
should any man retire from society whilst he is capable of contributing
to the pleasures of it? Wit, vivacity, good-nature, and politeness,
give an eternal youth, as stupidity and moroseness a premature old
age. Without a thousandth part of your Lordship's shining qualities, I
think myself much younger than half the boys about me, meerly because I
have more good-nature, and a stronger desire of pleasing.
My daughter is much honored by your Lordship's enquiries: she is
Bell Fermor still; but is addressed by a gentleman who is extremely
agreable to me, and I believe not less so to her; I however know too
well the free spirit of woman, of which she has her full share, to let
Bell know I approve her choice; I am even in doubt whether it would not
be good policy to seem to dislike the match, in order to secure her
consent: there is something very pleasing to a young girl, in opposing
the will of her father.
To speak truth, I am a little out of humor with her at present, for
having contributed, and I believe entirely from a spirit of opposition
to me, to break a match on which I had extremely set my heart; the
lady was the niece of my particular friend, and one of the most
lovely and deserving women I ever knew: the gentleman very worthy, with
an agreable, indeed a very handsome person, and a fortune which with
those who know the world, would have compensated for the want of most
other advantages.
The fair lady, after an engagement of two years, took a whim that
there was no happiness in marriage without being madly in love, and
that her passion was not sufficiently romantic; in which piece of folly
my rebel encouraged her, and the affair broke off in a manner which has
brought on her the imputation of having given way to an idle
prepossession in favor of another.
Your Lordship will excuse my talking on a subject very near my
heart, though uninteresting to you; I have too often experienced your
Lordship's indulgence to doubt it on this occasion: your good-natured
philosophy will tell you, much fewer people talk or write to amuse or
inform their friends, than to give way to the feelings of their own
hearts, or indulge the governing passion of the moment.
In my next, I will endeavor in the best manner I can, to obey your
Lordship's commands in regard to the political and religious state of
Canada: I will make a point of getting the best information possible;
what I have yet seen, has been only the surface.
I have the honor to be,
My Lord,
Your Lordship's &c.
William Fermor.