To Miss Fermor, at Silleri.
London, Feb. 17.
My dear Bell,
Lucy, being deprived of the pleasure of writing to you, as she
intended, by Lady Anne Melville's dining with her, desires me to make
her apologies.
Allow me to say something for myself, and to share my joy with one
who will, I am sure, so very sincerely sympathize with me in it.
I could not have believed, my dear Bell, it had been so very easy a
thing to be constant: I declare, but don't mention this, lest I should
be laughed at, I have never felt the least inclination for any other
woman, since I married your lovely friend.
I now see a circle of beauties with the same indifference as a bed
of snowdrops: no charms affect me but hers; the whole creation to me
contains no other woman.
I find her every day, every hour, more lovely; there is in my Lucy a
mixture of modesty, delicacy, vivacity, innocence, and blushing
sensibility, which add a thousand unspeakable graces to the most
beautiful person the hand of nature ever formed.
There is no describing her enchanting smile, the smile of
unaffected, artless tenderness. How shall I paint to you the sweet
involuntary glow of pleasure, the kindling fire of her eyes, when I
approach; or those thousand little dear attentions of which love alone
knows the value?
I never, my dear girl, knew happiness till now; my tenderness is
absolutely a species of idolatry; you cannot think what a slave this
lovely girl has made me.
As a proof of this, the little tyrant insists on my omitting a
thousand civil things I had to say to you, and attending her and Lady
Anne immediately to the opera; she bids me however tell you, she loves
you _passing the love of woman_, at least of handsome women, who
are not generally celebrated for their candor and good will to each
other.
Adieu, my dearest Bell!
Yours,
J. Temple.