Ay, SINCLAIR, Jack!--Remember the name! SINCLAIR, I repeat. She has no
other. And her features being broad and full-blown, I will suppose her
to be of Highland extraction; as her husband the colonel [mind that too]
was a Scot, as brave, as honest.
I never forget the minutiae in my contrivances. In all matters that
admit of doubt, the minutiae, closely attended to and provided for, are
of more service than a thousand oaths, vows, and protestations made to
supply the neglect of them, especially when jealousy has made its way in
the working mind.
Thou wouldst wonder if thou knewest one half of my providences. To give
thee but one--I have already been so good as to send up a list of books
to be procured for the lady's closet, mostly at second hand. And
thou knowest that the women there are all well read. But I will not
anticipate--Besides, it looks as if I were afraid of leaving any thing
to my old friend CHANCE; which has many a time been an excellent second
to me, and ought not be affronted or despised; especially by one who has
the art of making unpromising incidents turn out in his favour.