upon his spirits, he is a delightful companion, whose society will add considerably to the pleasures of our winter fire-side. But his frown is as awful as his smile is beaming, and would have petrified me long ago, if I had ever encountered his brow in the act of concentrating its forces upon me, as it does when aunt Howard and Louisa appear in his presence. The whole horizon of his forehead is then hung thickly in clouds, a morose expression marks his countenance, and a sullen silence indicates displeasure, as far as the rules of common civility will permit. With Arthur he is less unconstrained than with me; but I hope that ere we quit London, there will be no difference in his feelings towards us. The kind partiality with which he treats your Frederick is easily accounted for, and arises _not_ from any comparison between the individuals in question, or _I_ could not be his favourite. I should write with more satisfaction than I feel at present, if I were not so soon to see you; but the slowness of my pen makes me impatient, when I reflect on the _glibness_ of tongue with which I hope in less than a fortnight to pour out all my news _vivâ voce_, for your amusement. Besides, when once the novelty of the thing is over, there is a tiresome monotony in the routine of a London life. I have met with very few who deserve to be recorded for any qualifications that distinguish individuals from each other. A certain number of airs, and affectations, mixed with accomplishments and French flounces, in proportions a little varying, but producing generally the same result, may serve as a recipe by which to compound the modern belle; and for the beau, a mixture somewhat different, without being in the least more solid, will suffice as universally as the former; but Arthur procured me an invitation the other day to a dinner party, which being unlike its predecessors, I must particularize, reserving the names of the _dramatis personæ_, till we meet, lest my letter should _miss stays_, and its writer be prosecuted for a libel.