"The small pittance you gave her for Maintenance falls greatly Short of Supplying her with Common Necessaries, and not only so but this Small allowance which is but £40 a year is now £10 in arrear. You must be sensible Mrs. Arne could not Subsist without Running you in Debt, those Debts must be paid very soon by you. Mrs. Arne has a right and expects to be maintained by you Suitable to your Circumstances. I must request an explicit and immediate answer; Or I shall take the necessary Steps to procure Mrs. Arne that justice which she has an Undoubted Right to." This called forth the following reply from Dr. Arne. It will be noted that Arne did not address the Attorney, but wrote direct to his wife: "A.D. 1770. "MRS. ARNE,--After the affectionate note I sent you yesterday, with 5 Guineas, which was from the first money I reciev'd, how great was my surprize, when I reciev'd in return a threatening letter from one Rennett an Attorney, on your account! "Cou'd I possibly have suppos'd that after my being so long in no way of earning a Guinea, which (till this Job of Mr. Colman's) was ever since the end of last March, and being involv'd in debts on that account that you--my Wife, shou'd be the only person who sought to distress me? If other people had been as inhuman, what must have become of a Man, who is a laborious Slave to support his necessary Dependants; insomuch that he does not enjoy three days' ease and pleasure the whole year round? "As peace and quiet are all the enjoyments which a man of my age can hope for, if he is in his senses, which, in spite of base and wicked minded people, I thank God I have not yet lost, I shall not fly in a passion at your very ungenerous treatment; but with the temper of a Philosopher explain to you the consequences of your following the ill advice, which may have been given you, and I know from whom. "When Mr. Tyers refus'd to engage Polly Young, unless you cou'd produce a Bond sign'd by me, whereby we were both impower'd to live and act seperately, did not I directly on your express solicitation, enter into such Bond, impowering you to recieve her whole income? Did I ever desire a shilling of all she got before and after or wish otherwise than that it had been ten times as much for your sake?