Oh, my Marcia, how hard is our fate! that we should be deprived of your dear company, when it would compleat our Felicity--but such is the fate of Mortals! We are never permitted to be perfectly happy. I suppose it is right, else the Supreme Disposer of all things would not have permitted it: we should perhaps have been more neglectful than we are of our duty. October 5. Mr. Pinkard and a Mr. Lee came here to-day from the Fredericksburg races. How sorry I was to hear "Republican" was beaten. I was really interested in that race. Adieu. I must crape my hair for dinner. It is a delightful evening. Nancy and myself are going to take a ride out in the Chariot. Oh, my Polly, why are you not here to join us! Away with such thoughts--they almost make me melloncholy. Nancy calls me. Adieu again. I come! I come! We are returned, and had a delightful ride, and a much more delightful _tete-a-tete_. This Lee appears to be a hum-drum, disagreeable Creature. Tea is ready, and I must bid you good-by. October 6. I wish, my Polly, you could see Mrs. Pinkard. You would be delighted with her. She is, I think, among the finest Women I have seen; and is thought very beautifull. I have been very agreeably entertained this evening, reading a Novel called _Malvern Dale_. It is something like _Evelina_, though not so pretty. I have a piece of advice to give you, which I have before urged--that is, to read something improving. Books of instruction will be a thousand times more pleasing [after a little while] than all the novels in the World. I own myself, I am too fond of Novel-reading; but, by accustoming myself to reading other Books, I have become less so, and I wish my Polly to do the same. October 7. This is Sunday. We have been collected in the Chamber, reading the Lessons of the day. After that, Nancy and myself plann'd a ride out on horseback, which we are just going to put in execution. Adieu. I will resume my pen on my return. We are returned. I can't say I was much delighted with the ride, as I rode a very hard-going horse. They had dined when we returned. October 8. Mr. Newton dined here to-day. I believe you know him, and therefore need not describe him. I have been very busy to-day working a little screne, to hold in my hand to prevent the fire from burning my face. I think it will be beautifull. I have seated myself in my (w)rapper to scribble a little. Mr. Pinkard has been reading a Play all the evening to Nancy and myself. We were much pleased with it. Nancy grows better and better every day--which I am delighted at. Adieu: sleep has closed my eyes. October 9. I was in danger last night of commiting a great piece of rudeness; the Play Mr. Pinkard read us was the _Bell Strattagem_. Mr. Newton was by when it was read. Some one ask't him sometime afterwards what the Play was. He said the _Country Cousin_. I thought I should have burst with laughter!