England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Epistolary fiction; Essays
We left Lesley-Castle on the 28th of last Month, and arrived safely in
London after a Journey of seven Days; I had the pleasure of finding
your Letter here waiting my Arrival, for which you have my grateful
Thanks. Ah! my dear Freind I every day more regret the serene and
tranquil Pleasures of the Castle we have left, in exchange for the
uncertain and unequal Amusements of this vaunted City. Not that I will
pretend to assert that these uncertain and unequal Amusements are in
the least Degree unpleasing to me; on the contrary I enjoy them
extremely and should enjoy them even more, were I not certain that
every appearance I make in Public but rivetts the Chains of those
unhappy Beings whose Passion it is impossible not to pity, tho’ it is
out of my power to return. In short my Dear Charlotte it is my
sensibility for the sufferings of so many amiable young Men, my Dislike
of the extreme admiration I meet with, and my aversion to being so
celebrated both in Public, in Private, in Papers, and in Printshops,
that are the reasons why I cannot more fully enjoy, the Amusements so
various and pleasing of London. How often have I wished that I
possessed as little Personal Beauty as you do; that my figure were as
inelegant; my face as unlovely; and my appearance as unpleasing as
yours! But ah! what little chance is there of so desirable an Event; I
have had the small-pox, and must therefore submit to my unhappy fate.
I am now going to intrust you my dear Charlotte with a secret which has
long disturbed the tranquility of my days, and which is of a kind to
require the most inviolable Secrecy from you. Last Monday se’night
Matilda and I accompanied Lady Lesley to a Rout at the Honourable Mrs
Kickabout’s; we were escorted by Mr Fitzgerald who is a very amiable
young Man in the main, tho’ perhaps a little singular in his Taste—He
is in love with Matilda—. We had scarcely paid our Compliments to the
Lady of the House and curtseyed to half a score different people when
my Attention was attracted by the appearance of a Young Man the most
lovely of his Sex, who at that moment entered the Room with another
Gentleman and Lady. From the first moment I beheld him, I was certain
that on him depended the future Happiness of my Life. Imagine my
surprise when he was introduced to me by the name of Cleveland—I
instantly recognised him as the Brother of Mrs Marlowe, and the
acquaintance of my Charlotte at Bristol. Mr and Mrs M. were the
gentleman and Lady who accompanied him. (You do not think Mrs Marlowe
handsome?) The elegant address of Mr Cleveland, his polished Manners
and Delightful Bow, at once confirmed my attachment. He did not speak;
but I can imagine everything he would have said, had he opened his
Mouth. I can picture to myself the cultivated Understanding, the Noble
sentiments, and elegant Language which would have shone so conspicuous
in the conversation of Mr Cleveland. The approach of Sir James Gower
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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