"Most noble, honourable, dearly beloved, and much trusted _Junker_, may my truth and love, together with my greetings and good wishes, be to you beyond all other love and possessions. I received your letter with pleasure, and learned from it with heartfelt joy of your well-being. It is even so with us, for which we thank the gracious God; may He continue his grace to you and all of us. Amen. "As concerning the marriage, my honoured father and mother have deliberated thereon, and have agreed that, please God, it shall take place on the 13th of November, as the _Junker_ will find more amply detailed in my honoured father's letter. "Dearly beloved _Junker_, I understand thus much from your letter, that you would gladly come here once again before the marriage. If that were possible, it would certainly be a great joy to me, and would give hearty pleasure to all mine without exception. I will not therefore this time entreat of you, but will have all hope and confidence that it may come to pass, and that the _Junker_ will not fail to pay a visit to me the poor forlorn one, to which I look with great longing. Dearly beloved _Junker_, know that the packet has not yet arrived. We have already sent after it several times, and the answer has been, it was expected every hour; as soon as it comes, your desire shall be attended to; I believe it will answer well. The wife of Dr. Reiner has already written to my honoured mother concerning it, and given it clearly to be understood that she is not to be forgotten in the bridal presents;[58] however she need not have been in anxiety about it, as she had already been thought of. "Dearly beloved _Junker_, with respect to the shirts and collars, you must know that we are working zealously thereat, and as many as can be got ready shall be distributed. "I have received the bracelets; accept, my dearly beloved _Junker_, my warmest thanks. They are much too pretty for my brown hands, but they please me well. "As regards dress, undoubtedly my honoured father would like to do for one daughter the same as for the other, but as that cannot be on this occasion, he has consented to do something more. I have three taffety dresses; the flesh colour, one gold colour, and one black. We have the tailor still in the house, who is making a violet-coloured damask, and another dress in which I am to go to church, which is to be either of red satin or of black damask. Now I beg you will let me know which you would prefer.