Of interesting foreign love-letters we might speak at length: of a manly and tender missive from the great Gustavus Adolphus to an early love; of the Klopstock letters, than which in the whole literature of love nothing more beautiful can be found; of those of Prosper Mérimée to his _coquette Inconnue_, with their irresistible grace and brilliancy enhanced by the air of mystery that surrounds them; or of the exquisite metrical love-letters that Elizabeth Barrett addressed to her “Most gracious singer of high poems.” We have chosen rather to group together a few Colonial love-letters, not only because most of them are unknown to the reading world, but also with a thought of drawing together in sympathy lovers of to-day with those of a past generation, not wigged, capped, and spectacled, as we are wont to picture our grandfathers and grandmothers, but with flowing locks and flashing eyes, armed _cap-à-pie_ to enter in and conquer, or be conquered, in that fair realm where victor and vanquished rejoice to quit the lists hand clasped in hand. [Illustration] FOOTNOTES: [30] From MS. letters in possession of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. [31] William Penn, Jr., who grew up a gay young blade and distinguished himself by beating the watch and otherwise scandalizing the law-abiding citizens of old Philadelphia. [32] From MS. letter, written to Miss Sarah Read, of Philadelphia, in possession of Miss F. A. Logan. [33] Original owned by Miss Anna Peale, a grand-daughter of Charles Willson Peale. [34] New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, which now form the State of Delaware. [Illustration] _THE PHILADELPHIA DANCING ASSEMBLIES_ As has been said, we are wont to think of our esteemed progenitors of the Colonial and Revolutionary periods as performing valuable service in their day and generation, “being good,” as some wit expresses it, “but not having a very good time.” If our thoughts revert to the ladies of the last century, we picture them spending their days in spinning, knitting, or sewing, surrounded by their maid-servants, whom they are instructing in these most useful arts, as the Mother of the Republic is described by so many who visited her at Mount Vernon, rather than in bedecking themselves for conquest in the gay world. The men of the period seem to have spent so much of their time at assemblies, not dancing assemblies, but those in which the laws of the Colonies were discussed, and land-claims, quit-rents, and other dry affairs settled, that we are surprised when a stray leaf from the note-book of some public man floats down to us containing such entries as the following: Diana for attendance 15_s._ For candles £1.12_s._ “ snuffers 4_s._ “ three dozen chairs £7. “ 200 limes 14_s._ “ 18 pounds milk bisket 9_s._ “ 5 gallons rum and cask £2.3_s._ “ Musick £1.10_s._