Letter LXXIV. From Lord B---- To Eloisa.
Now, charming Eloisa, we gain our point: a lucky mistake of our friend
hath brought him to reason. The shame of finding himself a moment in
the wrong has dissipated his phrenzy, and rendered him so tractable
that we may manage him for the future as we please. It is with
pleasure I see the fault with which he reproaches himself, attended
rather with contrition than anger; and I know how highly he esteems
me, from that humility and confusion he seems to feel when I am
present; but without affection or constraint. His sensibility of the
injury he has done me disarms my resentment. When the offender thus
acknowledges his crime, he reaps more honour by such a reparation of
his fault, than the offended in bestowing him a pardon. I have taken
the advantage of this change, and the effect it has produced, to enter
into some necessary measures with him before my departure, which I now
cannot defer much longer. As I purpose to return the approaching
summer, we have agreed that he shall go to wait for me at Paris, from
whence we shall proceed together to England.
London is the most extensive theatre in the world for the display of
great talents. [16] Those of our friend are in many respects of the
first rank; and I despair not of seeing him, with some little
assistance, soon strike out something in his way to fortune, worthy of
his merit. I will be more explicit as to my intentions when I see you;
in the mean time, you will readily conceive the importance of his
success may encourage him to surmount many difficulties, and that
there are various modes of distinction which may compensate for
inferiority of birth, even in the opinion of your father. This appears
to me the only expedient that remains to be tried, in order to effect
your mutual happiness, since prejudice and fortune have deprived you
of all others.
I have written for Regianino to come post hither, and to remain with
me during the eight or ten days I shall yet stay with our friend. He
is too deeply afflicted to admit of much conversation: music will
serve to fill up the vacant hours of silence, indulge his reveries,
and sooth his grief by degrees into a peaceful melancholy. I wait only
to see him in such a temper of mind to leave him to himself; and
before that, I dare not trust him. As for Regianino, I will leave him
with you as I pass by, and shall not take him from you again till I
return from Italy; by which time, I imagine, from the progress you
have both already made, his assistance will be unnecessary. Just at
present he is certainly useless to Eloisa, and I deprive her of
nothing by detaining him here for a few days.
Letter LXXV. To Clara.