love and freindship-第8章

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I　have　the　satisfaction　of　informing　you　that　we　have　every　reason　to　imagine　our　pantry　is　by　this　time　nearly　cleared；　as　we　left　Particular　orders　with　the　servants　to　eat　as　hard　as　they　possibly　could；　and　to　call　in　a　couple　of　Chairwomen　to　assist　them。　　We　brought　a　cold　Pigeon　pye；　a　cold　turkey；　a　cold　tongue；　and　half　a　dozen　Jellies　with　us；　which　we　were　lucky　enough　with　the　help　of　our　Landlady；　her　husband；　and　their　three　children；　to　get　rid　of；　in　less　than　two　days　after　our　arrival。　　Poor　Eloisa　is　still　so　very　indifferent　both　in　Health　and　Spirits；　that　I　very　much　fear；　the　air　of　the　Bristol　downs；　healthy　as　it　is；　has　not　been　able　to　drive　poor　Henry　from　her　remembrance。

You　ask　me　whether　your　new　Mother　in　law　is　handsome　and　amiableI　will　now　give　you　an　exact　description　of　her　bodily　and　mental　charms。　　She　is　short；　and　extremely　well　made；　is　naturally　pale；　but　rouges　a　good　deal；　has　fine　eyes；　and　fine　teeth；　as　she　will　take　care　to　let　you　know　as　soon　as　she　sees　you；　and　is　altogether　very　pretty。　　She　is　remarkably　good…　tempered　when　she　has　her　own　way；　and　very　lively　when　she　is　not　out　of　humour。　　She　is　naturally　extravagant　and　not　very　affected；　she　never　reads　anything　but　the　letters　she　receives　from　me；　and　never　writes　anything　but　her　answers　to　them。　　She　plays；　sings　and　Dances；　but　has　no　taste　for　either；　and　excells　in　none；　tho'　she　says　she　is　passionately　fond　of　all。　　Perhaps　you　may　flatter　me　so　far　as　to　be　surprised　that　one　of　whom　I　speak　with　so　little　affection　should　be　my　particular　freind；　but　to　tell　you　the　truth；　our　freindship　arose　rather　from　Caprice　on　her　side　than　Esteem　on　mine。　　We　spent　two　or　three　days　together　with　a　Lady　in　Berkshire　with　whom　we　both　happened　to　be　connected。　　During　our　visit；　the　Weather　being　remarkably　bad；　and　our　party　particularly　stupid；　she　was　so　good　as　to　conceive　a　violent　partiality　for　me；　which　very　soon　settled　in　a　downright　Freindship　and　ended　in　an　established　correspondence。　　She　is　probably　by　this　time　as　tired　of　me；　as　I　am　of　her；　but　as　she　is　too　Polite　and　I　am　too　civil　to　say　so；　our　letters　are　still　as　frequent　and　affectionate　as　ever；　and　our　Attachment　as　firm　and　sincere　as　when　it　first　commenced。　　As　she　had　a　great　taste　for　the　pleasures　of　London；　and　of　Brighthelmstone；　she　will　I　dare　say　find　some　difficulty　in　prevailing　on　herself　even　to　satisfy　the　curiosity　I　dare　say　she　feels　of　beholding　you；　at　the　expence　of　quitting　those　favourite　haunts　of　Dissipation；　for　the　melancholy　tho'　venerable　gloom　of　the　castle　you　inhabit。　Perhaps　however　if　she　finds　her　health　impaired　by　too　much　amusement；　she　may　acquire　fortitude　sufficient　to　undertake　a　Journey　to　Scotland　in　the　hope　of　its　Proving　at　least　beneficial　to　her　health；　if　not　conducive　to　her　happiness。　　Your　fears　I　am　sorry　to　say；　concerning　your　father's　extravagance；　your　own　fortunes；　your　Mothers　Jewels　and　your　Sister's　consequence；　I　should　suppose　are　but　too　well　founded。　　My　freind　herself　has　four　thousand　pounds；　and　will　probably　spend　nearly　as　much　every　year　in　Dress　and　Public　places；　if　she　can　get　itshe　will　certainly　not　endeavour　to　reclaim　Sir　George　from　the　manner　of　living　to　which　he　has　been　so　long　accustomed；　and　there　is　therefore　some　reason　to　fear　that　you　will　be　very　well　off；　if　you　get　any　fortune　at　all。　　The　Jewels　I　should　imagine　too　will　undoubtedly　be　hers；　and　there　is　too　much　reason　to　think　that　she　will　preside　at　her　Husbands　table　in　preference　to　his　Daughter。　But　as　so　melancholy　a　subject　must　necessarily　extremely　distress　you；　I　will　no　longer　dwell　on　it。

Eloisa's　indisposition　has　brought　us　to　Bristol　at　so　unfashionable　a　season　of　the　year；　that　we　have　actually　seen　but　one　genteel　family　since　we　came。　　Mr　and　Mrs　Marlowe　are　very　agreable　people；　the　ill　health　of　their　little　boy　occasioned　their　arrival　here；　you　may　imagine　that　being　the　only　family　with　whom　we　can　converse；　we　are　of　course　on　a　footing　of　intimacy　with　them；　we　see　them　indeed　almost　every　day；　and　dined　with　them　yesterday。　　We　spent　a　very　pleasant　Day；　and　had　a　very　good　Dinner；　tho'　to　be　sure　the　Veal　was　terribly　underdone；　and　the　Curry　had　no　seasoning。　　I　could　not　help　wishing　all　dinner…time　that　I　had　been　at　the　dressing　it。　　A　brother　of　Mrs　Marlowe；　Mr　Cleveland　is　with　them　at　present；　he　is　a　good…looking　young　Man；　and　seems　to　have　a　good　deal　to　say　for　himself。　　I　tell　Eloisa　that　she　should　set　her　cap　at　him；　but　she　does　not　at　all　seem　to　relish　the　proposal。　I　should　like　to　see　the　girl　married　and　Cleveland　has　a　very　good　estate。　　Perhaps　you　may　wonder　that　I　do　not　consider　myself　as　well　as　my　Sister　in　my　matrimonial　Projects；　but　to　tell　you　the　truth　I　never　wish　to　act　a　more　principal　part　at　a　Wedding　than　the　superintending　and　directing　the　Dinner；　and　therefore　while　I　can　get　any　of　my　acquaintance　to　marry　for　me；　I　shall　never　think　of　doing　it　myself；　as　I　very　much　suspect　that　I　should　not　have　so　much　time　for　dressing　my　own　Wedding…　dinner；　as　for　dressing　that　of　my　freinds。　Yours　sincerely　C。　L。



LETTER　the　FIFTH　Miss　MARGARET　LESLEY　to　Miss　CHARLOTTE　LUTTERELL　Lesley…Castle　　　　　March　18th

On　the　same　day　that　I　received　your　last　kind　letter；　Matilda　received　one　from　Sir　George　which　was　dated　from　Edinburgh；　and　informed　us　that　he　should　do　himself　the　pleasure　of　introducing　Lady　Lesley　to　us　on　the　following　evening。　　This　as　you　may　suppose　considerably　surprised　us；　particularly　as　your　account　of　her　Ladyship　had　given　us　reason　to　imagine　there　was　little　chance　of　her　visiting　Scotland　at　a　time　that　London　must　be　so　gay。　　As　it　was　our　business　however　to　be　delighted　at　such　a　mark　of　condescension　as　a　visit　from　Sir　George　and　Lady　Lesley；　we　prepared　to　return　them　an　answer　expressive　of　the　happiness　we　enjoyed　in　expectation　of　such　a　Blessing；　when　luckily　recollecting　that　as　they　were　to　reach　the　Castle　the　next　Evening；　it　would　be　impossible　for　my　father　to　receive　it　before　he　left　Edinburgh；　we　contented　ourselves　with　leaving　them　to　suppose　that　we　were　as　happy　as　we　ought　to　be。　　At　nine　in　the　Evening　on　the　following　day；　they　came；　accompanied　by　one　of　Lady　Lesleys　brothers。　　Her　Ladyship　perfectly　answers　the　description　you　sent　me　of　her；　except　that　I　do　not　think　her　so　pretty　as　you　seem　to　consider　her。　　She　has　not　a　bad　face；　but　there　is　something　so　extremely　unmajestic　in　her　little　diminutive　figure；　as　to　render　her　in　comparison　with　the　elegant　height　of　Matilda　and　Myself；　an　insignificant　Dwarf。　Her　curiosity　to　see　us　（which　must　have　been　great　to　bring　her　more　than　four　hundred　miles）　being　now　perfectly　gratified；　she　already　begins　to　mention　their　return　to　town；　and　has　desired　us　to　accompany　her。　　We　cannot　refuse　her　request　since　it　is　seconded　by　the　commands　of　our　Father；　and　thirded　by　the　entreaties　of　Mr。　Fitzgerald　who　is　certainly　one　of　the　most　pleasing　young　Men；　I　ever　beheld。　　It　is　not　yet　determined　when　we　are　to　go；　but　when　ever　we　do　we　shall　certainly　take　our　little　Louisa　with　us。　Adeiu　my　dear　Charlotte；　Matilda　unites　in　best　wishes　to　you；　and　Eloisa；　with　yours　ever　M。　L。



LETTER　the　SIXTH　LADY　LESLEY　to　Miss　CHARLOTTE　LUTTERELL　Lesley…Castle　　　　　　　March　20th

We　arrived　here　my　sweet　Freind　about　a　fortnight　ago；　and　I　already　heartily　repent　that　I　ever　left　our　charming　House　in　Portman…square　for　such　a　dismal　old　weather…beaten　Castle　as　this。　　You　can　form　no　idea　sufficiently　hideous；　of　its　dungeon…　like　form。　　It　is　actually　perched　upon　a　Rock　to　appearance　so　totally　inaccessible；　that　I　expected　to　have　been　pulled　up　by　a　rope；　and　sincerely　repented　having　gratified　my　curiosity　to　behold　my　Daughters　at　the　expence　of　being　obliged　to　enter　their　prison　in　so　dangerous　and　ridiculous　a　manner。　　But　as　soon　as　I　once　found　myself　safely　arrived　in　the　inside　of　this　tremendous　building；　I　comforted　myself　with　the　hope　of　having　my　spirits　revived；　by　the　sight　of　two　beautifull　girls；　such　as　the　Miss　Lesleys　had　been　represented　to　me；　at　Edinburgh。　　But　here　again；　I　met　with　nothing　but　Disappointment　and　Surprise。　Matilda　and　Margaret　Lesley　are　two　great；　tall；　out　of　the　way；　over…grown；　girls；　just　of　a　proper　size　to　inhabit　a　Castle　almost　as　large　in　comparison　as　themselves。　　I　wish　my　dear　Charlotte　that　you　could　but　behold　these　Scotch　giants；　I　am　sure　they　would　frighten　you　out　of　your　wits。　　They　will　do　very　well　as　foils　to　myself；　so　I　have　invited　them　to　accompany　me　to　London　where　I　hope　to　be　in　the　course　of　a　fortnight。　Besides　these　two　fair　Damsels；　I　found　a　little　humoured　Brat　here　who　I　beleive　is　some　relation　to　them；　they　told　me　who　she　was；　and　gave　me　a　long　rigmerole　story　of　her　father　and　a　Miss　SOMEBODY　which　I　have　entirely　forgot。　　I　hate　scandal　and　detest　Children。　　I　have　been　plagued　ever　since　I　came　here　with　tiresome　visits　from　a　parcel　of　Scotch　wretches；　with　terrible　hard…names；　they　were　so　civil；　gave　me　so　many　invitations；　and　talked　of　coming　again　so　soon；　that　I　could　not　help　affronting　them。　　I　suppose　I　shall　not　see　them　any　more；　and　yet　as　a　family　party　we　are　so　stupid；　that　I　do　not　know　what　to　do　with　myself。　　These　girls　have　no　Music；　but　Scotch　airs；　no　Drawings　but　Scotch　Mountains；　and　no　Books　but　Scotch　Poemsand　I　hate　everything　Scotch。　　In　general　I　can　spend　half　the　Day　at　my　toilett　with　a　great　deal　of　pleasure；　but　why　should　I　dress　here；　since　there　is　not　a　creature　in　the　House　whom　I　have　any　wish　to　please。　I　have　just　had　a　conversation　with　my　Brother　in　which　he　has　greatly　offended　me；　and　which　as　I　have　nothing　more　entertaining　to　send　you　I　will　gave　you　the　particulars　of。　You　must　know　that　I　have　for　these　4　or　5　Days　past　strongly　suspected　William　of　entertaining　a　partiality　to　my　eldest　Daughter。　　I　own　indeed　that　had　I　been　inclined　to　fall　in　love　with　any　woman；　I　should　not　have　made　choice　of　Matilda　Lesley　for　the　object　of　my　passion；　for　there　is　nothing　I　hate　so　much　as　a　tall　Woman：　　but　however　there　is　no　accounting　for　some　men's　taste　and　as　William　is　himself　nearly　six　feet　high；　it　is　not　wonderful　that　he　should　be　partial　to　that　height。　　Now　as　I　have　a　very　great　affection　for　my　Brother　and　should　be　extremely　sorry　to　see　him　unhappy；　which　I　suppose　he　means　to　be　if　he　cannot　marry　Matilda；　as　moreover　I　know　that　his　circumstances　will　not　allow　him　to　marry　any　one　without　a　fortune；　and　that　Matilda's　is　entirely　dependant　on　her　Father；　who　will　neither　have　his　own　inclination　nor　my　permission　to　give　her　anything　at　present；　I　thought　it　would　be　doing　a　good…　natured　action　by　my　Brother　to　let　him　know　as　much；　in　order　that　he　might　choose　for　himself；　whether　to　conquer　his　passion；　or　Love　and　Despair。　　Accordingly　finding　myself　this　Morning　alone　with　him　in　one　of　the　horrid　old　rooms　of　this　Castle；　I　opened　the　cause　to　him　in　the　following　Manner。

〃Well　my　dear　William　what　do　you　think　of　these　girls？　　for　my　part；　I　do　not　find　them　so　plain　as　I　expected：　　but　perhaps　you　may　think　me　partial　to　the　Daughters　of　my　Husband　and　perhaps　you　are　right