PART III.

ON LOVE, COURTSHIP, AND MARRIAGE.

LETTER 93.

From a Young Gentleman to a Lady with whom he is in Love.

MADAM,

I have three times attempted to give you a verbal relation of the contents of this letter; but my heart has often failed. I know not in what light it may be considered, only if I can form any notion of my own heart, from the impression made on it by your many amiable accomplishments, my happiness in this world will, in a great measure, depend on your answer. I am not precipitate, madam, nor would I desire your hand, if your heart did not accompany it. My circumstances are independent, my character hitherto unblemished, of which you shall have the most undoubted proof. You have already secn some of my relations at your aunt's in Read street, particularly my mother, with whom I now live. Your aunt will inform you concerning our family, and if it is to your satisfaction, I shall not only consider myself as extremely happy, but shall also make it the principal study of my future life to spend my days in the company of her whom

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I do prefer to all others in the world. I shall wait for your answer with the utmost impatience, and am,

Madam, your real admirer.

SIR,

LETTER 94.

The Lady's Answer.

I received your letter last night, and as it was on a subject I had not yet any thoughts of, you will not wonder when I tell you I was a good deal surprised. Although I have seen and familiarly conversed with you at different times, yet I had not the most distant thoughts of your making proposals of such a nature. Some of your sex have often asserted that we are fond of flattery, and very much pleased with praise; I shall therefore suppose you one of that class, and excuse you for those encomiums bestowed upon me in your letter; but am afraid, was I to comply with your proposals, you would soon be convinced that the charms you mention, and seem to value so much, are merely exterior appearances, which like the summer's flower, will very soon fade, and all those mighty professions of love will end at last either in indifference, or, which is worse, disgust. You desire me to inquire of my aunt concerning your character and family. You must excuse me when I tell you that I am obliged to decline making any such inquiry. However, as your be haviour when in company was always agreeable, I shall treat you with as much respect as is consistent with common decorum. My worthy guardian, Mr. Melvill, is now at his seat at Bloomingdale, and his conduct has been so much like that of a parent, that I do not choose

to take one step in an affair of such importance without both his consent and approbation. There is an appearance of sincerity runs through your letter; but there is one particular to which I have a very strong objection; you say that you live with your mother, yet you do not say that you have either communicated your sentiments to her or to your other relations. I must freely and honestly tell you that as I would not disoblige my own relations, neither would I, on any consideration, admit of any addresses contrary to the inclinations of yours. If you can clear up this to my satisfaction, I shall send you a more explicit answer, and am, sir,

Your most obedient humble servant.

DEAR MADAM,

LETTER 95.

The Gentleman's Reply.

I return you a thousand thanks for your letter, and it is with the greatest pleasure I can clear up to your satisfaction the matter you doubted of. Before I wrote to you, I communicated the affair to my two cousins; but had not courage enough to mention it to my mother; but that is now over; and nothing, she says, would give her greater pleasure than to see me married to a young lady of your amiable character; nay, so far is she from having any objection, that she would have waited on you as the bearer of this, had I not persuaded her against it, as she has been these three days afflicted with a severe cold, and I was afraid, that if she had ventured abroad so soon, it might be attended with dangerous consequences. But to convince you of my sincerity, she has sent the en

closed, written with her own hand; and whatever may be the contents, I solemnly assure you that I am totally ignorant, except that she told me it was in approbation of my suit. If you will give me leave to wait on you, I shall then be able to explain things more particularly.

I am, dear madam,

Your real lover.

LETTER 96.

From the young gentleman's Mother to the young Lady.

DEAR MISS,

If you find any thing in these lines improperly written, you will candidly excuse it, as coming from the hands of a parent, in behalf of an only, beloved, and dutiful son.

My dear Charles has told me, that you have made such an impression on him, that he knows not how to be happy in any one else, and it gives me great happiness to find that he has placed his affections on so worthy an object. Indeed it has been my principal study to instruct him in the principles of our holy religion; well knowing that those who do not fear God will never pay any regard to domestic duties. His father died when his son was only ten months old, and being deprived of the parent, all my consolation was that I had his image left in the son. I nursed him with all the tenderness possible, and even taught him to read and write. When he was of proper age, I sent him to a boarding school, and afterwards to college. Whilst he was prosecuting his studies, I daily recommended him to the care of that God whose eyes behold all his creatures, and will reward and punish accord

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ing to their merit. Ever since his return from Princeton, he has resided constantly with me, and his conduct to' every one with whom he has had any connexions, has been equal to my utmost wishes. At present, my dear girl, I am in a very sickly condition, and, although I have concealed it from him, yet, in all human probability, my time in this world will not be long. Excuse the indulgent partiality of a mother, when I tell you it is my real opinion you can never place your affection on a more worthy young man than my son. He is endowed with more real worth than thousands of others whom I have known; and I have been told of instances of his benevolence which he has industriously concealed. I have only to add further, that the only worldly consideration now upon my mind is to see him happily married, and then my whole attention shall be fixed on that place where I hope we shall all enjoy eternal felicity.

I am, dear Miss,

Your sincere well wisher.

MADAM,

LETTER 97.

The Young Lady's Answer.

I will excuse the fondness of a tender mother for her only child. Before I received yours I had heard of the unaffected piety, and the many accomplishments of your son; so that I was no ways surprised at what you say concerning him. I do assure you, madam, that I would prefer an alliance with you before even nobility itself, and I think it must be my own fault if I ever repent calling you mother. I was going to say that you had