what pleased me much in the prudent manner you conduct the affairs of your brother's house; but, as he is on the point of being married, that employment will cease when the other event takes place. I did not hear that you was engaged by promise to any other; and as you have heard something concerning my family, character, and circumstances, you are more able to judge whether my present proposal is for your interest. In case you have any objections to my having children, I can only say that they will be easily answered. I have told you before, that I have only two young daughters now at a boarding school, and I have settled each of their marriage portions, and the remainder is entirely for myself; and, without being any real prejudice to my children, is more than sufficient for us both. As to the common objection against being a step mother, I think it may be easily answered, when I tell you, that my children will treat you with all manner of respect. I do not imagine you can esteem me the worse for loving my children; I have too good an opinion of you to think so; and, as for the odious appellations usually thrown out against step mothers, they can only be considered, by a lady of your sensibility, as the effect of prejudice, operating upon vulgar minds, occasioned by the conduct of some inhuman wretches, who are a disgrace to society, and who would have acted in the same manner had they been placed in any other station in life. Your own good sense will point out the propriety of what I say. From what I have written, you will be able to judge, whether or not the proposals I have now made are apparently for your real advantage. All that I desire is, to live in amity and friendship with the woman on whom I have placed my affections, as long as I am in this world. Every thing in my power will be ex

erted to make you as happy as possible, as I think, if I am not mistaken, every part of your conduct will entitle you to deserve it. I hope you will not defer sending me an answer, as I shall wait for it with the utmost impatience.

I am, madam,

Yours sincerely and affectionately.

SIR,

LETTER 115.

The Lady's Answer.

I have just received your letter, and for my own part must say, that you have acted the philosopher extremely well. I thought that love letters had not usually been extracted from Seneca or Epictetus; but, why do I wonder, when even a lady now alive went through the drudgery of learning the Greek language, in order to acquire the honor of being the translator of the latter. However, she has got far enough, and I have not any intention of following her, but shall consider my lover's phi losophical letter.

Whilst you remained at our house, I must acknowledge that your company was agreeable; and your assiduity to please arose from a conciousness of your merit as a gentleman, although at that time, neither my brother nor myself, had the most distant thoughts of ever hearing such a proposal as your letter contains. It is our common practice to entertain strangers in the same manner we did you, which is consistent with old English hospitality, and something like the conduct of the ancient patriarchs.

The proposal which you have sent me is of too serious a nature to be treated lightly; it requires to be considered with the greatest attention; especially as a wrong step of that sort not only destroys all hopes of temporal happiness, but, what is infinitely worse, often endangers that which is eternal. I doubt not but you have seen many fatal instances of this melancholy truth, viz. That those who were bound by the most solemn engagements to go hand in hand, through affluence and poverty, have often prevented the one, and hastened those afflictions inseparably connected with the other. The consideration of those things presents us with a glaring proof of the corruption of human nature in general, and particularly its most desirable state, pretended conjugal felicity. The causes from which unhappiness arises in families, are various; and although I never was a wife, yet I have seen many fatal instances of their pernicious effects.

You yourself seem to be aware of this in the objections stated in your letter; and although I have convincing proofs that your circumstances are consistent with your representation of them, yet the second objection is not so easily answered; nor, indeed, have you done it to my own satisfaction. Your answers to the common objections made against step-mothers are altogether rational; they are what reason will at all times dictate and prudence on every occasion require; but you will excuse me if I tell you sincerely, that even in the opinion of the reflecting part of the world, the life of a step-mother is far more disagreeable than you endeavor to persuade me. All eyes are upon them, and even their virtues construed into faults. I acknowledge that it could never enter into the mind of a rational creature, I mean one that is really so, that a woman should tyrannize over two or three or

phans, for no other reason, save only that their mother' was their father's former wife. This would prove her guilty of three of the most odious crimes, capable of being committed in the conjugal state. First, inhumanity to the deceased mother; secondly, cruelty to the surviving children; and lastly, a total disrespect to her husband. For what woman would esteem the man, or what regard could she think he would have for her children, if he did not treat, or cause to be treated with tenderness, those who were born of a woman equally dear with herself? But you know, sir, that we live in the world; and few, I believe, would choose to have their lives rendered unhappy if they could possibly avoid it. Your character, circumstances, and accomplishments, might entitle you to a much better wife than me; but, I confess the above reasons weigh strong in my mind against such a connexion; and unless they are answered more to my satisfac tion than what you have already done, I should choose to remain as I am. In the mean time, I shall be glad at all times to hear from you, and am,

Your sincere well wisher.

DEAR MADAM,

LETTER 116.

The Gentleman's Reply.

I have always thought there was none more ready to condemn the conduct of others, than those who are most guilty themselves, and of this your letter is a most convincing proof. Do not be surprised, for I am really in earnest. You have accused me of acting the philosopher, whilst you seem much better acquainted with those

sages than myself. But pray, madam, is it any great fault to write a love letter in a serious strain? Or should every thing on that subject be only a jumble of incoherent nonsense? Should the lover divest himself of the man, and because he prefers a woman to the rest of her sex, must he act the part of a fool to obtain her? I dare venture to say you will answer in the negative. Your letter contains so many prudential reasons for refusing my offer, that I should be stupid indeed if I did not consider them as the result of a well informed judgment. All the objection I have to them is, that they appear too much grounded on popular censure. I believe you are well acquainted with the world, and you know that the best actions have been misrepresented, and the most amiable characters traduced. Nor has this been confined to any one station in life; it has diffused itself through them all; and, although its baleful influence has often rendered innocence miserable, yet the prudent will despise it with that contempt it so justly merits. Virtue is its own reward; and happiness

Deaf to folly's call,

Attend the music of the mind."

Whilst a woman of your good sense has the answers of a good conscience in approbation of your conduct, how insignificant must the envious censures of malice appear, when compared with real peace of mind. Indeed, I think I shall not be guilty of blasphemy when I call your refinement of sentiment, false delicacy. However, as I said before, I am really in earnest: and, if I have not formed an erroneous judgment, you are the only person I have conversed with, since I became a widower, with whom I think I can live happy. And will you, madam, be so cruel as to reject my suit? I do not think it is con