n otherwise than
comfortable, I wish my generous friend to render it so as
far as may be in her power. We may have had more powerful
friends than they, but never any more sincere. _He_ has the
most frank and loyal spirit in the world, and she is
possessed of many amiable and almost heroic virtues.

"Mary----, poor girl!--you know her worth, her virtues, and
her talents, and I am sure you will not fail to keep
yourself informed of her circumstances. She has friends, or
at least _had_ them, more able than you will be to yield her
assistance in case of need. But they may forsake her for
reasons which to your enlightened and benevolent mind would
rather be an additional inducement to contribute to her
happiness. Excuse me, my dearest life, for my being so
particular on a subject which, considering to whom it is
addressed, may appear superfluous; but I do it rather to
show that I agree with you in these sentiments than to
pretend that they originate on my part. With this view I
must pursue them a little further. One of the principal
gratifications in which I intended, and still intend to
indulge myself if I should live to enjoy with you the means
of doing it, is to succor the unfortunate of every
description as far as possible--to encourage merit where I
find it, and try to create it where it does not exist. This
has long been a favorite project with me; but, having always
been destitute of the means of carrying it into effect to
any considerable degree, I have not conversed with you upon
it as much as I wish I had. Though I can say nothing that
will be new to you on the pleasure of employing one's
attention and resources in this way, yet some useful hints
might be given on the means of multiplying good actions from
small resources; for I would not confine my pleasure to the
simple duties of _charity_ in the beggar's sense of the
word.

"_First._ Much may be done by advising with poor persons,
contriving for them, and pointing out the objects on which
they can employ their own industry.

"_Secondly._ Many persons and families in a crisis of
difficulty might be extricated and set up in the world by
little loans of money, for which they might give good
security and refund within a year; and the same fund might
then go