lists with a
contriving and intrepid lover?

But as to this letter, methinkest thou sayest, of Miss Howe?

I knew thou wouldest be uneasy for me. But did not I tell thee that I
had provided for every thing? That I always took care to keep seals
entire, and to preserve covers?* Was it not easy then, thinkest thou, to
contrive a shorter letter out of a longer; and to copy the very words?

* See Letter XX. of this volume.

I can tell thee, it was so well ordered, that, not being suspected to
have been in my hands, it was not easy to find me out. Had it been my
beloved's hand, there would have been no imitating it for such a length.
Her delicate and even mind is seen in the very cut of her letters. Miss
Howe's hand is no bad one, but it is not so equal and regular. That
little devil's natural impatience hurrying on her fingers, gave, I
suppose, from the beginning, her handwriting, as well as the rest of her,
its fits and starts, and those peculiarities, which, like strong muscular
lines in a face, neither the pen, nor the pencil, can miss.

Hast thou a mind tot see what it was I permitted Miss Howe to write to
her lovely friend? Why then, read it here, so extracted from her's of
Wednesday last, with a few additions of my own. The additions
underscored.*

* Editor's note: In place of italics, as in the original, I have
substituted hooks [ ].

MY DEAREST FRIEND,

You will perhaps think that I have been too long silent. But I had begun
two letters at different times since my last, and written a great deal
each time; and with spirit enough I assure you; incensed as I was against
the abominable wretch you are with; particularly on reading your's of the
21st of the past month.

The FIRST I intended to keep open till I could give you some account of
my proceedings with Mrs. Townsend. It was some days before I saw her:
and this intervenient space giving me time to reperuse what I had
written, I thought it proper to lay that aside, and to write in a style a
little less fervent; for you would have blamed me, I knew, for the
freedom of some of my expressions, (execrations, if you please.) And
when I had gone a good way in the SECOND, and change your prospects, on
his communicating to you Miss Montague's letter, and his better
behaviour, occasioning a change in your mind, I laid that aside also.
And in this uncertainty thought I would wait to see the issue of affairs
between you before I wrote again; beli