alliance with a family of so much honour as this
instance showed ours to be.

I then told him, 'That having, by my friend, [meaning thee,] who was
admitted into her presence, (and who had always been an admirer of her
virtues, and had given me such advice from time to time in relation to
her as I wished I had followed,) been assured that a visit from me would
be very disagreeable to her, I once more resolved to try what a letter
would do; and that, accordingly, on the seventh of August, I wrote her
one.

'This, Colonel, is the copy of it. I was then out of humour with my Lord
M. and the ladies of my family. You will, therefore, read it to
yourself.'*

* See Vol. VII. Letter LXXIX.

This letter gave him high satisfaction. You write here, Mr. Lovelace,
from your heart. 'Tis a letter full of penitence and acknowledgement.
Your request is reasonable--To be forgiven only as you shall appear to
deserve it after a time of probation, which you leave to her to fix.
Pray, Sir, did she return an answer to this letter?

She did, but with reluctance, I own, and not till I had declared by my
friend, that, if I could not procure one, I would go up to town, and
throw myself at her feet.

I wish I might be permitted to see it, Sir, or to hear such parts of it
read as you shall think proper.

Turning over my papers, Here it is, Sir.* I will make no scruple to put
it into your hands.

This is very obliging, Mr. Lovelace.

He read it. My charming cousin!--How strong her resentments!--Yet how
charitable her wishes!--Good Heaven! that such an excellent creature--
But, Mr. Lovelace, it is to your regret, as much as to mine, I doubt not
--

Interrupting him, I swore that it was.

So it ought, said he. Nor do I wonder that it should be so. I shall
tell you by-and-by, proceeded he, how much she suffers with her friends
by false and villanous reports. But, Sir, will you permit me to take
with me these two letters? I shall make use of them to the advantage of
you both.

I told him I would oblige him with all my heart. And this he took very
kindly (as he had reason); and put them in his pocket-book, promising to
return hem in a few days.

I then told him, 'That upon this her refusal, I took upon myself to go to
town, in hopes to move her in my favour; and that, though I went without
giving her notice of my intention, yet had she got some notion of my
coming, and so contrived to be out of the way: and at last, when s