ry great deal to communicate; so
much so, that I really hardly know how to begin. As for my
affection and friendship for you, believe me sincerely, they
neither slumber nor sleep, and it is only your suspicions of
their drowsiness which incline me to write at this period of a
business highly interesting to me, rather than when I could have
done so with something like certainty--Hem! Hem! It must come out
at once--I am in a very fair way of being married to a very
amiable {p.253} young woman, with whom I formed an attachment
in the course of my tour. She was born in France--her parents
were of English extraction--the name Carpenter. She was left an
orphan early in life, and educated in England, and is at present
under the care of a Miss Nicolson, a daughter of the late Dean of
Exeter, who was on a visit to her relations in Cumberland. Miss
Carpenter is of age, but as she lies under great obligations to
the Marquis of Downshire, who was her guardian, she cannot take a
step of such importance without his consent--and I daily expect
his final answer upon the subject. Her fortune is dependent, in a
great measure, upon an only and very affectionate brother. He is
Commercial Resident at Salem in India, and has settled upon her
an annuity of L500. Of her personal accomplishments I shall only
say that she possesses very good sense, with uncommon good
temper, which I have seen put to most severe trials. I must
bespeak your kindness and friendship for her. You may easily
believe I shall rest very much both upon Miss R. and you for
giving her the _carte de pays_, when she comes to Edinburgh. I
may give you a hint that there is no _romance_ in her
composition--and that, though born in France, she has the
sentiments and manners of an Englishwoman, and does not like to
be thought otherwise. A very slight tinge in her pronunciation is
all which marks the foreigner. She is at present at Carlisle,
where I shall join her as soon as our arrangements are finally
made. Some difficulties have occurred in settling matters with my
father, owing to certain prepossessions which you can easily
conceive his adopting. One main article was the uncertainty of
her provision, which has been in part removed by the safe arrival
of her remittances for this year, with assurances of