which are still more softened by
education; to deny them the privilege of being amiable, the only
privilege we allow them, as long as nature continues them so, is such a
mixture of cruelty and false taste as I should never have suspected you
of, notwithstanding your partiality for unripened beauty.

As to myself, I persist in my opinion, that women are most charming
when they join the attractions of the mind to those of the person, when
they feel the passion they inspire; or rather, that they are never
charming till then.

A woman in the first bloom of youth resembles a tree in blossom;
when mature, in fruit: but a woman who retains the charms of her person
till her understanding is in its full perfection, is like those trees
in happier climes, which produce blossoms and fruit together.

You will scarce believe, Jack, that I have lived a week _tete a
tete_, in the midst of a wood, with just the woman I have been
describing; a widow extremely my taste, _mature_, five or six
years more so than you say I require, lively, sensible, handsome,
without saying one civil thing to her; yet nothing can be more certain.

I could give you powerful reasons for my insensibility; but you are
a traitor to love, and therefore have no right to be in any of his
secrets.

I will excuse your visits to my sister; as well as I love you
myself, I have a thousand reasons for chusing she should not be
acquainted with you.

What you say in regard to my mother, gives me pain; I will never
take back my little gift to her; and I cannot live in England on my
present income, though it enables me to live _en prince_ in
Canada.

Adieu! I have not time to say more. I have stole this half hour from
the loveliest woman breathing, whom I am going to visit: surely you are
infinitely obliged to me. To lessen the obligation, however, my calash
is not yet come to the door.

Adieu! once more.
Yours,
Ed. Rivers.

LETTER 37.

To Miss Rivers, Clarges Street.

Silleri, Oct. 15.

Our wanderer is returned, my dear, and in such spirits as you can't
conceive: he passed yesterday with us; he likes to have us to himself,
and he had yesterday; we walked _a trio_ in the wood, and were
foolish; I have not passed so agreable a day since I came to Canada: I
love mightily to be foolish, and the people here have no taste that way
at all: your brother is divinely so upon occasion. The weather was, to
use the Canadian phrase, _superbe e