esteem and friendship, she has
a manner of addressing me which the heart alone can feel; she contrives
to prevent my appearing to give her any preference to the rest of her
sex, yet I have seen her blush at my civility to another.

She has at least a friendship for me, which alone would make the
happiness of my life; and which I would prefer to the love of the most
charming woman imagination could form, sensible as I am to the sweetest
of all passions: this friendship, however, time and assiduity may ripen
into love; at least I should be most unhappy if I did not think so.

I love her with a tenderness of which few of my sex are capable: you
have often told me, and you were right, that my heart has all the
sensibility of woman.

A mail is arrived, by which I hope to hear from you; I must hurry to
the post office; you shall hear again in a few days.

Adieu!
Your affectionate
Ed. Rivers.

LETTER 67.

To Colonel Rivers, at Quebec.

London, Dec. 1.

You need be in no pain, my dear brother, on Mr. Temple's account;
my heart is in no danger from a man of his present character: his
person and manner are certainly extremely pleasing; his understanding,
and I believe his principles, are worthy of your friendship; an
encomium which, let me observe, is from me a very high one: he will be
admired every where, but to be beloved, he wants, or at least appears
to me to want, the most endearing of all qualities, that genuine
tenderness of soul, that almost feminine sensibility, which, with all
your firmness of mind and spirit, you possess beyond any man I ever yet
met with.

If your friend wishes to please me, which I almost fancy he does, he
must endeavor to resemble you; 'tis rather hard upon me, I think, that
the only man I perfectly approve, and whose disposition is formed to
make me happy, should be my brother: I beg you will find out somebody
very like yourself for your sister, for you have really made me saucy.

I pity you heartily, and wish above all things to hear of your
Emily's marriage, for your present situation must be extremely
unpleasant.

But, my dear brother, as you were so very wise about Temple, allow
me to ask you whether it is quite consistent with prudence to throw
yourself in the way of a woman so formed to inspire you with
tenderness, and whom it is so impossible you can ever hope to possess:
is not this acting a little like a foolish girl, who plays round the
flam