terfeit of love; but of that vivifying fire, that lively
tenderness which hurries us out of ourselves, they know nothing; that
tenderness which makes us forget ourselves, when the interest, the
happiness, the honor, of him we love is concerned; that tenderness
which renders the beloved object all that we see in the creation.

Yes, my Rivers, I live, I breathe, I exist, for you alone: be happy,
and your Emily is so.

My dear friend, you know love, and will therefore bear with all the
impertinence of a tender heart.

I hope you have by this time made Fitzgerald happy; he deserves you,
amiable as you are, and you cannot too soon convince him of your
affection: you sometimes play cruelly with his tenderness: I have been
astonished to see you torment a heart which adores you.

I am interrupted.

Adieu! my dear Bell.
Your affectionate
Emily Montague.

LETTER 167.

To Captain Fermor, at Silleri.

Clarges Street, Aug. 1.

Lord ---- not being in town, I went to his villa at Richmond, to
deliver your letter.

I cannot enough, my dear Sir, thank you for this introduction; I
passed part of the day at Richmond, and never was more pleasingly
entertained.

His politeness, his learning, his knowledge of the world, however
amiable, are in character at his season of life; but his vivacity is
astonishing.

What fire, what spirit, there is in his conversation! I hardly
thought myself a young man near him. What must he have been at five and
twenty?

He desired me to tell you, all his interest should be employed for
Fitzgerald, and that he wished you to come to England as soon as
possible.

We are just setting off for Temple's house in Rutland.

Adieu!
Your affectionate
Ed. Rivers.

LETTER 168.

To Captain Fermor, at Silleri.

Temple-house, Aug. 4.

I enjoy, my dear friend, in one of the pleasantest houses, and most
agreable situations imaginable, the society of the four persons in the
world most dear to me; I am in all respects as much at home as if
master of the family, without the cares attending that station; my
wishes, my desires, are prevented by Temple's attention and friendship,
and my mother and sister's amiable anxiety to oblige me; I find an
unspeakable softness in seeing my lovely Emily every moment, in seeing
her adored by my family, in seeing her without restraint, in being in
the same house, in living in that easy converse which is born from