the sums
which he was empowered by it to reimburse himself; as also to take upon
himself to defray the funeral expenses.

Mr. Belford so much obliges Miss Howe by his steadiness, equity, and
dispatch, and by his readiness to contribute to the directed collection,
that she voluntarily entered into a correspondence with him, as the
representative of her beloved friend. In the course of which, he
communicated to her (in confidence) the letters which passed between him
and Mr. Lovelace, and, by Colonel Morden's consent, those which passed
between that gentleman and himself.

He sent, with the first parcel of letters which he had transcribed out of
short-hand for Miss Howe, a letter to Mr. Hickman, dated the 16th of
September, in which he expresses himself as follows:

'But I ought, Sir, in this parcel to have kept out one letter. It is
that which relates to the interview between yourself and Mr. Lovelace, at
Mr. Dormer's,* in which Mr. Lovelace treats you with an air of levity,
which neither your person, your character, nor your commission, deserved;
but which was his usual way of treating every one whose business he was
not pleased with. I hope, Sir, you have too much greatness of mind to be
disturbed at the contents of this letter, should Miss Howe communicate
them to you; and the rather, as it is impossible that you should suffer
with her on that account.'

* See Vol. VII. Letter XXVIII.

Mr. Belford then excuses Mr. Lovelace as a good-natured man with all his
faults; and gives instances of his still greater freedoms with himself.

To this Mr. Hickman answers, in his letter of the 18th:

'As to Mr. Lovelace's treatment of me in the letter you are pleased to
mention, I shall not be concerned at it, whatever it be. I went to him
prepared to expect odd behaviour from him; and was not disappointed. I
argue to myself, in all such cases as this, as Miss Howe, from her
ever-dear friend, argues, That if the reflections thrown upon me are
just, I ought not only to forgive them, but endeavour to profit by them;
if unjust, that I ought to despise them, and the reflector too, since it
would be inexcusable to strengthen by anger an enemy whose malice might
be disarmed by contempt. And, moreover, I should be almost sorry to find
myself spoken well of by a man who could treat, as he treated, a lady who
was an ornament to her sex and to human nature.

'I thank you, however, Sir, for your consideration for me in this