write
from a coffee-house, where I am attending about business. There is a
dirty crowd of busy faces all around me, talking of money; while all
my ambition, all my wealth, is love! Love which animates my heart,
sweetens my humour, enlarges my soul; and affects every action of my
life. It is to my lovely charmer I owe, that many noble ideas are
continually affixed to my words and actions; it is the natural
effect of that generous passion to create in the admirer some
similitude of the object admired. Thus, my dear, am I every day to
improve from so sweet a companion. Look up, my fair one, to that
Heaven which made thee such; and join with me to implore its
influence on our tender innocent hours, and beseech the Author of
love to bless the rites He has ordained--and mingle with our
happiness a just sense of our transient condition, and a resignation
to His will, which only can regulate our minds to a steady endeavour
to please Him and each other.

"I am for ever your faithful servant,

"RICH. STEELE."

Some few hours afterwards, apparently, Mistress Scurlock received
the next one--obviously written later in the day!

"Saturday night (Aug. 30, 1707).

"DEAR, LOVELY MRS. SCURLOCK,--

"I have been in very good company, where your health, under the
character of _the woman I loved best_, has been often drunk; so that
I may say that I am dead drunk for your sake, which is more than _I
die for you_.

"RICH. STEELE."

TO MRS. SCURLOCK.

"Sept. 1, 1707.

"MADAM,--

"It is the hardest thing in the world to be in love, and yet attend
business. As for me, all who speak to me find me out, and I must
lock myself up, or other people will do it for me.

"A gentleman asked me this morning, 'What news from Lisbon?' and I
answered, 'She is exquisitely handsome.' Another desired to know
'when I had last been at Hampton Court?' I replied, 'It will be on
Tuesday come se'nnight.' Pr'ythee allow me at least to kiss your
hand before that day, that my mind may be in some composure. O Love!

"A thousand torments dwell about thee,
Yet who could live, to live without thee?

"Methinks I could write a volume to you; but all the language on
earth would fail in saying how much, and with what dis