him in _that_;
he cannot help being amusing. He offers to meet us on the sea coast,
if the plan of which Edward gave him some hint takes place. Will not
this be making the execution of such a plan more desirable and
delightful than ever? He talks of the rambles we took together last
summer with pleasing affection.

'Yours ever,
'J. A.'

_From the same to the same_.

'Gay St. Sunday Evening,
'April 21 (1805).

MY DEAR CASSANDRA,--I am much obliged to you for writing to me again
so soon; your letter yesterday was quite an unexpected pleasure. Poor
Mrs. Stent! it has been her lot to be always in the way; but we must
be merciful, for perhaps in time we may come to be Mrs. Stents
ourselves, unequal to anything, and unwelcome to everybody . . . . My
morning engagement was with the Cookes, and our party consisted of
George and Mary, a Mr. L., Miss B., who had been with us at the
concert, and the youngest Miss W. Not Julia; we have done with her;
she is very ill; but Mary. Mary W.'s turn is actually come to be
grown up, and have a fine complexion, and wear great square muslin
shawls. I have not expressly enumerated myself among the party, but
there I was, and my cousin George was very kind, and talked sense to
me every now and then, in the intervals of his more animated fooleries
with Miss B., who is very young, and rather handsome, and whose
gracious manners, ready wit, and solid remarks, put me somewhat in
mind of my old acquaintance L. L. There was a monstrous deal of
stupid quizzing and common-place nonsense talked, but scarcely any
wit; all that bordered on it or on sense came from my cousin George,
whom altogether I like very well. Mr. B. seems nothing more than a
tall young man. My evening engagement and walk was with Miss A., who
had called on me the day before, and gently upbraided me in her turn
with a change of manners to her since she had been in Bath, or at
least of late. Unlucky me! that my notice should be of such
consequence, and my manners so bad! She was so well disposed, and so
reasonable, that I soon forgave her, and made this engagement with her
in proof of it. She is really an agreeable girl, so I think I may
like her; and her great want of a companion at home, which may well
make any tolerable acquaintance important to her, gives her another
claim on my attention. I shall