courage to meet it.

"Even I, to follow a theme as dispiriting, even I, grow
weary of pleasure, and tired of gaiety. The busy world of
enjoyment leaves not a moment free for happiness, and
already I am longing to be back in the still valley of
Glenflesk. It is not that Dublin is not very brilliant, or
that society has less of agreeability than I expected--both
have exceeded my anticipations; nor is it, that I have not
been what we should call in France 'successful' in my
'debut'--far from that, I am the fashion, or, rather, half
the fashion--Sybella dividing public favour with me;--but,
somehow, nobody contradicts me here--no one has courage to
tell me I'm wrong--no one will venture to say, what you have
often said, and even oftener looked, that 'I talked of what
I knew nothing;' and, in fact, my dear uncle, every one is
so very much in love with me, that I am beginning to detest
them, and would give the world to be once more at home,
before I extend the hatred to myself, which I must
inevitably end by doing, if nobody anticipates me in the
sentiment.

"You told me I should prove faithless to you. Well, I have
refused heaven knows how many 'brilliant offers,' for such
even the proposers called them. Generals of fourscore,
guardsmen of twenty, dignitaries in the church, sergeants
learned in the law, country gentlemen in hordes, two
baronets, and one luckless viscount, have asked for the
valueless hand that writes these lines; and yet--and yet,
my dear chevalier, I shall still write myself at the bottom
of this page, Kate O'Donoghue. I have no doubt you are very
vain of my constancy, and will be so when you read this;
and it is right you should be, for, I promise you, in my
'robe, couleur de cerise,' looped with white roses, and my
'chapeau de paysanne,' I am a very pretty person indeed--at
least, it seems a point the twelve judges agree upon, and
the Master of the Rolls tells me, 'that with such long eye-
lashes I might lift my eyes very high indeed.'

"And now, my dear, kind uncle, divide your sorrow between
your niece who is dying of vanity, and your nephew who is
sick of grief--continue your affection to both--and believe
me, in all sincerity of heart, your own fond and faithful,

"Kate O'Donoghue."

"I hav