m Mankind in our
old and Mouldering Castle, which is situated two miles from Perth on a
bold projecting Rock, and commands an extensive veiw of the Town and its
delightful Environs. But tho' retired from almost all the World, (for
we visit no one but the M'Leods, The M'Kenzies, the M'Phersons, the
M'Cartneys, the M'Donalds, The M'kinnons, the M'lellans, the M'kays,
the Macbeths and the Macduffs) we are neither dull nor unhappy; on the
contrary there never were two more lively, more agreable or more witty
girls, than we are; not an hour in the Day hangs heavy on our Hands. We
read, we work, we walk, and when fatigued with these Employments releive
our spirits, either by a lively song, a graceful Dance, or by some smart
bon-mot, and witty repartee. We are handsome my dear Charlotte, very
handsome and the greatest of our Perfections is, that we are entirely
insensible of them ourselves. But why do I thus dwell on myself! Let me
rather repeat the praise of our dear little Neice the innocent Louisa,
who is at present sweetly smiling in a gentle Nap, as she reposes on the
sofa. The dear Creature is just turned of two years old; as handsome as
tho' 2 and 20, as sensible as tho' 2 and 30, and as prudent as tho' 2
and 40. To convince you of this, I must inform you that she has a very
fine complexion and very pretty features, that she already knows the two
first letters in the Alphabet, and that she never tears her frocks--. If
I have not now convinced you of her Beauty, Sense and Prudence, I have
nothing more to urge in support of my assertion, and you will therefore
have no way of deciding the Affair but by coming to Lesley-Castle, and
by a personal acquaintance with Louisa, determine for yourself. Ah! my
dear Freind, how happy should I be to see you within these venerable
Walls! It is now four years since my removal from School has separated
me from you; that two such tender Hearts, so closely linked together by
the ties of simpathy and Freindship, should be so widely removed from
each other, is vastly moving. I live in Perthshire, You in Sussex. We
might meet in London, were my Father disposed to carry me there, and
were your Mother to be there at the same time. We might meet at Bath,
at Tunbridge, or anywhere else indeed, could we but be at the same place
together. We have only to hope that such a period may arrive. My Father
does not return to us till Autumn; my Brother will leave Scotland in a
few Days; he is impatient to tr