both Wallingfords, and the nearest of kin to
each other, _of the name_. Clawbonny will be safe with either of us, and
either of us will be safe with Clawbonny.

"Your affectionate cousin,
John Wallingford."

I confess that all this anxiety about Clawbonny began to give me some
uneasiness, and that I often wished, I had been less ambitious, or less
hasty would be the better word, and had been content to go to sea again,
in my simple character of ship-master, and ship-owner; leaving the
merchant to those who better understood the vocation.

I now went to the boat, and to the ship. Marble was all ready for me, and
in ten minutes the anchor was clear of the bottom; in ten more, it was
catted and fished, and the Dawn was beating down the bay, on a young
flood, with a light breeze, at south-west. The pilot being in charge, I
had nothing to do but go below, and write my letters. I answered
everybody, even to the Secretary of State, who, at that time, was no less
a man than James Madison. To him, however, I had nothing to say, but to
acknowledge the receipt of the dispatches, and to promise to deliver them.
My letter to Mr. Hardinge, was, I hope, such as a son might have written
to a revered parent. In it, I begged he would allow me to add to his
library, by a purchase of theological works of value, and which, in that
day, could only be procured in Europe. This was to be his memorial of my
sister. I also begged of his friendship an occasional look at Clawbonny,
though I did not venture to speak of the mortgage, of which I now felt a
sort of conviction he would not approve.

The letter to John Wallingford, was as pithy as his own to me. I told him
my will was made, on a conviction of its perfect propriety, and assured
him it would not be altered in a hurry; I told him the sugars were safe,
and let him understand that they were already on their way to Hamburg,
whence I hoped, ere long, to send him a good account of their sale.

To Lucy, I was by no means so laconic. On the subject of the pearls of
Grace, I begged her to do just as she pleased; adding a request, however,
that she would select such others of my sister's ornaments, as might be
most agreeable to herself. On this point I was a little earnest, since the
pearls were not worth the sum Grace had mentioned to me; and I felt
persuaded Lucy would not wish me to remain her debtor. There was a pair of
bracelets, in particular, that Grace had highly prized, and whic