r some company you must keep. My station will not admit
it to be with my servants; and the ladies will fly your acquaintance;
and still, though my wife, will treat you as my mother's
waiting-maid.--What says my girl to this?

You may well guess, my dear father and mother, how transporting these
kind, these generous and condescending sentiments were to me!--I thought
I had the harmony of the spheres all around me; and every word that
dropped from his lips was as sweet as the honey of Hybla to me.--Oh!
sir, said I, how inexpressibly kind and good is all this! Your poor
servant has a much greater struggle than this to go through, a more
knotty difficulty to overcome.

What is that? said he, a little impatiently: I will not forgive your
doubts now.--No, sir, said I, I cannot doubt; but it is, how I shall
support, how I shall deserve your goodness to me.--Dear girl! said he,
and hugged me to his breast, I was afraid you would have made me angry
again; but that I would not be, because I see you have a grateful heart;
and this your kind and cheerful return, after such cruel usage as you
had experienced in my house, enough to make you detest the place, has
made me resolve to bear any thing in you, but doubts of my honour, at a
time when I am pouring out my soul, with a true and affectionate ardour,
before you.

But, good sir, said I, my greatest concern will be for the rude jests
you will have yourself to encounter with, for thus stooping beneath
yourself. For, as to me, considering my lowly estate, and little merit,
even the slights and reflections of the ladies will be an honour to me:
and I shall have the pride to place more than half their ill will to
their envy at my happiness. And if I can, by the most cheerful duty, and
resigned obedience, have the pleasure to be agreeable to you, I shall
think myself but too happy, let the world say what it will.

He said, You are very good, my dearest girl! But how will you bestow
your time, when you will have no visits to receive or pay? No parties of
pleasure to join in? No card-tables to employ your winter evenings; and
even, as the taste is, half the day, summer and winter? And you have
often played with my mother, too, and so know how to perform a part
there, as well as in the other diversions: and I'll assure you, my girl,
I shall not desire you to live without such amusements, as my wife might
expect, were I to marry a lady of the first quality.

O, sir, said I, you are all