ill distinguish him to the lady.

Mrs. Lovick gratified me with an account of a letter she had written from
the lady's mouth to Miss Howe; she being unable to write herself with
steadiness.

It was to this effect; in answer, it seems, to her two letters, whatever
were the contents of them:

'That she had been involved in a dreadful calamity, which she was sure,
when known, would exempt her from the effects of her friendly
displeasure, for not answering her first; having been put under an
arrest.--Could she have believed it?--That she was released but the day
before: and was now so weak and so low, that she was obliged to account
thus for her silence to her [Miss Howe's] two letters of the 13th and
16th: that she would, as soon as able, answer them--begged of her, mean
time, not to be uneasy for her; since (only that this was a calamity
which came upon her when she was far from being well, a load laid upon
the shoulders of a poor wretch, ready before to sink under too heavy a
burden) it was nothing to the evil she had before suffered: and one
felicity seemed likely to issue from it; which was, that she would be
at rest, in an honest house, with considerate and kind-hearted people;
having assurance given her, that she should not be molested by the
wretch, whom it would be death for her to see: so that now she, [Miss
Howe,] needed not to send to her by private and expensive conveyances:
nor need Collins to take precautions for fear of being dogged to her
lodgings; nor need she write by a fictitious name to her, but by her
own.'

You can see I am in a way to oblige you: you see how much she depends
upon my engaging for your forbearing to intrude yourself into her
company: let not your flaming impatience destroy all; and make me look
like a villain to a lady who has reason to suspect every man she sees to
be so.--Upon this condition, you may expect all the services that can
flow from

Your sincere well-wisher,
J. BELFORD.

LETTER XXI

MR. BELFORD, TO ROBERT LOVELACE, ESQ.
TUESDAY NIGHT, JULY 18.

I am just come from the lady. I was admitted into the dining-room, where
she was sitting in an elbow-chair, in a very weak and low way. She made
an effort to stand up when I entered; but was forced to keep her seat.
You'll excuse me, Mr. Belford: I ought to rise to thank you for all your
kindness to me. I was to blame to be so loth to leave that sad place;
for I am in heaven here, to what I was there; and good p