proportion for
the indignities you have suffered; and of changing of names by act of
parliament, preparative to the interest they will all join to make to get
the titles to go where the bulk of the estate must go, at my Lord's
death, which they apprehend to be nearer than they wish. Nor doubt they
of a thorough reformation in his morals, from your example and influence
over him.

I made a great many objections for you--all, I believe, that you could
have made yourself, had you been present. But I have no doubt to advise
you, my dear, (and so does my mother,) instantly to put yourself into
Lady Betty's protection, with a resolution to take the wretch for your
husband. All his future grandeur [he wants not pride] depends upon his
sincerity to you; and the young ladies vouch for the depth of his concern
for the wrongs he has done you.

All his apprehension is, in your readiness to communicate to every one,
as he fears, the evils you have suffered; which he thinks will expose you
both. But had you not revealed them to Lady Betty, you had not had so
warm a friend; since it is owing to two letters you wrote to her, that
all this good, as I hope it will prove, was brought about. But I advise
you to be more sparing in exposing what is past, whether you have
thoughts of accepting him or not: for what, my dear, can that avail now,
but to give a handle to vile wretches to triumph over your friends; since
every one will not know how much to your honour your very sufferings have
been?

Your melancholy letter brought by Rogers,* with his account of your
indifferent health, confirmed to him by the woman of the house, as well
as by your looks and by your faintness while you talked with him, would
have given me inexpressible affliction, had I not bee cheered by this
agreeable visit from the young ladies. I hope you will be equally so on
my imparting the subject of it to you.

* See Letter II. of this volume.

Indeed, my dear, you must not hesitate. You must oblige them. The
alliance is splendid and honourable. Very few will know any thing of his
brutal baseness to you. All must end, in a little while, in a general
reconciliation; and you will be able to resume your course of doing the
good to every deserving object, which procured you blessings wherever you
set your foot.

I am concerned to find, that your father's inhuman curse affects you so
much as it does. Yet you are a noble creature to put it, as you put it--