to be cruel--yet not too cruel
neither--so as to make a man heartless, who has no time, God wot, to
throw away.'--Then would my behaviour to Mr. Hickman have been better
liked; and my mother would have bridled like her daughter.

O my dear, how might we have been diverted by the practisings for the
recovery of the long forgottens! could I have been sure that it would
have been in my power to have put them asunder, in the Irish style,
before they had come together. But there's no trusting to the widow
whose goods and chattels are in her own hands, addressed by an old
bachelor who has fine things, and offers to leave her ten thousand pounds
better than he found her, and sole mistress, besides, of all her
notables! for these, as you will see by-and-by, are his proposals.

The old Triton's address carries the writer's marks upon the very
subscription--To the equally amiable and worthy admired [there's for
you!] Mrs. ANABELLA HOWE, widow, the last word added, I suppose as
Esquire to a man, as a word of honour; or for fear the bella to Anna,
should not enough distinguish the person meant from the spinster: [vain
hussy you'll call me, I know:] And then follows;--These humbly present.
--Put down as a memorandum, I presume, to make a leg, and behave
handsomely at presenting it, he intending, very probably, to deliver it
himself.

And now stand by--to see

ENTER OLD NEPTUNE.

His head adorned with sea-weed, and a crown of cockle-shells; as we see
him decked out in Mrs. Robinson's grotto.

MONDAY, MAY 15.

MADAM,

I did make a sort of resolution ten years ago never to marry. I saw in
other families, where they lived best, you will be pleased to mark that,
queernesses I could not away with. Then liked well enough to live single
for the sake of my brother's family; and for one child in it more than
the rest. But that girl has turned us all off the hinges: and why should
I deny myself any comforts for them, as will not thank me for so doing, I
don't know.

So much for my motives as from self and family: but the dear Mrs. Howe
makes me go farther.

I have a very great fortune, I bless God for it, all of my own getting,
or most of it; you will be pleased to mark that; for I was the youngest
brother of three. You have also, God be thanked, a great estate, which
you have improved by your own frugality and wise management. Frugality,
let me stop to say, is one of the greatest virtues in this mortal life,
becaus