indulgence of her notions at the expense of her mother's inclinations. Her
idle love for Reginald, too! It is surely my duty to discourage such

romanticnonsense. All things considered, therefore, it seems incumbent on
me to take her to town and marry her immediately to Sir James. When my own

will is effected contrary to his, I shall have some credit in being on good
terms with Reginald, which at present, in fact, I have not; for though he

is still in my power, I have given up the very article by which our quarrel
was produced, and at best the honour of victory is doubtful. Send me your

opinion on all these matters, my dear Alicia, and let me know whether you
can get lodgings to suit me within a short distance of you.

Your most attached
S. VERNON.

XXVI
MRS. JOHNSON TO LADY SUSAN

Edward Street.
I am gratified by your reference, and this is my advice: that you come

to town yourself, without loss of time, but that you leave Frederica
behind. It would surely be much more to the purpose to get yourself well

established by marrying Mr. De Courcy, than to irritate him and the rest of
his family by making her marry Sir James. You should think more of yourself

and less of your daughter. She is not of a disposition to do you credit in
the world, and seems precisely in her proper place at Churchhill, with the

Vernons. But you are fitted for society, and it is shameful to have you
exiled from it. Leave Frederica, therefore, to punish herself for the

plague she has given you, by indulging that romantic tender-heartedness
which will always ensure her misery enough, and come to London as soon as

you can. I have another reason for urging this: Mainwaring came to town
last week, and has contrived, in spite of Mr. Johnson, to make

opportunities of seeing me. He is absolutelymiserable about you, and
jealous to such a degree of De Courcy that it would be highly unadvisable

for them to meet at present. And yet, if you do not allow him to see you
here, I cannot answer for his not committing some great imprudence--such as

going to Churchhill, for instance, which would be dreadful! Besides, if you
take my advice, and resolve to marry De Courcy, it will be indispensably

necessary to you to get Mainwaring out of the way; and you only can have
influence enough to send him back to his wife. I have still another motive

for your coming: Mr. Johnson leaves London next Tuesday; he is going for
his health to Bath, where, if the waters are favourable to his constitution

and my wishes, he will be laid up with the gout many weeks. During his
absence we shall be able to chuse our own society, and to have true

enjoyment. I would ask you to Edward Street, but that once he forced from
me a kind of promise never to invite you to my house; nothing but my being

in the utmostdistress for money should have extorted it from me. I can get
you, however, a nice drawing-room apartment in Upper Seymour Street, and we

may be always together there or here; for I consider my promise to Mr.
Johnson as comprehending only (at least in his absence) your not sleeping

in the house. Poor Mainwaring gives me such histories of his wife's
jealousy. Silly woman to expect constancy from so charming a man! but she

always was silly--intolerably so in marrying him at all, she the heiress of
a large fortune and he without a shilling: one title, I know, she might

have had, besides baronets. Her folly in forming the connection was so
great that, though Mr. Johnson was her guardian, and I do not in general

share HIS feelings, I never can forgive her.
Adieu. Yours ever,

ALICIA.
XXVII

MRS. VERNON TO LADY DE COURCY
Churchhill.

This letter, my dear Mother, will be brought you by Reginald. His long
visit is about to be concluded at last, but I fear the separation takes

place too late to do us any good. She is going to London to see her
particular friend, Mrs. Johnson. It was at first her intention that

Frederica should accompany her, for the benefit of masters, but we
overruled her there. Frederica was wretched in the idea of going, and I

could not bear to have her at the mercy of her mother; not all the masters
in London could compensate for the ruin of her comfort. I should have

feared, too, for her health, and for everything but her principles--there
I believe she is not to be injured by her mother, or her mother's friends;

but with those friends she must have mixed (a very bad set, I doubt not),
or have been left in total solitude, and I can hardly tell which would have

been worse for her. If she is with her mother, moreover, she must, alas! in
all probability be with Reginald, and that would be the greatest evil of

all. Here we shall in time be in peace, and our regular employments, our
books and conversations, with exercise, the children, and every domestic

pleasure in my power to procure her, will, I trust, gradually overcome this
youthful attachment. I should not have a doubt of it were she slighted for

any other woman in the world than her own mother. How long Lady Susan will
be in town, or whether she returns here again, I know not. I could not be

cordial in my invitation, but if she chuses to come no want of cordiality
on my part will keep her away. I could not help asking Reginald if he

intended being in London this winter, as soon as I found her ladyship's
steps would be bent thither; and though he professed himself quite

undetermined, there was something in his look and voice as he spoke which
contradicted his words. I have done with lamentation; I look upon the event

as so far decided that I resign myself to it in despair. If he leaves you
soon for London everything will be concluded.

Your affectionate, &c.,
C. VERNON.

XXVIII
MRS. JOHNSON TO LADY SUSAN

Edward Street.
My dearest Friend,--I write in the greatest distress; the most

unfortunate event has just taken place. Mr. Johnson has hit on the most
effectual manner of plaguing us all. He had heard, I imagine, by some means

or other, that you were soon to be in London, and immediately contrived to
have such an attack of the gout as must at least delay his journey to Bath,

if not wholly prevent it. I am persuaded the gout is brought on or kept off
at pleasure; it was the same when I wanted to join the Hamiltons to the

Lakes; and three years ago, when I had a fancy for Bath, nothing could
induce him to have a gouty symptom.

I am pleased to find that my letter had so much effect on you, and that
De Courcy is certainly your own. Let me hear from you as soon as you

arrive, and in particular tell me what you mean to do with Mainwaring. It
is impossible to say when I shall be able to come to you; my confinement

must be great. It is such an abominable trick to be ill here instead of at
Bath that I can scarcely command myself at all. At Bath his old aunts

would have nursed him, but here it all falls upon me; and he bears pain
with such patience that I have not the common excuse for losing my temper.

Yours ever,
ALICIA.

XXIX
LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MRS. JOHNSON

Upper Seymour Street.
My dear Alicia,--There needed not this last fit of the gout to make me

detest Mr. Johnson, but now the extent of my aversion is not to be
estimated. To have you confined as nurse in his apartment! My dear Alicia,

of what a mistake were you guilty in marrying a man of his age! just old
enough to be formal, ungovernable, and to have the gout; too old to be

agreeable, too young to die. I arrived last night about five, had scarcely
swallowed my dinner when Mainwaring made his appearance. I will not

dissemble what real pleasure his sight afforded me, nor how strongly I felt
the contrast between his person and manners and those of Reginald, to the

infinite advantage" target="_blank" title="n.不利(条件)；损失">disadvantage of the latter. For an hour or two I was even
staggered in my resolution of marrying him, and though this was too idle

and nonsensical an idea to remain long on my mind, I do not feel very eager
for the conclusion of my marriage, nor look forward with much impatience to

the time when Reginald, according to our agreement, is to be in town. I
shall probably put off his arrival under some pretence or other. He must

not come till Mainwaring is gone. I am still doubtful at times as to
marrying; if the old man would die I might not hesitate, but a state of

dependance on the caprice of Sir Reginald will not suit the freedom of my
spirit; and if I resolve to wait for that event, I shall have excuse enough

at present in having been scarcely ten months a widow. I have not given
Mainwaring any hint of my intention, or allowed him to consider my

acquaintance with Reginald as more than the commonest flirtation, and he is
tolerably appeased. Adieu, till we meet; I am enchanted with my lodgings.

Yours ever,
S. VERNON.