y believe she has
discarded a little girl who taught her daughters music, solely for
fear I should fall in love with her; and certainly, she is as far
superior to the Misses Falkner as she well can be, both in
attainments and personal attractions. I am so afraid of coming to a
hasty conclusion, but own myself greatly prepossessed in her
favour. She has been well and carefully brought up; I have watched
her in church, and have marked an unaffected devotion, which I have
seen carried to the sick and suffering poor around her. She has
lost both parents, and now by her talents, supports an orphan
brother and sister. The former, an intelligent interesting boy of
thirteen, is a frequent companion of mine, and if I can, without
wounding the delicacy of the sister, I trust to be of some future
service to him. I have, indirectly, and, perhaps, you will say,
unfairly questioned the boy, and all tells in her favour; now, here
it must be genuine. Miss Willoughby plays and sings like a Syren;
but then, so does many a pretty trifler. Beauty and accomplishments
are very well to pass an evening away; but in a companion for life,
_far more_ is required; much more than these must _I_ find in a
woman, ere I venture to ask her to be mine. I am heartily tired of
my present life; it is a lonely stupid way of living; living! I
don't live, I merely vegetate! I have no taste for dissipation;
neither have I any great predilection for field sports.

"Miss Willoughby is, I think, far superior to the generality of her
sex, but she shall never have an idea of my partiality, till I am
thoroughly persuaded she can make me happy; for although she may
not come up to my standard of female perfection, she is far too
amiable and too forlorn to be trifled with; and, therefore, I will
not try to win her affections, till I know I can reciprocate them.
With regard to the Falkners, I will be guarded. I respect the old
man sincerely, and his family; farther, deponent sayeth not. He is
the beau ideal of a country squire, and I think you will like him!
They are all remarkably civil, and I must, for many reasons, keep
up an intercourse, or give room elsewhere of having my plans
suspected, The whole village, I believe have given me to one of the
Falkners. I do not wish even the worthy Dr. Sherman and his
excellent wife to suspect that I feel more than a common interest
in their protegee. I wi