est George hath been prepared by previous letters to understand
how a certain lady has made a conquest of my heart, which I have given
away in exchange for something infinitely more valuable, namely, her
own. She is at my side as I write this letter, and if there is no bad
spelling, such as you often used to laugh at, 'tis because I have my
pretty dictionary at hand, which makes no faults in the longest word,
nor in anything else I know of: being of opinion that she is perfection.

"As Madam Esmond saw all your letters, I writ you not to give any hint
of a certain delicate matter--but now 'tis no secret, and is known to
all the country. Mr. George is not the only one of our family who has
made a secret marriage, and been scolded by his mother. As a dutiful
younger brother I have followed his example; and now I may tell you how
this mighty event came about.

"I had not been at home long before I saw my fate was accomplisht. I
will not tell you how beautiful Miss Fanny Mountain had grown since I
had been away in Europe. She saith, 'You never will think so,' and I
am glad, as she is the only thing in life I would grudge to my dearest
brother.

"That neither Madam Esmond nor my other mother (as Mountain is now)
should have seen our mutual attachment, is a wonder--only to be
accounted for by supposing that love makes other folks blind. Mine for
my Fanny was increased by seeing what the treatment was she had from
Madam Esmond, who indeed was very rough and haughty with her, which my
love bore with a sweetness perfectly angelic (this I will say, though
she will order me not to write any such nonsense). She was scarce better
treated than a servant of the house--indeed our negroes can talk much
more free before Madam Esmond than ever my Fanny could.

"And yet my Fanny says she doth not regret Madam's unkindness, as
without it I possibly never should have been what I am to her. Oh, dear
brother! when I remember how great your goodness hath been, how, in my
own want, you paid my debts, and rescued me out of prison; how you have
been living in poverty which never need have occurred but for my fault;
how you might have paid yourself back my just debt to you and would not,
preferring my advantage to your own comfort, indeed I am lost at the
thought of such goodness; and ought I not to be thankful to Heaven that
hath given me such a wife and such a brother?

"When I writ to you requesting you to send me my aunt's legacy money,
fo