ut. Adieu!

Yours,
A. Fermor.

Rivers is absurd. I have a mighty foolish letter from him; he is
rambling about the country, buying estates: he had better have been
here, playing the fool with us; if I knew how to write to him I would
tell him so, but he is got out of the range of human beings, down the
river, Heaven knows where; he says a thousand civil things to you, but
I will bring the letter with me to save the trouble of repeating them.

I have a sort of an idea he won't be very unhappy at this delay; I
want vastly to send him word of it.

Adieu! _ma chere_.

LETTER 32.

To Miss Rivers, Clarges Street.

Kamaraskas, Oct. 10.

I am at present, my dear Lucy, in the wildest country on earth; I
mean of those which are inhabited at all: 'tis for several leagues
almost a continual forest, with only a few straggling houses on the
river side; 'tis however of not the least consequence to me, all places
are equal to me where Emily is not.

I seek amusement, but without finding it: she is never one moment
from my thoughts; I am every hour on the point of returning to Quebec;
I cannot support the idea of her leaving the country without my seeing
her.

'Tis a lady who has this estate to sell: I am at present at her
house; she is very amiable; a widow about thirty, with an agreable
person, great vivacity, an excellent understanding, improved by
reading, to which the absolute solitude of her situation has obliged
her; she has an open pleasing countenance, with a candor and sincerity
in her conversation which would please me, if my mind was in a state to
be pleased with any thing. Through all the attention and civility I
think myself obliged to shew her, she seems to perceive the melancholy
which I cannot shake off: she is always contriving some little party
for me, as if she knew how much I am in want of amusement.

Oct. 12.

Madame Des Roches is very kind; she sees my chagrin, and takes every
method to divert it: she insists on my going in her shallop to see the
last settlement on the river, opposite the Isle of Barnaby; she does me
the honor to accompany me, with a gentleman and lady who live about a
mile from her.

Isle Barnaby, Oct. 13.

I have been paying a very singular visit; 'tis to a hermit, who has
lived sixty years alone on this island; I came to him with a strong
prejudice against him; I have no opinion of those who fly society; who
seek a state of all others the most