make love in, as there are curtains to draw before
the windows: we shall have three in effect, my father's, Rivers's, and
Fitzgerald's; the two latter are to be elegance itself, and entirely
for the service of the ladies: your brother and Fitzgerald are trying
who shall be ruined first for the honor of their country. I will bet
three to one upon Ireland. They are every day contriving parties of
pleasure, and making the most gallant little presents imaginable to the
ladies.

Adieu! my dear.

Yours,
A. Fermor.

LETTER 42.

To Miss Rivers.

Quebec, Nov. 14.

I shall not, my dear, have above one more opportunity of writing to
you by the ships; after which we can only write by the packet once a
month.

My Emily is every day more lovely; I see her often, and every hour
discover new charms in her; she has an exalted understanding, improved
by all the knowledge which is becoming in your sex; a soul awake to all
the finer sensations of the heart, checked and adorned by the native
gentleness of woman: she is extremely handsome, but she would please
every feeling heart if she was not; she has the soul of beauty: without
feminine softness and delicate sensibility, no features can give
loveliness; with them, very indifferent ones can charm: that
sensibility, that softness, never were so lovely as in my Emily. I can
write on no other subject. Were you to see her, my Lucy, you would
forgive me. My letter is called for. Adieu!

Yours,
Ed. Rivers.

Your friend Miss Fermor will write you every thing.

LETTER 43.

To Miss Montague, at Silleri.

Montreal, Nov. 14.

Mr. Melmoth and I, my dear Emily, expected by this time to have seen
you at Montreal. I allow something to your friendship for Miss Fermor;
but there is also something due to relations who tenderly love you, and
under whose protection your uncle left you at his death.

I should add, that there is something due to Sir George, had I not
already displeased you by what I have said on the subject.

You are not to be told, that in a week the road from hence to Quebec
will be impassable for at least a month, till the rivers are
sufficiently froze to bear carriages.

I will own to you, that I am a little jealous of your attachment to
Miss Fermor, though no one can think her more amiable than I do.

If you do not come this week, I would wish you to stay till Sir
George comes down, and return with him; I will entreat th