_A propos_ to age, I am resolved to go home, Lucy; I have found
three grey hairs this morning; they tell me 'tis common; this vile
climate is at war with beauty, makes one's hair grey, and one's hands
red. I won't stay, absolutely.

Do you know there is a very pretty fellow here, Lucy, Captain
Howard, who has taken a fancy to make people believe he and I are on
good terms? He affects to sit by me, to dance with me, to whisper
nothing to me, to bow with an air of mystery, and to shew me all the
little attentions of a lover in public, though he never yet said a
civil thing to me when we were alone.

I was standing with him this morning near the brow of the hill,
leaning against a tree in the sunshine, and looking down the precipice
below, when I said something of the lover's leap, and in play, as you
will suppose, made a step forwards: we had been talking of indifferent
things, his air was till then indolence itself; but on this little
motion of mine, though there was not the least danger, he with the
utmost seeming eagerness catched hold of me as if alarmed at the very
idea, and with the most passionate air protested his life depended on
mine, and that he would not live an hour after me. I looked at him with
astonishment, not being able to comprehend the meaning of this sudden
flight, when turning my head, I saw a gentleman and lady close behind
us, whom he had observed though I had not. They were retiring: "Pray
approach, my dear Madam," said I; "we have no secrets, this declaration
was intended for you to hear; we were talking of the weather before you
came."

He affected to smile, though I saw he was mortified; but as his
smile shewed the finest teeth imaginable I forgave him: he is really
very handsome, and 'tis pity he has this foolish quality of preferring
the shadow to the substance.

I shall, however, desire him to flirt elsewhere, as this _badinage_,
however innocent, may hurt my character, and give pain to my little
Fitzgerald: I believe I begin to love this fellow, because I begin to
be delicate on the subject of flirtations, and feel my spirit of
coquetry decline every day.

29th.

Mrs. Clayton has wrote, my dear; and has at last condescended to
allow Emily the honor of being her daughter-in-law, in consideration of
her son's happiness, and of engagements entered into with her own
consent; though she very prudently observes, that what was a proper
match for Captain Clayton is by no means so for Sir