visit, I grow weary of my acquaintance.--Leave
a good deal of my tenth unanswered! Impudent slut, when did you ever
answer my tenth, or ninth, or any other number? or who desires you
to answer, provided you write? I defy the D---- to answer my letters:
sometimes there may be one or two things I should be glad you would
answer; but I forget them, and you never think of them. I shall never
love answering letters again, if you talk of answering. Answering,
quotha! pretty answerers truly.--As for the pamphlet you speak of, and
call it scandalous, and that one Mr. Presto is said to write it, hear my
answer. Fie, child, you must not mind what every idle body tells you--I
believe you lie, and that the dogs were not crying it when you said so;
come, tell truth. I am sorry you go to St. Mary's(17) so soon, you will
be as poor as rats; that place will drain you with a vengeance: besides,
I would have you think of being in the country in summer. Indeed,
Stella, pippins produced plentifully; Parvisol could not send from
Laracor: there were about half a score, I would be glad to know whether
they were good for anything.--Mrs. Walls at Donnybrook with you; why is
not she brought to bed? Well, well, well, Dingley, pray be satisfied;
you talk as if you were angry about the Bishop's not offering you
conveniences for the journey; and so he should.--What sort of Christmas?
Why, I have had no Christmas at all; and has it really been Christmas
of late? I never once thought of it. My service to Mrs. Stoyte, and
Catherine; and let Catherine get the coffee ready against I come, and
not have so much care on her countenance; for all will go well.--Mr.
Bernage, Mr. Bernage, Mr. Fiddlenage, I have had three letters from
him now successively; he sends no directions, and how the D---- shall
I write to him? I would have burnt his last, if I had not seen Stella's
hand at the bottom: his request is all nonsense. How can I assist him in
buying? and if he be ordered to go to Spain, go he must, or else sell,
and I believe one can hardly sell in such a juncture. If he had stayed,
and new regiments raised, I would have used my endeavour to have had him
removed; although I have no credit that way, or very little: but, if
the regiment goes, he ought to go too; he has had great indulgence, and
opportunities of saving; and I have urged him to it a hundred times.
What can I do? whenever it lies in my power to do him a good office, I
will do it. Pray draw up this i