e admirably turned to account.
Many a reader will at first be actually alarmed at it, for I can
promise Theresa but few wellwishers; all the more beautiful is the way
in which the reader is rescued from this state of uneasiness. I cannot
imagine how this false relation could have been dissolved more
tenderly, more delicately, or more nobly. How pleased Richardson and
all his set would have been had you made a scene out of it and been
highly indelicate in the display of delicate sentiments! I have but
one little objection to raise: Theresa's courageous and determined
resistance to the person who wishes to rob her of her lover, even
although the possibility is thereby reopened to her of possessing
Lothar, is quite in accordance with nature, and is excellent; further,
I think there are good reasons for Wilhelm's showing deep indignation
and a certain amount of pain at the banterings of his fellowmen and of
fate--but it seems to me that he ought to complain less deeply of the
loss of a happiness which had already ceased to be anything of the
kind to him. In Natalie's presence, as it seems to me, his regained
freedom ought to be to him a greater happiness than he allows it to
be. I am quite aware of the complication of this state of things and
what is demanded by _delicatesse_, but, on the other hand, Natalie may
in some measure be said to be hurt by this same _delicatesse_ when, in
her presence, Wilhelm is allowed to lament over the loss of Theresa.

One other thing I specially admire in the concatenation of the events
is the great good which you have contrived to draw from Wilhelm's
already-mentioned false relation to Theresa so as most speedily to
bring about the true and desired end, the union of Natalie and
Wilhelm. In no other manner could this end have been arrived at so
well and so naturally as by the path you have pursued, although this
very path threatened to lead from it. It can now be maintained, with
the most perfect innocence and purity, that Wilhelm and Natalie belong
to each other; and Theresa's letters to Natalie lead up to this
beautifully. Such contrivances are of the greatest beauty, for they
unite all that could be desired, nay, all that appeared wholly
ununitable; they complicate, and yet carry the solution in themselves;
they produce restlessness, and yet lead to repose; they succeed in
reaching the goal, while appearing to be making every effort to keep
from it.

Mignon's death, although we are prep