as it was--so I write
without delay, and in great haste to save a post. I found him frank,
and even friendly in his manner to me, and in his views respecting you.
I think that he is sincerely sorry for your situation; and he feels that
the person who has placed you in that situation is not much less
awkwardly situated herself; and he professes that he would willingly do
what he can for the good of both. But he sees great difficulties
attending the affair--which he frankly professes to consider as an
altogether unfortunate one. With respect to the marriage, he seems to
see the most formidable objections to it, on both sides; but yet he by
no means decidedly says that it cannot, or that it ought not to take
place. These, mind you, are his own feelings on the subject: but the
most important point I learn from him is this, that he is not prepared
to use his influence either way--that the rest of the family are of the
same way of feeling; and that, in fact, the thing must and does entirely
rest with herself. To learn this was, as you see, gaining a great
point.--When I then endeavoured to ascertain whether he knew anything
decisive as to what are her views on the subject, I found that he did
not. He has an opinion on the subject, and he didn't scruple to tell me
what it was; but he has no positive knowledge. In short, he believes,
from what he learns from herself (and he had purposely seen her on the
subject, in consequence of my application to him) that she is at present
indisposed to the marriage; but he is not prepared to say positively
that she will not consent to it. Now all this, coming from him in the
most frank and unaffected manner, and without any appearance of cant,
caution, or reserve, I take to be most important as it respects your
views, whatever they may be; and certainly much more favourable to them
(I confess it) than I was prepared to expect, supposing them to remain
as they were. In fact as I said before, the affair rests entirely with
herself. They are none of them disposed either to further the marriage,
or throw any insurmountable obstacles in the way of it; and what is more
important than all, they are evidently by no means CERTAIN that SHE
may not, at some future period, consent to it; or they would, for her
sake as well as their own, let you know as much flatly, and put an end
to the affair at once.

Seeing in how frank and straitforward a manner he received what I had to
say to him, and re