and could not but think of the
change all the way till my brother (who was with me) thought me sad, and
so, to put me in better humour, said he believed I repented me I had not
this gentleman, now I saw how absolutely his wife governed him. But I
assured him, that though I thought it very fit such as he should be
governed, yet I should not like the employment by no means. It becomes
no woman, and did so ill with this lady that in my opinion it spoiled a
good face and a very fine gown. Yet the woman you met upon the way
governed her husband and did it handsomely. It was, as you say, a great
example of friendship, and much for the credit of our sex.

You are too severe to Walker. I'll undertake he would set me twenty
seals for nothing rather than undergo your wrath. I am in no haste for
it, and so he does it well we will not fall out; perhaps he is not in
the humour of keeping his word at present, and nobody can blame him if
he be often in an ill one. But though I am merciful to him, as to one
that has suffered enough already, I cannot excuse you that profess to be
my friend and yet are content to let me live in such ignorance, write to
me every week, and yet never send me any of the new phrases of the town.
I could tell you, without abandoning the truth, that it is part of your
_devoyre_ to correct the imperfections you find under my hand, and that
my trouble resembles my wonder you can let me be dissatisfied. I should
never have learnt any of these fine things from you; and, to say truth,
I know not whether I shall from anybody else, if to learn them be to
understand them. Pray what is meant by _wellness_ and _unwellness_; and
why is _to some extreme_ better than _to some extremity_? I believe I
shall live here till there is quite a new language spoke where you are,
and shall come out like one of the Seven Sleepers, a creature of another
age. But 'tis no matter so you understand me, though nobody else do,
when I say how much I am

Your faithful.

_Letter 29._

SIR,--I can give you leave to doubt anything but my kindness, though I
can assure you I spake as I meant when I said I had not the vanity to
believe I deserv'd yours, for I am not certain whether 'tis possible for
anybody to deserve that another should love them above themselves,
though I am certain many may deserve it more than me. But not to dispute
this with you, let me tell you that I am thus far of your opinion, that
upon some natures nothing is so p