sure, a less fault in me to make a scruple of reading your
letter to your brother, which in all likelihood I could not be concerned
in, than for you to condemn the freedom you take of giving me directions
in a thing where we are equally concerned. Therefore, if I forgive you
this, you may justly forgive me t'other; and upon these terms we are
friends again, are we not? No, stay! I have another fault to chide you
for. You doubted whether you had not writ too much, and whether I could
have the patience to read it or not. Why do you dissemble so abominably;
you cannot think these things? How I should love that plain-heartedness
you speak of, if you would use it; nothing is civil but that amongst
friends. Your kind sister ought to chide you, too, for not writing to
her, unless you have been with her to excuse it. I hope you have; and
pray take some time to make her one visit from me, and carry my humble
service with you, and tell her that 'tis not my fault that you are no
better. I do not think I shall see the town before Michaelmas, therefore
you may make what sallies you please. I am tied here to expect my
brother Peyton, and then possibly we may go up together, for I should be
at home again before the term. Then I may show you my niece; and you may
confess that I am a kind aunt to desire her company, since the
disadvantage of our being together will lie wholly upon me. But I must
make it my bargain, that if I come you will not be frighted to see me;
you think, I'll warrant, you have courage enough to endure a worse
sight. You may be deceived, you never saw me in mourning yet; nobody
that has will e'er desire to do it again, for their own sakes as well as
mine. Oh, 'tis a most dismal dress,--I have not dared to look in the
glass since I wore it; and certainly if it did so ill with other people
as it does with me, it would never be worn.

You told me of writing to your father, but you did not say whether you
had heard from him, or how he did. May not I ask it? Is it possible that
he saw me? Where were my eyes that I did not see him, for I believe I
should have guessed at least that 'twas he if I had? They say you are
very like him; but 'tis no wonder neither that I did not see him, for I
saw not you when I met you there. 'Tis a place I look upon nobody in;
and it was reproached to me by a kinsman, but a little before you came
to me, that he had followed me to half a dozen shops to see when I would
take notice of him, and w