nds, for its latest memories are scenes
of sickness, grief, and death. And now the only home on earth for
Dorothy lies in the future; it is not a particular spot on earth, but to
be by his side, wherever that may be.

CHAPTER VI

VISITING. SUMMER 1654

This chapter opens with a portion of a letter written by Sir William
Temple to his mistress, dated Ireland, May 18, 1654. It is the only
letter, or rather scrap of letter which we have of his, and by some good
chance it has survived with the rest of Dorothy's letters. It will, I
think, throw great light on his character as a lover, showing him to
have been ardent and ecstatic in his suit, making quite clear Dorothy's
wisdom in insisting, as she often does, on the necessity of some more
material marriage portion than mere love and hope. His reference to the
"unhappy differences" strengthens my view that the letters of the former
chapter belong all to one date.

_Letter 57._--Letter of Sir William Temple.

_May 18th, 1654._

... I am called upon for my letter, but must have leave first to
remember you of yours. For God's sake write constantly while I am here,
or I am undone past all recovery. I have lived upon them ever since I
came, but had thrived much better had they been longer. Unless you use
to give me better measure, I shall not be in case to undertake a journey
to England. The despair I was in at not hearing from you last week, and
the belief that all my letters had miscarried (by some treachery among
my good friends who, I am sorry, have the name of yours), made me press
my father by all means imaginable to give me leave to go presently if I
heard not from you this post. But he would never yield to that, because,
he said, upon your silence he should suspect all was not likely to be
well between us, and then he was sure I should not be in condition to be
alone. He remembered too well the letters I writ upon our last unhappy
differences, and would not trust me from him in such another occasion.
But, withal, he told me he would never give me occasion of any
discontent which he could remedy; that if you desired my coming over,
and I could not be content without, he would not hinder me, though he
very much desired my company a month or two longer, and that in that
time 'twas very likely I might have his as well.

Now, in very good earnest, do you think 'tis time for me to come or no?
Would you be very glad to see me there, and could you do it in less