lmes upon it. He earnestly insists (upon what he has
so often proposed) that I will give him leave, in company with Lord
M. to wait upon my uncles, and even upon my father--and he promises
patience, if new provocations, absolutely beneath a man to bear, be not
given:' which by the way I am far from being able to engage for.

In my answer, I absolutely declare, as I tell him I have often done,
'That he is to expect no favour from me against the approbation of my
friends: that I am sure their consents for his visiting any of them
will never be obtained: that I will not be either so undutiful, or so
indiscreet, as to suffer my interests to be separated from the interests
of my family, for any man upon earth: that I do not think myself obliged
to him for the forbearance I desire one flaming spirit to have with
others: that in this desire I require nothing of him, but what prudence,
justice, and the laws of his country require: that if he has any
expectations of favour from me, on that account, he deceives himself:
that I have no inclination, as I have often told him, to change my
condition: that I cannot allow myself to correspond with him any longer
in this clandestine manner: it is mean, low, undutiful, I tell him; and
has a giddy appearance, which cannot be excused: that therefore he is
not to expect that I will continue it.

To this in his last, among other things, he replies, 'That if I am
actually determined to break off all correspondence with him, he must
conclude, that it is with a view to become the wife of a man, whom no
woman of honour and fortune can think tolerable. And in that case, I
must excuse him for saying, that he shall neither be able to bear the
thoughts of losing for ever a person in whom all his present and all his
future hopes are centred; nor support himself with patience under the
insolent triumphs of my brother upon it. But that nevertheless he will
not threaten either his own life, or that of any other man. He must take
his resolutions as such a dreaded event shall impel him at the time. If
he shall know that it will have my consent, he must endeavour to resign
to his destiny: but if it be brought about by compulsion, he shall not
be able to answer for the consequence.'

I will send you these letters for your perusal in a few days. I would
enclose them; but that it is possible something may happen, which may
make my mother require to re-peruse them. When you see them, you will
observe how he