clever fellow.

As to clothes for Thursday, Monmouth-street will afford a ready supply.
Clothes quite new would make your condition suspected. But you may
defer that care, till you see if she can be prevailed upon. Your
riding-dress will do for the first visit. Nor let your boots be over
clean. I have always told you the consequence of attending to the
minutiae, where art (or imposture, as the ill-mannered would call it) is
designed--your linen rumpled and soily, when you wait upon her--easy terms
these--just come to town--remember (as formerly) to loll, to throw out
your legs, to stroke and grasp down your ruffles, as if of significance
enough to be careless. What though the presence of a fine lady would
require a different behaviour, are you not of years to dispense with
politeness? You can have no design upon her, you know. You are a father
yourself of daughters as old as she. Evermore is parade and
obsequiousness suspectable: it must show either a foolish head, or a
knavish heart. Assume airs of consequence therefore; and you will be
treated as a man of consequence. I have often more than half ruined
myself by my complaisance; and, being afraid of controul, have brought
controul upon myself.

I think I have no more to say at present. I intend to be at Slough, or
on the way to it, as by mine to the lady. Adieu, honest M'Donald.

R.L.

LETTER XLV

TO CAPTAIN TOMLINSON
[ENCLOSED IN THE PRECEDING; TO BE SHOWN TO THE LADY AS IN CONFIDENCE.]
M. HALL, TUESDAY MORN., JUNE 27.

DEAR CAPTAIN TOMLINSON,

An unhappy misunderstanding has arisen between the dearest lady in the
world and me (the particulars of which she perhaps may give you, but I
will not, because I might be thought partial to myself;) and she refusing
to answer my most pressing and respectful letters; I am at a most
perplexing uncertainty whether she will meet us or not next Thursday to
solemnize.

My Lord is so extremely ill, that if I thought she would not oblige me,
I would defer going up to town for two or three days. He cares not to
have me out of his sight: yet is impatient to salute my beloved as his
neice [sic] before he dies. This I have promised to give him an
opportunity to do: intending, if the dear creature will make me happy,
to set out with her for this place directly from church.

With regret I speak it of the charmer of my soul, that irreconcilableness
is her family-fault--the less excusable indeed for her, as she