o be
brought to bed, when he died, of my Tommy.

But this very circumstance, which I thought the unhappiest that I could
have been left in, (so short-sighted is human prudence!) became the happy
means of recommending me to your mother, who, in regard to my character,
and in compassion to my very destitute circumstances, permitted me, as I
made a conscience of not parting with my poor boy, to nurse both you and
him, born within a few days of each other. And I have never since wanted
any of the humble blessings which God has made me contented with.

Nor have I known what a very great grief was, from the day of my poor
husband's death till the day that your parents told me how much they were
determined that you should have Mr. Solmes; when I was apprized not only
of your aversion to him, but how unworthy he was of you: for then I began
to dread the consequences of forcing so generous a spirit; and, till
then, I never feared Mr. Lovelace, attracting as was his person, and
specious his manners and address. For I was sure you would never have
him, if he gave you not good reason to be convinced of his reformation:
nor till your friends were as well satisfied in it as yourself. But that
unhappy misunderstanding between your brother and Mr. Lovelace, and their
joining so violently to force you upon Mr. Solmes, did all that mischief,
which has cost you and them so dear, and poor me all my peace! Oh! what
has not this ungrateful, this double-guilty man to answer for!

Nevertheless, you know not what God has in store for you yet!--But if you
are to be punished all your days here, for example sake, in a case of
such importance, for your one false step, be pleased to consider, that
this life is but a state of probation; and if you have your purification
in it, you will be the more happy. Nor doubt I, that you will have the
higher reward hereafter for submitting to the will of Providence here
with patience and resignation.

You see, my dearest Miss Clary, that I make no scruple to call the step
you took a false one. In you it was less excusable than it would have
been in any other young lady; not only because of your superior talents,
but because of the opposition between your character and his: so that, if
you had been provoked to quit your father's house, it need not to have
been with him. Nor needed I, indeed, but as an instance of my impartial
love, to have written this to you.*

* Mrs. Norton, having only the famil