myself from spleen and melancholy; not for my own sake; I think
that of little importance; but in the condition I am, I believe it may
be of very ill consequence; yet, passing whole days alone as I do, I do
not always find it possible, and my constitution will sometimes get the
better of my reason. Human nature itself, without any additional
misfortunes, furnishes disagreeable meditations enough. Life itself to
make it supportable, should not be considered too near; my reason
represents to me in vain the inutility of serious reflections. The idle
mind will sometimes fall into contemplations that serve for nothing but
to ruin the health, destroy good humour, hasten old age and wrinkles,
and bring on an habitual melancholy. 'Tis a maxim with me to be young as
long as one can: there is nothing can pay one for that invaluable
ignorance which is the companion of youth; those sanguine groundless
hopes, and that lively vanity, which make all the happiness of life. To
my extreme mortification I grow wiser every day than other [sic]. I
don't believe Solomon was more convinced of the vanity of temporal
affairs than I am; I lose all taste of this world, and I suffer myself
to be bewitched by the charms of the spleen, though I know and foresee
all the irremediable mischiefs arising from it. I am insensibly fallen
into the writing you a melancholy letter, after all my resolutions to
the contrary; but I do not enjoin you to read it: make no scruple of
flinging it into the fire at the first dull line. Forgive the ill
effects of my solitude, and think me as I am,

"Ever yours."

There was still hope in the hearts of Lady Mary and her husband that it
might be possible to effect a reconciliation with Lord Dorchester. Since
apparently the Marquess was not directly approachable by either of them,
they perforce had to seek an intermediary. Such an one, they trusted at
one time, would be one of Lady Mary's relatives, Lord Pierrepont of
Hanslope. To this matter there are many allusions in the correspondence,
"The Bishop of Salisbury writes me word that he hears my Lord Pierrepont
declares very much for us," Lady Mary wrote from Hinchinbrooke early in
December to her husband in town. "As the Bishop is no infallible
prelate, I should not depend much on that intelligence; but my sister
Frances tells me the same thing. Since it is so, I believe you'll think
it very proper to pay him a visit, if he is in town, and give him thanks
for the good