friend Mr Millar called upon us yesterday in his way
to Bath, whither he is going for his health; two of his daughters were
with him, but the eldest and the three Boys are with their Mother in
Sussex. Though you have often told me that Miss Millar was remarkably
handsome, you never mentioned anything of her Sisters' beauty; yet they
are certainly extremely pretty. I'll give you their description.--Julia
is eighteen; with a countenance in which Modesty, Sense and Dignity are
happily blended, she has a form which at once presents you with Grace,
Elegance and Symmetry. Charlotte who is just sixteen is shorter than her
Sister, and though her figure cannot boast the easy dignity of
Julia's, yet it has a pleasing plumpness which is in a different way as
estimable. She is fair and her face is expressive sometimes of softness
the most bewitching, and at others of Vivacity the most striking.
She appears to have infinite Wit and a good humour unalterable; her
conversation during the half hour they set with us, was replete with
humourous sallies, Bonmots and repartees; while the sensible, the
amiable Julia uttered sentiments of Morality worthy of a heart like her
own. Mr Millar appeared to answer the character I had always received
of him. My Father met him with that look of Love, that social Shake, and
cordial kiss which marked his gladness at beholding an old and valued
freind from whom thro' various circumstances he had been separated
nearly twenty years. Mr Millar observed (and very justly too) that
many events had befallen each during that interval of time, which gave
occasion to the lovely Julia for making most sensible reflections on the
many changes in their situation which so long a period had occasioned,
on the advantages of some, and the disadvantages of others. From
this subject she made a short digression to the instability of human
pleasures and the uncertainty of their duration, which led her to
observe that all earthly Joys must be imperfect. She was proceeding to
illustrate this doctrine by examples from the Lives of great Men when
the Carriage came to the Door and the amiable Moralist with her Father
and Sister was obliged to depart; but not without a promise of spending
five or six months with us on their return. We of course mentioned you,
and I assure you that ample Justice was done to your Merits by all.
"Louisa Clarke (said I) is in general a very pleasant Girl, yet
sometimes her good humour is clouded by Peev