You, that spare nobody, I cannot
expect should spare me. You are very happy in a prudent and watchful
mother.--But else mine cannot be exceeded in prudence; but we had all too
good an opinion of somebody, to think watchfulness needful. There may
possibly be some reason why you are so much attached to her in an error
of this flagrant nature.

I help to make a sister unhappy!--It is false, Miss!--It is all her own
doings!--except, indeed, what she may owe to somebody's advice--you know
who can best answer for that.

Let us know your mind as soon as you please: as we shall know it to be
your mind, we shall judge what attention to give it. That's all, from,
&c.

AR. H.

LETTER XXXVII

MISS HOWE, TO MISS ARABELLA HARLOWE
SAT. JULY 22.

It may be the misfortune of some people to engage every body's notice:
others may be the happier, though they may be the more envious, for
nobody's thinking them worthy of any. But one would be glad people had
the sense to be thankful for that want of consequence, which subject them
not to hazards they would heartily have been able to manage under.

I own to you, that had it not been for the prudent advice of that
admirable somebody (whose principal fault is the superiority of her
talents, and whose misfortune to be brother'd and sister'd by a couple of
creatures, who are not able to comprehend her excellencies) I might at
one time have been plunged into difficulties. But pert as the
superlatively pert may think me, I thought not myself wiser, because I
was older; nor for that poor reason qualified to prescribe to, much less
to maltreat, a genius so superior.

I repeat it with gratitude, that the dear creature's advice was of very
great service to me--and this before my mother's watchfulness became
necessary. But how it would have fared with me, I cannot say, had I had
a brother or sister, who had deemed it their interest, as well as a
gratification of their sordid envy, to misrepresent me.

Your admirable sister, in effect, saved you, Miss, as well as me--with
this difference--you, against your will--me with mine: and but for your
own brother, and his own sister, would not have been lost herself.

Would to Heaven both sisters had been obliged with their own wills!--the
most admirable of her sex would never then have been out of her father's
house!--you, Miss--I don't know what had become of you.--But, let what
would have happened, you would have met with the humanity