_Bath became distinguished for its architecture and popular
as a fashionable resort in the 17th century from the deserved repute of
its waters and through the genius of two men, Wood the architect and
Beau Nash, Master of Ceremonies. A true picture of the society of the
period is found in Smollett's 'Humphry Clinker', which Aunt Celia says
she will read and tell me what is necessary. Remember the window of the
seven lights in the Abbey Church, the one with the angels ascending and
descending; also the rich Perp. chantry of Prior Bird, S. of chancel. It
is Murray who calls it a Perp. chantry, not I._

_She_

_June 8._

It was very wet this morning, and I had breakfast in my room. The maid's
name is Hetty Precious, and I could eat almost anything brought me by
such a beautifully named person. A little parcel postmarked Bath was on
my tray, but as the address was printed, I have no clue to the sender.
It was a wee copy of Jane Austen's 'Persuasion,' which I have read
before, but was glad to see again, because I had forgotten that the
scene is partly laid in Bath, and now I can follow dear Anne and vain
Sir Walter, hateful Elizabeth and scheming Mrs. Clay through Camden
Place and Bath Street, Union Street, Milsom Street, and the Pump Yard. I
can even follow them to the site of the White Hart Hotel, where the
adorable Captain Wentworth wrote the letter to Anne. After more than two
hundred pages of suspense, with what joy and relief did I read that
letter! I wonder if Anne herself was any more excited than I?

At first I thought Roderick Abbott sent the book, until I remembered
that his literary taste is _Puck_ in America and _Pick-me-up_ and
_Tit-Bits_ in England; and now I don't know what to think. I turned to
Captain Wentworth's letter in the last chapter but one--oh, it _is_ a
beautiful letter! I _wish_ somebody would ever write me that he is 'half
agony, half hope,' and that I 'pierce his soul.' Of course, it would be
wicked to pierce a soul, and of course they wouldn't write that way
nowadays; but there is something perfectly delightful about the
expression.

Well, when I found the place, what do you suppose? Some of the sentences
in the letter seem to be underlined ever so faintly; so faintly, indeed,
that I cannot quite decide whether it's my imagination or a lead-pencil,
but this is the way it seems to look:

'I can listen no longer in silence. [underlined: I must speak to you by
such means as are wit