them to myself.

You may let that Greville know, if you please, that there is no room for
his If's, nor, of consequence, any for his menaces. You may own, that I
shall soon be in Northamptonshire. This may prevent his and Fenwick's
threatened journey to town.

But, Lucy, though my heart has been ever dutifully, as I may say, open to
the venerable domestic circle; though it would not have been an honest
heart, could it, circumstanced as I was, have concealed itself from Lady
D----; and must have been an impenetrable one indeed, if it could have
been disguised to the two sisters here--yet, I beseech you, my dear,
almost on my knees I beseech you, let not the audacious, the insulting
Greville, have ground given him to suspect a weakness in your Harriet,
which indelicate minds know not how to judge of delicately. For
sex-sake, for example-sake, Lucy, let it not be known, to any but the
partial, friendly few, that our grand-mamma Shirley's child, and aunt
Selby's niece, has been a volunteer in her affections. How many still
more forward girls would plead Mrs. Shirley's approbation of the hasty
affection, without considering the circumstances, and the object! So the
next girl that run away to a dancing-master, or an ensign, would reckon
herself one of Harriet's school.

Poor Mr. Orme! I am sorry he is not well. It is cruel in you, Lucy, at
this time, to say, (so undoubtingly,) that his illness is owing to his
love of me. You knew that such a suggestion would pain me. Heaven
restore Mr. Orme!

But I am vexed, as it cannot be to purpose, that Sir Charles Grandison
and I have been named together, and talked of, in your neighbourhood!--He
will be gone abroad. I shall return to Northamptonshire: and shall look
so silly! So like a refused girl!

'Every body gives me to him, you say'--So much the worse. I wonder what
business this every body has to trouble itself about me.

One consolation, however, I shall have in my return; and that is, in my
Nancy's recovered health; which was so precarious when I set out for
London.

But I shall have nothing to entertain you with when I am with you: Sir
Charles Grandison, Lord and Lady L----, Lady G----, (as now in three or
four days she will be), my dear Miss Jervois, Dr. Bartlett, will be all
my subject. And have I not exhausted that by pen and ink? O no! The
doctor promises to correspond with me; and he makes no doubt but Sir
Charles will correspond with him, as usual.

What can the