TO MRS. REBECCA ROBERTS.

MADAM, April 17, 1722. I AM charmed with the honour you do me in making me your correspondent. I have just been reading over your letter for the twentieth time; and I profess, without the least shadow of a compliment, that it is written with so much gaiety, wit, and goodnature, that I do not know how to make you the acknowledgments it deserves. I am now setting myself to scribble something in return; but as it is impossible to come up to your spirit, either in writing or conversation, I shall lay aside all pretension to wit and humour, and think myself very happy if I can talk

common sense.

My dear mamma has so much personal merit, and has always treated me with so much goodness, that it is impossible I should not be very much concerned to hear she has been indisposed. But really, madam, you take the readiest way to comfort me in my affliction; and I cannot so heartily lament the indisposition of Mrs. Farrington herself, now it has laid a foundation for a correspondence with Mrs. Roberts. I assure you, madam, that as Sancho Pancha said to the dutchess, who once drew back, "I stick like a bur;" and as for the future I shall always pay my respects to my mamma and my aunt at the same time; so I hope, whenever she favours her son with a line, or rather we will say with a hundred lines, it

scattered thoughts about them some other time. As for what I have already said, you perceive, madam, it is advanced with the utmost freedom. I should not have had the boldness to proceed so far, if I had not had your express command, which I never dispute. However, I must absolutely insist upon it, that you do not show this letter to any body in the world. If indeed Mr. Banks should insist upon seeing it, which I hope he will not, I know you must accede, for it is unreasonable to expect that you should deny him any thing.

And now, madam, I am afraid I have more reason to beg your pardon for the length of my letter than the length of my silence; but I hope you will believe it was meant with an honest zeal for your service: for I am,

With the sincerest gratitude and respect,

Dear Madam,

Your most obliged and most humble Servant,

P. DODDRIDGE.

P.S. My humble service to Mr. Banks. I return my thanks to him and you for all the favours I received at Walbroke. I am afraid I shall trouble you with too much of my company when I come to London. My humble service to Mrs. Clark. Pray tell Mrs. Hannah Clark, I wrote to her about a fortnight ago, and wait with impatience for the favour of an

answer.

TO MRS. FARRINGTON.

DEAR MAMMA,

Kibworth, 1722.

I AM extremely concerned to think that it is now almost a quarter of a year since I heard from you, nay, upon second thoughts, it is perhaps four months. For several weeks I have waited for the coming in of the post with the utmost impatience; and still it came, and brought me no comfort, because it furnished no tidings of you. I have been considering for my life! what I can have done to displease you, and have been looking over my last letter; but indeed, madam, though I can see twenty foolish things in it, I cannot find one undutiful expression. I love not to entertain chimerical fears, but really I have sometimes been ready to imagine that you were no more; but then I think my aunt, at least, would have sent me word. I have but one hope left, and that is, that it is possible your letter may have miscarried; if it has, I beg you will write again to free me from this uneasiness; for indeed, although you may again pretend to suspect my veracity, I was never so uneasy about a letter in my life. You are really the best mamma I have in the world; and, if you will give me leave to say it, I have a vast deal of filial affection for you, and so I hope you will write, if it be possible, by the next post.

Perhaps, madam, you have forgotten me, although I am sure I never forget you. My thoughts are at Bethnal Green a hundred times in a day; nay, I

will be the best way, to enter into articles with her, and allow myself to converse with her one hour in a day with the utmost freedom, and then I fancy she will be contented. However, madam, I will try the method you propose, and in a few days you shall be informed of the success.

Your rules of behaviour are certainly very judicious. But the business of kissing wants a little further explanation. You tell me, the ladies have resigned their claim to formal kisses at the beginning and end of visits. But I suppose they still allow of extemporary kissing; which you know a man may be led into by a thousand circumstances which he does not foresee. I cannot persuade myself that this pretty amusement is entirely banished out of the polite world, because, as the apostle says in another case, even nature itself teaches it. I would not for the world be so unmannerly as to ask my aunt, whether she has not been kissed within this fortnight; but I hope I may rely on her advice, and that she will not deceive me in a matter of such vast importance. For my own part, I can safely say, I look upon this, as well as the other enjoyments of life, with a becoming moderation and indifference. Perhaps, madam, I could give you such instances of my abstinence as would make your hair stand on end! I will assure you, aunt, which is a most amazing thing, I have not kissed a woman since Monday, July 10th, 1721, about twelve o'clock at night; and yet I have had strong temptations both from within and from without.

I have just been drinking tea with a very pretty lady who is about my own age. Her temper and conversation are perfectly agreeable to mine, and we have had her in the house about five weeks*. My own conscience upbraids me with a neglect of a thousand precious opportunities that may never return. But then I consider, that it may be a prejudice to my future usefulness, and help me into farther irregularities (not to say, that she has never discovered any inclination of that nature), and so I refrain. But to-morrow I am to wait upon her to a village about a mile and a half from Kibworth, and I am sensible it will be a trying time. However, I shall endeavour to fortify my mind against the temptations of the way by a very careful perusal of your letter, and my mamma's of the 31st of October.

I am extremely glad that it is but three weeks to the beginning of our vacation; for I long to see you and my relations at Bethnal Green, with an impatience that I know not how to express. I wish, madam, I could fix the day when I am first to wait on you, that you might take care to be undressed to receive You know it is my misfortune to be extremely out of countenance at the sight of a fine suit of clothes, especially when an agreeable lady appears in them. I am sensible this is a weakness that every minister of the gospel ought to endeavour to conquer, if he expects his labours should meet with any suc

me.

* A young lady named Catherine Freeman, of whom more will appear hereafter.