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Genuine LETTERS

BETWEEN

HENRY

AND

FRANCES.

Felices ter & ampliùs

Quos irrupta tenet copula; nec malis
Divulfus querimoniis,

Supremâ citiùs folvet amor die.

HOR. Lib. I. Od. 13.

VOL. II.

LONDON:
Printed for W. JOHNSTON, in St. Paul's Church-

Yard.

MDCCLVII.

i

OXFORD
LIBRARY

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SET off in Thursday's Stage, the 25th Inftant; and beg you will get fome Lodging for me.

I received a Letter from you on Saturday laft, and another this Day: And, first, of the firft. I am very glad you got fafe to Town: But why all this Plaintivenefs? Why will you eternally doubt my Tenderness for VOL. II.

B

you?

you? Observe, that there is a childish, and a manly one: Perhaps I am a Child in every thing else; and then one may fufpect, if I do not appear fo in this, it is because I want the Feeling: But if you will allow me to be a Man in other Things, why will you not judge of me all together? If my Letters and Behaviour differ, it is because one proceeds from the Sentiments I have toward you, and the other from a certain Nonchalance, or Want of Earneftness in my Manners, which has been often mifinterpreted.

1

What you fay with regard to Love and Friendship is certainly just, as it is ingenious alfo. The Pleasures of those Affections are the greateft Enjoyments of Life: How careful ought we then to be to cherish them in their proper Seafon! which does not extend even fo far as you mention: And yet we have a long Life to labour through after that Æra, which would lag heavily along without thofe Helps.

The Opinion of a continued Converfe after Death has been often difputed, and by me too: But I will come over to your Sentiment, for this conclufive Reason; We are to be happy after Death. Providence always acts by the most continued, uniform, and conftant Means. Love and Friendship are the higheft Enjoyments of Mortals: They are likewife in the Series of Virtue. Would it not be Caprice in Provi

dence,

dence, to give us new Objects, and ftrange Affections, when we can be made as happy by the Improvement of the former, as by the Enjoyment of any other? I will never change my Opinion more on this Subject, for your Sake, my fweet Girl, whofe Charms (pardon the Quibble) I wish to enjoy, both above and below; and in that Wish I live, and in that Hope I die,

Your's, all your's, and only your's,

Henry.'

LETTER CLXXXI.

FRANCES to HENRY.

HOUGH I have been, ever fince I came

THO

to Town, overwhelmed with Business, I cannot say that I am difpleafed at this Embarras du Monde, as it prevents my having Leisure to indulge gloomy Reflections, which are the certain Confequence of Indolence and Inactivity: And, though my Spirits are too weak to bear much Fatigue, I would prefer the most laborious Life to the melancholy Hours I fometimes pafs; not for Want of Employment, but Refolution to employ myself.

I am, however, far from being fatisfied with my prefent Condition; for I, almoft hourly,

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