[ I STEEL E'S EPISTOLARY CORRESPONDENCE. LETTER I. To Mrs. MADAM, YOU SCURLOCK, [Saturday, Aug. 9,] 1707 t. YOUR wit and beauty are fuggeftions which may easily lead you into the intention of my writing to you. You may be fure that I cannot be cold to fo many good qualities as all that fee you muft obferve in you. You are a woman of a very good understanding, and * Mrs. Mary Scurlock, afterwards Lady STEELE, daughter and fole heiress of Jonathan Scurlock, efq. of the county of Caermarthen, was at this time a beautiful young lady about the age of eight or nine-and-twenty. Sir Richard has drawn a very amiable character of her in a dedication prefixed to the third vo lume of "The Ladies Library." She is ftyled here, according to the mode of the time when this letter was written, not Miss, but Mistress SCURLOCK, though her mother was still living. The appellation of Mis was then appropriated to the daughters of gentlemen under the age of ten, or given opprobriously to young gentlewomen reproachable for the giddinefs, or irregularity of their conduct. See the new edition of "The TATLER," vol. I. No 10, note; and No 13, and note. The day of the month is cut out by Mrs. Scurlock from this and a few of the following letters; and in fome others the figures have been clumsily altered, in order to disguise the exact dates from a confidential friend to whom the appears to have thewed them. Many concurring circumstances, however, confirm the conjectural dates here inferted in hooks, will not measure my thoughts by any ardour in my expreffions, which is the ordinary language on these occafions. I have reasons for hiding from my nearest relation any purpose I may have refolved upon of waiting on you if you permit it; and I hope you have confidence from mine, as well as your own character, that fuch a condefcenfion fhould not be ill used by, Madam, your most obedient fervant, R. STEELE. I LETTER II*. To Mrs. SCURLOCK. MADAM, [Aug. 11,] 1707. urge the WRIT to you on Saturday by Mrs. Warren, and give you this trouble to fame request I made then; which was, that I may be admitted to wait upon you. I fhould be very far from defiring this, if it were a tranf 1 He *The admirers of STEELE will recognife this letter, which they have read fo frequently in the TATLER, No 35; where it is thus introduced as an article from White's Chocolate-house : "I know no manner of news for this place, but that Cynthio, "having been long in despair for the inexorable Clariffa, lately "refolved to fall in love the good old way of bargain and fale, "and has pitched upon a very agreeable young woman. "will undoubtedly fucceed; for he accofts her in a strain of fa "miliarity, without breaking through the deference that is due "to a woman whom a man would chufe for his life. I have "hardly ever heard rough truth spoken with a better grace than in this his letter." Mrs. Warren, in the TATLER, is changed to Mrs. Lucy; and fo it is in the original MS. whence the letter is now printed. 2 greffion greffion of the most severe rules to allow it: I know you are very much above the little arts. which are frequent in your fex of giving unneceffary torment to their admirers; therefore hope you will do fo much juftice to the generous paffion I have for you, as to let me have an opportunity of acquainting you upon what motives I pretend to your good opinion. I fhall not trouble you with my fentiments till I know how they will be received; and as I know no reafon why difference of fex fhould make our language to each other differ from the ordinary rules of right reafon, I fhall affect plainnefs and fincerity in my difcourfe to you, as much as other lovers do perplexity and rapture. Inftead of faying "I shall die for you," I profess I should be glad to lead my life with you. You are as beautiful, as witty, as prudent, and as good-humoured, as any woman breathing; but I muft confess to you, I regard all these excellencies as you will please to direct them for my happiness or misery. With me, Madam, the only lasting motive to love, is the hope of its becoming mutual. I beg of you to let Mrs. Warren send me word when I may attend you. I promise you I will talk of nothing but indifferent things; though, at the fame time, I know not how I fhall approach you in the tender moment of firft seeing you after this declaration which has been made by, Madam, your most obedient and most faithful humble servant, RICH. STEELE. I LETTER III. To Mrs. ScURLOCK. MADAM, CAME to your house this night to wait on you; but you have commanded me to expect the happiness of feeing you at another time of more leisure. I am now under your own roof while I write; and that imaginary fatisfaction of being fo near you, though not in your prefence, has in it fomething that touches me with fo tender ideas, that it is impoffible for me to describe their force. All great paffion makes us dumb; and the highest happiness, as well as highest grief, feizes us too violently to be expreffed by our words. You are fo good as to let me know I shall have the honour of feeing you when I next come here. I will live upon that expectation, and meditate on your perfections till that happy hour. The vaineft woman upon earth never faw in her glafs half the attractions which I view in you. Your air, your fhape, your every glance, motion, and gefture, have fuch peculiar graces, that you poffefs my whole foul, and I know no life but in the hopes of your approbation: I know not what to fay, but that I love you with the fincereft paffion that ever entered the heart of man. I will make it the business of my life to find out means of convincing you that that I prefer you to all that is pleafing upon earth. I am, Madam, your most obedient, most faithful humble servant, RICH. STEELE. LETTER IV. To Mrs. SCURLOCK. MADAM, Friday Morning [Aug. 15, 1707]. OPING you are in good health, as I am HOP at this prefent writing, I take the liberty of bidding you good morrow, and thanking you for yesterday's admiffion. To know so much pleasure with so much innocence is, methinks, a fatisfaction beyond the prefent condition of human life; but the union of minds in pure affection is renewing the first state of man. You cannot imagine the gratitude with which I meditate on your obliging behaviour to me, and how much improved in generous fentiments I return from your company at the fame time that you give me paffion for yourself, you infpire me alfo with a love of virtue. Mrs. Warren informed me of your intention* on Sunday morning. I forbear indulging myself in a ftyle which my eager wifhes prompt me to, out of reverence to that occafion. I am, Madam, your moft obliged, most faithful servant, RICH. STEELE. * To receive the facrament; fee p. 7. B 3 LETTER |