This is, madam, the present state of my affairs; and though this income is so large, I have not taken any regard to lay up anything further than just what pays the interest above mentioned. If I may be so happy to obtain your favour, so as we may live together with singleness of mind, I shall readily go into such measures as shall be thought most advisable for our mutual interests; and, if it is thought fit, will sell what I have in the plantations.

Your daughter acquaints me there is a demand of £1400 upon your estate, the annual income of which is better than £400 per annum. You have now the whole view of both our circumstances before you; and you see there is foundation for our living in a handsome manner, provided we can be of one mind, without which I could not propose to myself any happiness or blessing, were my circumstances ever so plentiful. I am at a present juncture in my affairs, and my friends are in great power, so that it would be highly necessary for us to be in the figure of life which we shall think convenient to appear in, as soon as may be, that I may prosecute my expectations in a busy way while the wind is for me, with just consideration that, about a Court, it will not always blow one way. Your coming to town is mightily to be wished. I promise myself the pleasures of an industrious and virtuous life, in studying to do things agreeable to you. But I will not enlarge into professions, I assure you. I shall always contend with you who shall lay the greater obligations on the other; and I can form to myself no greater satisfaction than having one day permission to subscribe myself, madam, your most obedient son, and most humble servant, RICH. STEELE.

Writing is painful to me.

If you will enclose your letters to your daughter, they will come free, "To Richard Steele, Esq., at the Secretary's Office, Whitehall."

The next letter, probably written some weeks before the foregoing, is on the same subject, namely, to obtain the consent of the elder Mrs Scurlock to the marriage, and the sentiments it expresses do great credit to the writer:

be some mistake in the letter, as Steele refers to one received by the young lady from her mother on the 22d inst., which must be intended for ult. The date here given must be correct, as in writing again to his wife's mother under date Sept. 7, he alludes to this letter.

LETTER XIX.

Mrs Mary Scurlock to her Mother.

[Undated.]

DEAR MADAM,-By a letter I had from Cousin Betty Scurlock, I find you are resolved to winter in Wales, which is the cause of this speed in my writing, having kept a secret from you, through fear that a letter might (by the usual impertinent curiosity of people) make a discovery of what is proper for your own ear only, and not to direct any in that tattling place, where that wretched impudence H. O. resorts, who (lest he should think God had not wholly forsaken him) had the boldness to send me a letter, which I had the very last post. I tore it without once reading it, he being beneath my scornful laugh.

But the matter is hand in this :-Your frequent declarations of your earnest wishes that I might happily please you in obliging myself by my choice of a companion for life, has emboldened me, now fate has put it in my power, to give so far encouragement as to promise speedy marriage, upon condition of your consent, which I do not question having, when I tell you, I not only make use of the most weighing considerations I am mistress of, but also hope my inclination is the direction of Providence, whose guidance, in every particular of this nice affair more particularly, I cease not to implore continually. I cannot recommend the person to you as having a great estate, title, &c., which are generally a parent's chief care; but he has a competency in worldly goods to make easy, with a mind so richly adorned as to exceed an equivalent to the greatest estate in the world, in my opinion: in short, his person is what I like; his temper is what I am sure will make you, as well as myself, perfectly happy, if the respect of a lover, with the tender fondness of a dutiful son, can make you so, and for his understanding and morals, I refer you to his "Christian Hero," which, I remember, you seemed to approve. By this, I believe, you know his name; but, lest memory may not befriend me, it is the survivor of the person to whose funeral I went in my illness. Inquiries about him, any further than I have made, are altogether needless, for I am fully satisfied, and do not qestion but you will be so, when business will permit you to be an eye-witness and partaker of my happiness. In the meantime, what I desire is, your consent and blessing to my putting it out of my power to delay, and so perhaps to lose my first and only inclination; for I shall never meet with a prospect of happiness if this should vanish. You, doubtless, wonder at the assurance of my style, for really I do myself; but then, if you consider the necessity of it, it will palliate the boldness. For, first, the distance between us is so great, that the speediest answer to a letter terminates an age of days; then the constant visits, in the form fit for a lover, make a mighty noise in an idle, prying neighbourhood; so will cause the uneasiness of an endless nine

days' wonder, as they call it. But the main matter of all, since Fate, I believe, has ordained him mine, is the neglect of his business, which his coming in the manner he does must cause. These considerations, with several more when known, though now too tedious to write, will, I hope, lessen the censure this incomprehensive letter may at first sight cause.

There is nothing I should more desire than your presence at the giving my hand, with that part of my heart you can spare; but the misfortune of your lameness, if you were here, would deny me that happiness, unless public doings were intended, which is what I abhor; insomuch, if you consent to my changing the name of lover for husband, it shall not be in the power of the town to more than guess there may be such a thing, until your affairs will permit you to come and be a witness to our manner of living and appearing in the world, which God Almighty direct us in the way of, and also * this letter to your dutiful Molly; . . there being no room for long consideration

understood.

LETTER XX.

To Mrs Scurlock.

Sept. 4, 1707.

DEAR MISS+ MOLLY,-I am loath to interrupt your prayers, or my indispensable business, with a long epistle this morning; therefore forgive me that I only just say I am ever yours.

R. S. I shall come at night, and make all the despatch here I can not to be wanted.

Sept. 5, 1707. DEAR MADAM,-The pleasing hope with which my mind is possessed is too delicate a touch of the soul to be explained, but it is founded on so solid and lasting motives that I am sure it will actuate the behaviour of my whole life; for I do not entertain my imagination with those transports only which are raised by beauty, but fix it also on the satisfactions which flow from the reverence due to virtue. Thus, I am not only allured by your person, but convinced by your life, that you are the most amiable of women. Let us go on, my lovely creature, to make our regards to each other mutual and unchangeable, that, whilst the world around us is enchanted with the false satisfactions of vagrant desires, our persons may be shrines to each other, and sacred to conjugal faith, unreserved confidence, and heavenly society. While we live after this manner, angels will

* The original, which Nichols thinks was probably written about Aug. 16, 1707, is here accidentally torn.

+ Miss, says Nichols, seems here used as a term of endearment.

be so far from being our superiors that they will be our attendants. Every good being guard my fairest, and conduct her to that bosom that pants to receive her, and protect her from all the cares and vicissitudes of life with an eternal tenderness.-I am, ever most obligedly yours,

RICH. STEELE.

LETTER XXII.

To Mrs Scurlock.

Saturday, Sept. 6, 1707. MADAM,-I am at a friend's house, where they have given me, as you see, but very ordinary instruments to write with. However, I hope the sincerity of my heart is not to be measured by the dress in which I clothe it. My thoughts hurry upon me, in consideration of the approach of the moment in which those fair lips are to give me, in one monosyllable, more than all the eloquence in the world can express, when you say yes to the accepting of, madam, your most obliged, most grateful, most obedient servant,

RICH. STEELE,

Sept. 7, 1707.

MADAM,—In obedience to your commands by your daughter, of hearing every post from this town of her health and welfare, I do myself the honour to inform you of it, and humbly desire you would accept my own duty.

I hope you have, before now, received a letter from me, wherein I laid before you at large the state of my affairs ;* and that when we come to be acquainted, you will not esteem it a disadvantageous accident that I have the honour of being, madam, your most obedient son, and most humble servant, RICH. STEELE.

*Letter XVIII.

CHAPTER IV.

THE HUSBAND-1707, 1708.

Correspondence after marriage with his wife and her mother.

THE next letter appears to have been written after the private marriage, which is conjectured to have taken place some days previously, when Steele seems to have strongly urged upon his wife, though in vain, the open acknowledgment of him as her husband, in anticipation of her mother's consent or presence :

Sept. 9, 1707. MADAM,-I hope your denying what I urged with so much passion, and which I complained of in too vehement a manner, has not been a grief to my tender companion; for, upon reflection this morning, I extremely approve your conduct, and take your behaviour to proceed from an inclination to come to my arms hallowed by your parent's blessing. I comply with your measures in bringing that happiness about, and shall behave myself as if only in the beginning of a sacred love made at the altar.

I promise to myself sincere felicity in a woman that sacrifices all desires to her duty; and I assure you, whatever appearance of care and disturbance you may observe now and then in my countenance, it is not the image of spleen, ill-nature, or dissatisfaction, but a strong propensity to make you the happiest of your sex, which I shall endeavour to do, rather by an industrious ambition to promote your fortune, than by a mere dalliance of your person only, to shew a greater regard to the beauty than the wife. I beg of you to shew my letters to no one living, but let us be contented with one another's thoughts upon our words and actions, without the intervention of other people, who cannot judge of so delicate a circumstance as the commerce between man and wife.-I am, eternally yours, RICH. STEELE.

Pray write me a line.