―60―

XVI.
From Henrietta —

Monday Morning. 6. OClock.

My friend. You have indeed been unexpectedly liberal. I requested you to
write copiously, and in this instance at least you have not scrupled to obey
Why will you not submit with equally readiness to commands far more
reasonable? How happy would your obedience render you, for my commands fare
inspired for no other reason than because I value your happiness in preferance
to my own. It is your own interest only that I consult, and am ardently
desirous of making your attachment to me the means of consolation to yourself

If that event should hereafter take place which is equally desirable by [gap]
both of us do not you see what exaustless sccenes of entertainment this
correspondence will afford us? I shall preserve all the letters which I have
received from you with the utmost ^{‸ care}. They are indeed highly valuable on
various accounts—but I will not wound your modesty, and yet it is somewhat
ungenerous wholly to forbear applauding you. You have lately been so
lavish of encomium on me, that it would be but equitable to discharge the
obligation, and in return, to give you a little praise. Would you implicitly
credit all that I should say of you. If you would not, I must of necessity be
silent. However your uncommon your attainments may be, I cannot praise you
if I have any reason to imagine that my veracity would be question. I cannot
bear to be suspected of a falsehood, and to be guilty of a falsehood with
you, to you would be a proof of peculiar malignity. And yet he that
wholly disclaims praise, is not perhaps less willing to recieve it than he
who openly accepts it as a tribute unquestionably due to him, and the forms
of politeness though they render indispensable the appearances of modesty
and professions of unworthiness do not demand that our words and
sentiments should correspond. But, notwithstanding those remarks I will not
insult you with my panagerick, and if you knew how difficult it is to suppress
my admiration yof your intellectual quallities, I think you would applaud
my fortitude.

I will never part with these precious manuscripts. Many an instructive
Session will I pass in reading them, and as Alexander is said to have always
slept with the Iliad under his pillow, I will imitate his illustrious
example, and nightly deposit your letters in the same place