| Description | (Dated in the library.)
Dear Sir,
Conscious how disagreeable a thing it is to interfere in family disputes, I shou’d for ever have been silent on the present subject did not my respect for Miss B. prompt me to give you my opinion respecting the deceptions to which you seem so blinded. I shall premise what I have to say by assuring you, Miss B. never hinted in slightest manner to me any complaints. Perhaps I might before have taken the liberty of mentioning the subject to you, from the reports I had had from others, but that I consider’d I had no business to interfere so long as Miss B. remain’d uncommunicative to me; I now speak from my own observations, corroborated by the reports I have before had, and since then a little information absolutely extorted from Miss B. herself, to whom I refer you for particulars. But I do think you ought to investigate the matter fully; with submission to you, I consider it a duty you owe yourself, because I am sensible your own happiness depends upon the happiness of your children.
With respect to Miss B., my opinion of her has been long form’d, and is no wise different from the opinion that every one who knows her must form, except in the degree, which must be either more or less as you are well or slightly acquainted with her. Her good sense is the more conspicuous to those who know her well from her great diffidence in displaying it; her prudence you have had a most convincing proof of; and the goodness of her disposition shews itself in all her actions, but in none more than her forbearance of injuries, where she ought to command affection, gratitude, and respect; she is doubly entitled to it from the quarter where she is so much slighted, from her own conduct, and as being your daughter and your having conferr’d so many and great favors on the family. Miss B.’s conduct I am thoroughly satisfied will command the respect and esteem of every well disposed person that knows her, but she ought also to be treated with respect by every one who resides under your roof, and if her own good nature prevents her from exacting it she is the most entitled to it, and your authority shou’d command it for her. My opinion of Miss M. (who with not one hundredth part of Miss B.’s good sense or prudence pretends to be superior to her in both) has been long formed; but I wish her no greater harm than a husband to take her off your hands; and even that wou’d be a matter of total indifference to me but from the great esteem I have for Miss B., which will not suffer me to see (with patience) her consider’d in a great measure as a non-entity in your house by Miss M., who, from what I can see of her conduct, seems to consider herself as misstress. If you wish for any elucidation of what I have written I will with pleasure give it to you; but to Miss B. herself I refer you, whose veracity I am sure you can not call in question, and whose good nature I am sure will not suffer her to aggravate any circumstance, particularly in a cause where she may be consider’d as plaintiff.
You may perhaps have the same opinion of me that you have of Mrs. Watt, and think I am prejudiced against Miss M. I candidly own to you I am, but if you are equally candid (of which I do not doubt) you must allow that I can be no further prejudiced against her, than in as much as my regard for yourself and Miss B. prompt me; for it is totally impossible that I can have any private pique against Miss M.
I shall only repeat my invitation to Miss B., which, whenever it suits your and her inclination, it will give me infinite pleasure that she will accept. If I do not press it so much as many others might do, it is only from the fear of laying any restraint upon her inclinations, as the life we lead may be call’d a very dull one; however, I promise you to do my endeavours to make it agreeable to her, and at least she may have a peaceable life tho’ not a gay one.
An epistolary correspondence when under the same roof may have an odd appearance, but your time is so taken up that it is morally impossible to obtain five minutes’ conversation with you, and my time is now very short.
I remain very sincerely, your friend,
C. M.
[Edited transcript.] |