vexed that sir e� should know anything of the matter lady which we foresaw would make him bo uneasy he caught all your fears the moment he had read your letter and i am sure he has not had the out of his head since he wrote hy the same post to a long letter full of it all and particularly asking an explanation of what he may have heard from lady to contradict the late shocking reports his answer came this morning which i shall to you as i think you will like to see it i wish it was more satisfactory but it seems written with such a determination to think well of lady that his assurances as to marriage etc do not set my heart at ease i say all i can however to satisfy your father and he is certainly less uneasy since s letter how provoking it is my dear that this unwelcome guest of yours should not only prevent our meeting this christmas but be the occasion of so much vexation and trouble i kiss the dear children for me your a� mother c d� xiv mr de to sir my � i have this moment received your letter which has given me more astonishment than i ever felt before i am to thank my sister i suppose for having represented me in such a light as to injure me in your opinion and give you all this alarm i know not why she lady to make herself and h t un easy bj on event which no one but i affirm would ever have thought possible to such a design to i would be taking from her every claim to that excellent understanding which her bitterest enemies have never denied her and equally low must sink my pretensions to common if i am o matrimonial views in my behavior to her our of age must be an i objection and i entreat you my dear father to quiet your mind and no longer harbor a suspicion which cannot be more injurious to your own peace than to our i can have no other view in remaining with lady than to enjoy a short time as you have yourself expressed it the conversation c a woman of high intellectual powers if mrs would allow something � to my affection for herself and her husband in the length of my visit she would do more justice to u ail but my sister is unhappily prejudiced be the hope of conviction against lady from an attachment to her husband which in itself does honor to both she cannot forgive the at preventing their union which been attributed to selfishness in lady but in this case as well as in many others the world has most injured that lady by supposing the worst where the motives of her conduct been doubtful lady had heard something so materially to the disadvantage of my sister as to persuade her that the happiness of mr to whom she was always much attached would be lady wholly destroyed by the marriage and this circumstance while it explains the motives of lady s conduct and all the blame which has been so on her may also convince us how little the general report of any one ought to be since no character however upright can escape the of if my sister in the security of retirement with as little opportunity as inclination to do evil could not avoid censure we must not condemn those who living in the world and surrounded with temptations should be accused of errors which they are known to have the power of committing i blame myself severely for having so easily believed the tales invented by charles smith to the prejudice of lady as i am now convinced how greatly they have her as to mrs s jealousy it was totally his own invention and his account of her miss s lover was better founded sir james martin had been drawn in by that young lady to pay her some attention and as he is a man of fortune it was easy to see her views extended to marriage it is well known that miss m is absolutely on the catch for a husband and no one therefore can pity her for losing by the superior attractions of another woman the chance of being able to make a worthy man completely wretched lady was far from intending such a conquest and on finding how warmly miss resented her lover s determined in spite of mr and mrs lady s most urgent entreaties to leave the family i have reason to imagine she did receive serious proposals from sir james but her removing to immediately on the discovery of his attachment must her on that article with any mind of common you will i am sure my dear sir feel the truth of this and will learn to do justice to the character of a very injured woman i know that lady in coming to was governed only by the most honorable and amiable intentions her prudence and economy are her regard for mr equal even to his deserts and her wish of obtaining my sister s good opinion merits a better return than it has received as a mother she is her solid affection for her child is shown by placing her in hands where her education will be properly attended to but because she has not the blind and weak partiality of most mothers she is accused of wanting maternal tenderness every person of sense however will know how to value and commend her well directed affection and will join me in wishing that may prove more worthy than she has yet done of her mother s tender care i have now my dear father written my real sentiments of lady you will know from this letter how highly i admire her abilities and esteem her 