Speaker 1: Letter, the first from Isabel to Laura. How often, in
Speaker 1: answer to my repeated entreaties that you would give my
Speaker 1: daughter a regular detail of the misfortunes and adventures of
Speaker 1: your life, have you said no, my friend, Never will
Speaker 1: I comply with your request till I may be no
Speaker 1: longer in danger of again experiencing such dreadful ones. Surely
Speaker 1: that time is now at hand. You are this day
Speaker 1: fifty five. If a woman may ever be said to
Speaker 1: be in safety from the determined perseverance of disagreeable lovers
Speaker 1: and the cruel persecutions of obstinate fathers, surely it must
Speaker 1: be at such a time of life. Isabel letter. Second
Speaker 1: Laura to Isabel. Although I cannot agree with you in
Speaker 1: supposing that I shall never again be exposed to misfortunes
Speaker 1: as unmerited as those I have already experienced, yet to
Speaker 1: avoid the imputation of obstinacy or ill nature, I will
Speaker 1: gratify the curiosity of your daughter, and may the fortitude
Speaker 1: with which I have suffered the many afflictions of my
Speaker 1: past life proved to her a useful lesson for the
Speaker 1: support of those which may befall her in her own.
Speaker 1: Laura Letter, third Laura to Mary Anne. As the daughter
Speaker 1: of my most intimate friend, I think you entitled to
Speaker 1: that knowledge of my unhappy story which your mother has
Speaker 1: so often solicited me to give you. My father was
Speaker 1: a native of Ireland and an inhabitant of Wales. My
Speaker 1: mother was the natural daughter of a Scotch peer by
Speaker 1: an Italian opera girl. I was born in Spain and
Speaker 1: received my education at a convent in France. When I
Speaker 1: had reached my eighteenth year, I was recalled by my
Speaker 1: parents to my paternal roof in Wales. Our mansion was
Speaker 1: situated in one of the most romantic parts of the
Speaker 1: Veil of Usk. Though my charms are now considerably softened
Speaker 1: and somewhat impaired by the misfortunes I have undergone, I
Speaker 1: was once beautiful, but lovely as I was, the graces
Speaker 1: of my person were the least of my perfections, of
Speaker 1: every accomplishment accustomary to my sex, I was mistress when
Speaker 1: in the convent my progress had always exceeded my instructions.
Speaker 1: My acquirements had been wonderful for my age, and I
Speaker 1: had shortly surpassed my master's. In my mind. Every virtue
Speaker 1: that could adorn it was centered. It was the rendezvous
Speaker 1: of every good quality, and of every noble sentiment, a
Speaker 1: sensibility too tremblingly alive. To every affliction of my friends
Speaker 1: my acquaintance, and particularly to every affliction of my own,
Speaker 1: was my only fault. If a fault, it could be
Speaker 1: called alas how altered now though indeed my own misfortunes
Speaker 1: do not make less impression on me than they ever did.
Speaker 1: Yet now I never feel for those of another. My
Speaker 1: accomplishments too begin to fade. I can neither sing so
Speaker 1: well nor dance so gracefully as I once did, And
Speaker 1: I have entirely forgotten the minuet de la cour adieu. Laura,
Speaker 1: letter forth, Laura to Mary Anne. Our neighborhood was small,
Speaker 1: for it consisted only of your mother. She may probably
Speaker 1: have already told you that, being left by her parents
Speaker 1: in indigenous circumstances, she had retired into Wales on economical motives.
Speaker 1: There it was our friendship first commenced. Isabel was then
Speaker 1: one and twenty. Though pleasing both in her person and
Speaker 1: manners between ourselves, she never possessed the hundredth part of
Speaker 1: my beauty or accomplishments. Isabel had seen the world. She
Speaker 1: had passed two years at one of the first boarding
Speaker 1: schools in London, had spent a fortnight in Bath, and
Speaker 1: had supped one night in Southampton. Beware, my Laura, she
Speaker 1: would often say, Beware of the insipid vanities and idle
Speaker 1: dissipations of the metropolis of England. Beware of the unmeaning
Speaker 1: luxuries of Bath, and of the stinking fish of Southampton.
Speaker 1: Alas exclaimed, I, how am I to avoid those evils?
Speaker 1: I shall never be exposed to What probability is there
Speaker 1: of my ever tasting the dissipations of London, the luxuries
Speaker 1: of Bath, or the stinking fish of Southampton. I who
Speaker 1: am doomed to waste my days of youth and beauty
Speaker 1: in a humble cottage in the Vale of usk Ah.
Speaker 1: Little did I then think I was ordained so soon
Speaker 1: to quit that humble cottage for the deceitful pleasures of
Speaker 1: the world. Adieu, Laura. Letter fifth Laura to Mary Anne.
Speaker 1: One evening in December, as my father, my mother and
Speaker 1: myself were arranged in social converse round our fireside, we
Speaker 1: were on a sudden greatly astonished by hearing a violent
Speaker 1: knocking on the outward door of our rustic cot. My
Speaker 1: father started, What noise is that? Said he? It sounds
Speaker 1: like a loud rapping at the door, replied my mother.
Speaker 1: It does, indeed, cried I. I am of your opinion,
Speaker 1: said my father. It certainly does appear to proceed from
Speaker 1: some uncommon violence exerted against our unoffending door. Yes, exclaimed I.
Speaker 1: I cannot help thinking it must be somebody who knocks
Speaker 1: for admittance. That is another point, replied he. We must
Speaker 1: not pretend to determine on what motive the person may knock, though,
Speaker 1: that some one does rap at the door, I am
Speaker 1: partly convinced. Here A second tremendous rap, interrupted my father
Speaker 1: in his speech, and somewhat alarmed my mother and me.
Speaker 1: Had we better not go and see who it is?
Speaker 1: Said she? The servants are out, I think we had,
Speaker 1: replied I certainly, added my father. By all means, shall
Speaker 1: we go now, said my mother. The sooner the better,
Speaker 1: answered he. Oh, let no time be lost, cried I.
Speaker 1: A third, more violent rap than ever again assaulted our ears.
Speaker 1: I am certain there is somebody knocking at the door,
Speaker 1: said my mother. I think there must, replied my father.
Speaker 1: I fancy the servants are returned, said I I think
Speaker 1: I hear Mary going to the door. I am glad
Speaker 1: of it, cried my father, for I long to know
Speaker 1: who it is. I was right in my conjecture, for Mary,
Speaker 1: instantly entering the room, informed us that a young gentleman
Speaker 1: and his servant were at the door, who had lost
Speaker 1: their way, were very cold, and begged leave to warm
Speaker 1: themselves by our fire. Won't you admit them? Said I.
Speaker 1: You have no objection, my dear, said my father. None
Speaker 1: in the world, replied my mother. Mary, without waiting for
Speaker 1: any further commands, immediately left the room and quickly returned,
Speaker 1: introducing the most beauteous and amiable youth I had ever beheld.
Speaker 1: The servant, she kept to herself. My natural sensibility had
Speaker 1: already been greatly affected by the sufferings of the unfortunate stranger,
Speaker 1: and no sooner did I first behold him than I
Speaker 1: felt that on him the happiness or misery of my
Speaker 1: future life must depend. Adieu Laura, Letter sixth Laura to
Speaker 1: Mary Anne. The noble youth informed us that his name
Speaker 1: was Lindsey. For particular reasons. However, I shall conceal it
Speaker 1: under that of Talbot. He told us, that he was
Speaker 1: the son of an English baronet, that his mother had
Speaker 1: been for many years no more, and that he had
Speaker 1: a sister of the middle size. My father, he continued,
Speaker 1: is a mean and mercenary wretch. It is only to
Speaker 1: such particular friends as this dear party, that I would
Speaker 1: thus betray his failings, your virtues, my amiable Polydor, addressing
Speaker 1: himself to my father, yours, dear Claudia, and yours, my
Speaker 1: charming Laura, call on me to repose in you my confidence.
Speaker 1: We bowed. My father, seduced by the false glare of
Speaker 1: fortune and the deluding pomp of title, insisted on my
Speaker 1: giving my hand to Lady Dorothea. No, never exclaimed I.
Speaker 1: Lady Dorothea is lovely and engaging. I prefer no woman
Speaker 1: to her. But know sir, that I scorn to marry
Speaker 1: her in compliance with your wishes. No, never shall it
Speaker 1: be said that I obliged my father. We all admired
Speaker 1: the noble manliness of his reply, he continued, Sir Edward
Speaker 1: was surprised he had perhaps little expected to meet with
Speaker 1: so spirited an opposition to his will. Where Edward, in
Speaker 1: the name of Wonder, said he did you pick up
Speaker 1: this unmeaning Gibberish, who have been studying novels I suspect,
Speaker 1: I scorned to answer, it would have been beneath my dignity.
Speaker 1: I mounted my horse, and, followed by my faithful William,
Speaker 1: set forth for my aunt's. My father's house is situated
Speaker 1: in Bedfordshire, my aunt's in Middlesex. And though I flatter
Speaker 1: myself with being a tolerable proficient in geography, I know
Speaker 1: not how it happened. But I found myself entering this
Speaker 1: beautiful vale, which I find as in South Wales, when
Speaker 1: I had expected to have reached my aunt's, After having
Speaker 1: wandered some time on the banks of the usk, without
Speaker 1: knowing which way to go, I began to lament my
Speaker 1: cruel destiny in the bitterest and most pathetic manner. It
Speaker 1: was now perfectly dark. Not a single star was there
Speaker 1: to direct my steps, and I know not what might
Speaker 1: have befallen me had I not at length discerned, through
Speaker 1: the solemn gloom that surrounded me, a distant light, which,
Speaker 1: as I approached it, I discovered to be the cheerful
Speaker 1: blaze of your fire, impelled by the combination of misfortunes
Speaker 1: under which I labored, namely fear, cold and hunger. I
Speaker 1: hesitated not to ask admittance, which at length I have gained.
Speaker 1: And now my adorable Laura continued, he taking my hand.
Speaker 1: When may I hope to receive that reward of all
Speaker 1: the painful sufferings I have undergone during the course of
Speaker 1: my attachment to you, to which I have ever aspired? Oh?
Speaker 1: When will you reward me with yourself? This instant, dear
Speaker 1: and amiable Edward replied I. We were immediately united by
Speaker 1: my father, who, though he had never taken orders, had
Speaker 1: been bred to the church. Adieu, Lura, letter seventh do
Speaker 1: to Mary Anne. We remained but a few days after
Speaker 1: our marriage in the Vale of Usk. After taking an
Speaker 1: affecting farewell of my father, my mother and my Isabel,
Speaker 1: I accompanied Edward to his aunt's in Middlesex. Philippa received
Speaker 1: us both with every expression of affectionate love. My arrival
Speaker 1: was indeed a most agreeable surprise to her, as she
Speaker 1: had not only been totally ignorant of my marriage with
Speaker 1: her nephew, but had never even had the slightest idea
Speaker 1: of there being such a person in the world. Augusta,
Speaker 1: the sister of Edward, was on a visit to her.
Speaker 1: When we arrived, I found her exactly what her brother
Speaker 1: had described her to be, of the middle size. She
Speaker 1: received me with equal surprise, though not with equal cordiality
Speaker 1: as Philippa. There was a disagreeable coldness and forbidding reserve
Speaker 1: in her reception of me, which was equally distressing and unexpected.
Speaker 1: None of that interesting sensibility or amiable sympathy in her
Speaker 1: manners and addressed to me when we first met, which
Speaker 1: should have distinguished our introduction to each other. Her language
Speaker 1: was neither warm nor affectionate. Her expressions of regard were
Speaker 1: neither animated nor cordial. Her arms were not opened to
Speaker 1: receive me to her heart, though my own were extended
Speaker 1: to press her to mine. A short conversation between Augusta
Speaker 1: and her brother, which I accidentally overheard, increased my dislike
Speaker 1: to her, and convinced me that her heart was no
Speaker 1: more formed for the soft ties of love than for
Speaker 1: the endearing intercourse of friendship. But do you think that
Speaker 1: my father will ever be reconciled to this imprudent connection,
Speaker 1: said Augusta. Augusta replied, the noble youth, I thought you
Speaker 1: had a better opinion of me than to imagine I
Speaker 1: would so abjectly degrade myself as to consider my father's
Speaker 1: concurrence in any of my affairs, either of consequence or
Speaker 1: concern to me. Tell me, Augusta, with sincere did you
Speaker 1: ever know me to consult his inclinations or follow his
Speaker 1: advice in the least trifling particular since the age of fifteen?
Speaker 1: Edward replied she. You are surely too diffident in your
Speaker 1: own praise, since you are fifteen, Only my dear brother,
Speaker 1: since you were five years old, I entirely acquit you
Speaker 1: of ever having willingly contributed to the satisfaction of your father.
Speaker 1: But still I am not without apprehensions of your being
Speaker 1: shortly obliged to degrade yourself in your own eyes by
Speaker 1: seeking a support for your wife in the generosity of
Speaker 1: Sir Edward. Never, never, Augusta, will I so demean myself,
Speaker 1: said Edward. Support What support will Laura want which she
Speaker 1: can receive from him? Only those very insignificant ones are
Speaker 1: Victuals and Drink, answered she. Victuals and drink, replied my
Speaker 1: husband in a most nobly contemptuous manner. And dost thou
Speaker 1: then imagine that there is no other support taught for
Speaker 1: an exalted mind such as is my Laura's than the
Speaker 1: mean and indelicate employment of eating and drinking, None that
Speaker 1: I know of so efficacious, returned Augusta. And did you
Speaker 1: then never feel the pleasing pangs of love? Augusta replied
Speaker 1: my Edward. Does it appear impossible to your vile and
Speaker 1: corrupted Pallette to exist on love? Can you not conceive
Speaker 1: the luxury of living in every distress that poverty can
Speaker 1: inflict with the object of your tenderest affection. You are
Speaker 1: too ridiculous, said Augusta to argue with Perhaps, however, you
Speaker 1: may in time be convinced that Here I was prevented
Speaker 1: from hearing the remainder of her speech by the appearance
Speaker 1: of a very handsome young woman who was ushered into
Speaker 1: the room at the door of which I had been listening.
Speaker 1: On hearing her announced by the name of Lady Dorothea,
Speaker 1: I instantly quitted my post and followed her into the parlor,
Speaker 1: for I well remember that she was the lady proposed
Speaker 1: as a wife for my Edward by the cruel and
Speaker 1: unrelenting Baronet. Although Lady Dorothea's visit was nominally to Philippa
Speaker 1: and Augusta. Yet I have some reason to imagine that
Speaker 1: acquainted with the marriage and arrival of Edward to see
Speaker 1: me was a principal motive to it. I soon perceived that,
Speaker 1: though lovely and elegant in her person, and though easy
Speaker 1: and polite in her address, she was of that inferior
Speaker 1: order of beings with regard to delicate feeling, tender sentiments,
Speaker 1: and refined sensibility, of which Augusta was one. She stayed
Speaker 1: but half an hour, and neither, in the course of
Speaker 1: her visit, confided to me any of her secret thoughts,
Speaker 1: nor requested me to confide in her any of mine.
Speaker 1: You will easily imagine, therefore, my dear mary Anne, that
Speaker 1: I could not feel any ardent affection or very sincere
Speaker 1: attachment for Lady Dorothea. Adieu Laura, Letter eight Laura to
Speaker 1: mary Anne. In continuation, Lady Dorothea had not left us
Speaker 1: long before another visitor, as unexpected a one as her
Speaker 1: ladyship was announced. It was Sir Edward, who, informed by
Speaker 1: Augusta of her brother's marriage, came doubtless to reproach him
Speaker 1: for having dared to unite himself to me without his
Speaker 1: knowledge but Edward, for seeing his design, approached him with
Speaker 1: heroic fortitude as soon as he entered the room, and
Speaker 1: addressed him in the following manner, Sir Edward, I know
Speaker 1: the motive of your journey. Here you come with the
Speaker 1: base design of reproaching me for having entered into a
Speaker 1: dissoluble engagement with my Laura without your consent. But Sir,
Speaker 1: I glory in the act. It is my greatest boast
Speaker 1: that I have incurred the displeasure of my father. So saying,
Speaker 1: he took my hand, and whilst Sir Edward, Philippa and
Speaker 1: Augusta were doubtless reflecting with admiration on his undaunted brave
Speaker 1: led me from the parlor to his father's carriage, which
Speaker 1: yet remained at the door, and in which we were
Speaker 1: instantly conveyed from the pursuit of Sir Edward. The Postilions
Speaker 1: had at first received orders only to take the London road.
Speaker 1: As soon as we had sufficiently reflected, however, we ordered
Speaker 1: them to drive to Mum, the seat of Edward's most
Speaker 1: particular friend, which was but a few miles distant. Ad
Speaker 1: Mum we arrived in a few hours, and, on sending
Speaker 1: in our names were immediately admitted to Sophia, the wife
Speaker 1: of Edward's friend, after having been deprived during the course
Speaker 1: of three weeks of a real friend. For such I
Speaker 1: term your mother, imagine my transports had beholding one most
Speaker 1: truly worthy of the name. Sophia was rather above the
Speaker 1: middle size, most elegantly formed a soft languor spread over
Speaker 1: her lovely features, but increased their beauty. It was the
Speaker 1: characteristic of her mind. She was all sensibility and feeling.
Speaker 1: We flew into each other's arms, and, after having exchanged
Speaker 1: vows of mutual friendship for the rest of our lives,
Speaker 1: instantly unfolded to each other the most inward secrets of
Speaker 1: our hearts. We were interrupted in the delightful employment by
Speaker 1: the entrance of Augustus, Edward's friend, who was just returned
Speaker 1: from a solitary ramble. Never did I see such an
Speaker 1: affecting scene as was the meeting of Edward and Augustus.
Speaker 1: My life, my soul, exclaimed the former, My adorable angel,
Speaker 1: replied the latter, as they flew into each other's arms.
Speaker 1: It was too pathetic for the feelings of Sophia and myself.
Speaker 1: We fainted alternately on a sofa Adieu Laura. Letter the
Speaker 1: ninth from the same to the same. Towards the close
Speaker 1: of day, we received the following letter from Philippa. Sir
Speaker 1: Edward is greatly incensed by your abrupt departure. He has
Speaker 1: taken back Augusta to Bedfordshire. Much as I wish to
Speaker 1: enjoy again your charming society, I cannot determine to snatch
Speaker 1: you from that of such dear and deserving friends. When
Speaker 1: your visit to them is terminated, I trust you will
Speaker 1: return to the arms of your Philippa. We returned a
Speaker 1: suitable answer to this affectionate note, and, after thanking her
Speaker 1: for her kind invitation, assured her that we would certainly
Speaker 1: avail ourselves of it whenever we might have no other
Speaker 1: place to go to. Though certainly nothing could to any
Speaker 1: reasonable being have appeared more satisfactory than so grateful a
Speaker 1: reply to her invitation. Yet I know not how it was,
Speaker 1: but she was certainly capricious enough to be displeased with
Speaker 1: our behavior, and in a few weeks after, either to
Speaker 1: revenge our conduct or relieve her own solitude, married a
Speaker 1: young and illiterate fortune hunter. This imprudent step, though we
Speaker 1: were sensible that it would be probably deprive us of
Speaker 1: that fortune which Philippa had ever taught us to expect,
Speaker 1: could not, on our own accounts, excite from our exalted
Speaker 1: minds a single sigh, Yet fearful lest it might prove
Speaker 1: a source of endless misery to the deluded bride, Our
Speaker 1: trembling sensibility was greatly affected when we were first informed
Speaker 1: of the event. The affectionate entreaties of Augustus and Sophia
Speaker 1: that we would forever consider their house as our home
Speaker 1: easily prevailed on us to determine never more to leave them.
Speaker 1: In the society of my Edward and this amiable pair
Speaker 1: I passed the happiest moments of my life. Our time
Speaker 1: was most delightfully spent in mutual protestations of friendship and
Speaker 1: in vows of unalterable love, in which we were secure
Speaker 1: from being interrupted by intruding and disagreeable visitors. As Augustus
Speaker 1: and Sophia had, on their first entrance in the neighborhood,
Speaker 1: taken due care to inform the surrounding families that, as
Speaker 1: their happiness centered wholly in themselves, they wished for no
Speaker 1: other society but alas my dear Marianne such happiness, as
Speaker 1: I then enjoyed, was too perfect to be lasting. A
Speaker 1: most severe and unexpected blow at once destroyed every sensation
Speaker 1: of pleasure. Convinced, as you must be from what I
Speaker 1: have already told you concerning Augustus and Sophia, that there
Speaker 1: never were a happier couple, I need not, I imagine,
Speaker 1: inform you that their union had been contrary to the
Speaker 1: inclinations of their cruel and mercenary parents, who had vainly endeavored,
Speaker 1: with obstinate perseverance, to force them into a marriage with
Speaker 1: those whom they had ever abhorred. But with a heroic
Speaker 1: fortitude worthy to be related and admired, they had both
Speaker 1: constantly refused to submit to such despotic power. After having
Speaker 1: so nobly disentangled themselves from the shackles of parental authority
Speaker 1: by a clandestine marriage, they were determined never to forfeit
Speaker 1: the good opinion they had gained in the world in
Speaker 1: so doing, by accepting any proposals of reconciliation that might
Speaker 1: be offered them by their fathers. To this further trial
Speaker 1: of their noble independence. However, they were never exposed. They
Speaker 1: had been married but a few months when our visit
Speaker 1: to them commenced, during which time they had been amply
Speaker 1: supported by a considerable sum of money which Augustus had
Speaker 1: gracefully purloined from his unworthy father's escritoire. A few days
Speaker 1: before his union with Sofia. By our arrival, their expenses
Speaker 1: were considerably increased, though their means for supplying them were
Speaker 1: then nearly exhausted. But they exalted creatures scorned to reflect
Speaker 1: a moment on their pecuniary distresses, and would have blushed
Speaker 1: at the idea of paying their debts. Alas what was
Speaker 1: their reward for such disinterested behavior. The beautiful Augustus was arrested,
Speaker 1: and we were all undone such perfidious treachery in the
Speaker 1: merciless perpetrators of the deed. Will she shock your gentle nature,
Speaker 1: dearest Mary Anne, as much as it then affected the
Speaker 1: delicate sensibility of Edward Sophia, your Laura, and of Augustus himself.
Speaker 1: To complete such unparalleled barbarity, we were informed that an
Speaker 1: execution in the house would shortly take place. Ah, what
Speaker 1: can we do? But what we did? We sighed and
Speaker 1: fainted on the sofa, Adieu Laura, Letter ten Laura In continuation,
Speaker 1: when we were somewhat recovered from the overpowering effusions of
Speaker 1: our grief. Edward desired that we would consider what was
Speaker 1: the most prudent step to be taken in our unhappy situation,
Speaker 1: while he repaired to his imprisoned friend to lament over
Speaker 1: his misfortunes. We promised that we would, and he set
Speaker 1: forwards on his journey to town. During his absence, we
Speaker 1: faithfully complied with his desire, and, after the most mature deliberation,
Speaker 1: at length agreed that the best thing we could do
Speaker 1: was to leave the house of which we every moment
Speaker 1: expected the office of Justice to take possession. We waited, therefore,
Speaker 1: with the greatest impatience for the return of Edward, in
Speaker 1: order to impart to him the result of our deliberations.
Speaker 1: But no Edward appeared in vain. Did we count the
Speaker 1: tedious moments of his absence in vain? Did we weep
Speaker 1: in vain? Even did we sigh? No Edward returned. This
Speaker 1: was too cruel, too unexpected, a blow to our gentle sensibility.
Speaker 1: We could not support it. We could only faint at length,
Speaker 1: collecting all the resolution I was mistress of, I arose
Speaker 1: and after packing up some necessary apparel for Sophia and myself.
Speaker 1: I dragged her to a carriage I had ordered, and
Speaker 1: we instantly set out for London. As the habitation of
Speaker 1: Augustus was within twelve miles of town. It was not
Speaker 1: long ere we arrived there, and no sooner had we
Speaker 1: entered Hoburn than letting down one of the front glasses.
Speaker 1: I inquired of every decent looking person that we passed
Speaker 1: if they had seen my Edward. But as we drove
Speaker 1: too rapidly to allow them to answer my repeated inquiries,
Speaker 1: I gained little, or indeed no information concerning him. Where
Speaker 1: am I to drive, said the postilion, to Newgate? Gentle youth, replied,
Speaker 1: I to see Augustus. Oh no, no, exclaimed Sophia. I
Speaker 1: cannot go to Newgate. I shall not be able to
Speaker 1: support the sight of my Augustus in so cruel a confinement.
Speaker 1: My feelings are sufficiently shocked by the recital of his distress,
Speaker 1: but to behold it will overpower my sensibility. As I
Speaker 1: perfectly agreed with her in the justice of her sentiments,
Speaker 1: the postilion was instantly directed to return into the country.
Speaker 1: You may perhaps have been somewhat surprised my dearest mari Anne,
Speaker 1: that in the distress I then endured, destitute of any support,
Speaker 1: an unprovided with any habitation, I should never once have
Speaker 1: remembered my father and mother, or my paternal cottage in
Speaker 1: the Veil of Usk. To account for this seeming forgetfulness,
Speaker 1: I must inform you of a trifling circumstance concerning them,
Speaker 1: which I have as yet never mentioned. The death of
Speaker 1: my parents a few weeks after my departure is the
Speaker 1: circumstance I allude to. By their decease, I became the
Speaker 1: lawful inheritress of their house and fortune, but alas the
Speaker 1: house had never been their own, and their fortune had
Speaker 1: only been an annuity on their own lives. Such is
Speaker 1: the depravity of the world to your mother. I should
Speaker 1: have returned with pleasure, should have been happy to have
Speaker 1: introduced to her my charming Sophia, and should with cheerfulness
Speaker 1: have passed the remainder of my life in their dear
Speaker 1: society in the Veil of Usk had not one obstacle
Speaker 1: to the execution of so agreeable a scheme intervened, which
Speaker 1: was the marriage and removal of your mother to a
Speaker 1: distant part of Ice. Adieu, Laura, end of Part one,
Speaker 1: Part two, Letter eleventh Laura in continuation, I have a
Speaker 1: relation in Scotland, said Sofia to me as we left London,
Speaker 1: who I am certain would not hesitate in receiving me.
Speaker 1: Shall I order the boy to drive there? Said I,
Speaker 1: but instantly recollecting myself, exclaimed, alas I fear it will
Speaker 1: be too long a journey for the horses. Unwilling, however,
Speaker 1: to act only for my own inadequate knowledge of the
Speaker 1: strengths and abilities of horses, I consulted the postilion, who
Speaker 1: was entirely of my opinion concerning the affair. We therefore
Speaker 1: determined to change horses at the next town and to
Speaker 1: travel post to the remainder of the journey. When we
Speaker 1: arrived at the last inn we were to stop at,
Speaker 1: which was but a few miles from the house of
Speaker 1: Sofia's relation. Unwilling to intrude our society on him unexpected
Speaker 1: and una thought of, we wrote a very elegant and
Speaker 1: well penned note to him, containing an account of our
Speaker 1: destitute and melancholy situation, and of our intention to spend
Speaker 1: some months with him in Scotland. As soon as we
Speaker 1: had dispatched this letter. We immediately prepared to follow it
Speaker 1: in person, and was stepping into the carriage for that
Speaker 1: purpose when our attention was attracted by the entrance of
Speaker 1: a coroneted coach and four into the inn yard. A
Speaker 1: gentleman considerably advanced in years, descended from it. At his
Speaker 1: first appearance, my sensibility was wonderfully affected, and ere I
Speaker 1: had gazed at him a second time, an instinctive sympathy
Speaker 1: whispered to my heart that he was my grandfather. Convinced
Speaker 1: that I could not be mistaken in my conjecture, I
Speaker 1: instantly sprang from the carriage I had just entered, and
Speaker 1: following the venerable stranger into the room he had been
Speaker 1: shown to, I threw myself on my knees before him
Speaker 1: and besought him to acknowledge me as his grandchild. He started, and,
Speaker 1: having attentively examined my features, raised me from the ground, and,
Speaker 1: throwing his grandfatherly arms around my neck, exclaimed acknowledge thee
Speaker 1: yes dear resemblance of my Loreena and Lorena's daughter, sweet
Speaker 1: image of my Claudia and my Claudia's mother. I do
Speaker 1: acknowledge thee as the daughter of one and the granddaughter
Speaker 1: of the other. While he was thus tenderly embracing me, Sophia,
Speaker 1: astonished at my precipitate departure, entered the room in search
Speaker 1: of me. No sooner had she caught the eye of
Speaker 1: the venerable peer than he exclaimed, with every mark of astonishment,
Speaker 1: another grand daughter. Yes, Yes, I see you are the
Speaker 1: daughter of my Lorena's eldest girl. Your resemblance to the
Speaker 1: beauteous Matilda sufficiently proclaims it, Oh, replied Sophia. When I
Speaker 1: first beheld you, the instinct of nature whispered me that
Speaker 1: we were in some degree related, But whether grandfather's or
Speaker 1: grandmother's I could not pretend to determine. He folded her
Speaker 1: in his arms, and while they were tenderly embracing, the
Speaker 1: door of the apartment opened, and a most beautiful young
Speaker 1: man appeared. On perceiving him, Lord Sinclair started and retreating
Speaker 1: back a few paces with uplifted hands, said another grandchild,
Speaker 1: What an unexpected happiness is this to discover in a
Speaker 1: space of three minutes, as many of my descendants, This,
Speaker 1: I am certain is Falander, the son of my Loreena's
Speaker 1: third girl, the amiable Bertha. There wants now but the
Speaker 1: presence of Gustavus to complete the union of my Lorena's grandchildren.
Speaker 1: And here he is, said a graceful youth, who that
Speaker 1: instant entered the room. Here is the Gustavus you desire
Speaker 1: to see. I am the son of Agatha, your Lorena's
Speaker 1: fourth and youngest daughter. I see you are, indeed, replied
Speaker 1: Lord Sinclair. But tell me, continued he, looking fearfully towards
Speaker 1: the door. Tell me, have I any other grandchildren in
Speaker 1: the house? None, my lord, Then I will provide for
Speaker 1: you all without further delay. Here are four bank notes
Speaker 1: of fifty pounds each. Take them, and remember I have
Speaker 1: done the duty of a grandfather. He instantly left the room,
Speaker 1: and immediately afterwards the house. Adieu, Laura letter the twelfth Laura.
Speaker 1: In continuation, you may imagine how greatly we were surprised
Speaker 1: by the sudden departure of Lord Sainclair. Ignoble grandsire, exclaimed Sophia,
Speaker 1: unworthy grandfather, said I, and instantly fainted in each other's arms.
Speaker 1: How long we remained in this situation I know not,
Speaker 1: But when we recovered, we found ourselves alone without either
Speaker 1: Gustavus Phalander or the bank notes. As we were deploring
Speaker 1: our unhappy fate, the door of the apartment opened and
Speaker 1: MacDonald was announced. He was Sofia's cousin. The haste with
Speaker 1: which he came to our relief so soon after the
Speaker 1: resisted of our note spoke so greatly in his favor
Speaker 1: that I hesitated not to pronounce him at first sight
Speaker 1: a tender and sympathetic friend, alas he little deserved the name.
Speaker 1: For though he told us that he was much concerned
Speaker 1: at our misfortunes, yet by his own account it appeared
Speaker 1: that the perusal of them had neither drawn from him
Speaker 1: a single sigh nor induced him to bestow one curse
Speaker 1: on our vindictive stars. He told Sophia that his daughter
Speaker 1: depended on her returning with him to McDonald Hall, and
Speaker 1: that as his cousin's friend, he should be happy to
Speaker 1: see me there also to McDonald Hall. Therefore we went,
Speaker 1: and were received with great kindness by Janetta, the daughter
Speaker 1: of MacDonald and the mistress of the mansion. Jeannetta was
Speaker 1: then only fifteen, naturally well disposed, endowed with a susceptible
Speaker 1: heart and a sympathetic disposition. She might, had these amiable
Speaker 1: qualities been properly encouraged, have been an ornament to human nature.
Speaker 1: But unfortunately her father possessed not a soul sufficiently exalted
Speaker 1: to admire so promising a disposition, and had endeavored by
Speaker 1: every means on his power to prevent it. Increasing with
Speaker 1: her years, he had actually so far extinguished the natural
Speaker 1: noble sensibility of her heart as to prevail on her
Speaker 1: to accept an offer from a young man of his recommendation.
Speaker 1: They were to be married in a few months, and
Speaker 1: Graham was in the house when we arrived. We soon
Speaker 1: saw through his character he was just such a man
Speaker 1: as one might have expected to be the choice of MacDonald.
Speaker 1: They said he was sensible, well informed, and agreeable. We
Speaker 1: did not pretend to judge of such trifles. But as
Speaker 1: we were convinced he had no soul, that he had
Speaker 1: never read the sorrows of weather, and that his hair
Speaker 1: born not the least resemblance to auburn, we were certain
Speaker 1: that Jeannetta could feel no affection for him, or at
Speaker 1: least that she ought to feel none. The very circumstance
Speaker 1: of his being her father's choice, too, was so much
Speaker 1: in his disfavor that had he been deserving her in
Speaker 1: every other respect, Yet that of itself ought to have
Speaker 1: been a sufficient reason in the eyes of Janetta for
Speaker 1: rejecting him. These considerations we were determined to represent to
Speaker 1: her in their proper light, and doubted not of meeting
Speaker 1: with the desired success from one naturally so well disposed,
Speaker 1: whose errors in the affair had only arisen from a
Speaker 1: want of proper confidence in her own opinion and a
Speaker 1: suitable contempt of her father's. We found her, indeed, all
Speaker 1: that our warmest wishes could have hoped for. We had
Speaker 1: no difficulty to convince her that it was impossible she
Speaker 1: could love Graham, or that it was her duty to
Speaker 1: disobey her father. The only thing at which she rather
Speaker 1: seemed to hesitate was our assertion that she must be
Speaker 1: attached to some other person. For some time she persevered
Speaker 1: in declaring that she knew no other young man for
Speaker 1: whom she had the smallest affection, But on explaining the
Speaker 1: impossibility of such a thing, she said that she believed
Speaker 1: she did like Captain mc kenry better than any one
Speaker 1: she knew. Besides, this confession satisfied us, and, after having
Speaker 1: enumerated the good qualities of mc kenry and assured her
Speaker 1: that she was violently in love with him. We desired
Speaker 1: to know whether he had in any wise declared his
Speaker 1: affection to her. So far from having ever declared it,
Speaker 1: I have no reason to imagine that he has ever
Speaker 1: felt any for me, said Janetta. That he certainly adores you,
Speaker 1: replied Sophia, there can be no doubt the attachment must
Speaker 1: be reciprocal. Did he never gaze on you with admiration,
Speaker 1: tenderly press your hand, drop an involuntary tear, and leave
Speaker 1: the room abruptly? Never, replied she that I remember he
Speaker 1: has always left the room, indeed when his visit has
Speaker 1: been ended, but has never gone away particularly abruptly or
Speaker 1: without making a bow. Indeed, my love, said I, you
Speaker 1: must be mistaken, for it is absolutely impossible that he
Speaker 1: should ever have left you. But with confusion, despair, and precipitation,
Speaker 1: consider but for a moment, Janetta, and you must be
Speaker 1: convinced how absurd it is to suppose that he could
Speaker 1: ever make a bow or behave like any other person.
Speaker 1: Having settled this point to our satisfaction, the next we
Speaker 1: took into consideration was to determine what manner we should
Speaker 1: inform mc kenry of the favorable opinion Jeannetta entertained of him,
Speaker 1: We at length agreed to acquaint him with it by
Speaker 1: an anonymous letter, which Sophia drew up in the following manner, Oh,
Speaker 1: happy lover of the beautiful Janetta, Oh, amiable possessor of
Speaker 1: her heart, whose hand is destined to another, Why do
Speaker 1: you thus delay a confession of your attachment to the
Speaker 1: amiable object of it? Oh? Consider that a few weeks
Speaker 1: will at once put an end to every flattering hope
Speaker 1: that you may now entertain by uniting the unfortunate victim
Speaker 1: of her father's cruelty to the execrable and detested Graham. Alas,
Speaker 1: why do you thus so cruelly connive at the projected
Speaker 1: misery of her and of yourself by delaying to communicate
Speaker 1: that scheme which had doubtless long possessed your imagination? A
Speaker 1: secret union will at once secure the felicity of both
Speaker 1: The amiable mcchenery, whose modesty, as he afterwards assured us,
Speaker 1: had been the only reason of his having so long
Speaker 1: concealed the violence of his affection for Janetta. On receiving
Speaker 1: this billet, flew on the wings of love to MacDonald Hall,
Speaker 1: and so powerfully pleaded his attachment to her, who inspired
Speaker 1: it that, after a few more private interviews, Sofia and
Speaker 1: I experienced the satisfaction of seeing them depart for Gretna Green,
Speaker 1: which they chose for the celebration of their nuptials in
Speaker 1: preference to any other place, although it was at a
Speaker 1: considerable distance from McDonald Hall Adieu Laura Letter the thirteenth
Speaker 1: Laura in continuation, They had been gone nearly a couple
Speaker 1: of hours before either MacDonald or Graham had entertained any
Speaker 1: suspicion of the affair, and they might not even then
Speaker 1: have suspected it but for the following little accident. Sophia,
Speaker 1: happening one day to open a private drawer in MacDonald's
Speaker 1: library with one of her own keys, discovered that it
Speaker 1: was the place where he kept his papers of consequence,
Speaker 1: and amongst them some bank notes of considerable amount. This
Speaker 1: discovery she imparted to me, and, having agreed together that
Speaker 1: it would be a proper treatment of so vile a
Speaker 1: wretch as McDonald to deprive him of money, perhaps dishonestly gained,
Speaker 1: it was determined that the next time we should either
Speaker 1: of us happen to go that way, we would take
Speaker 1: one or more of the bank notes from the drawer.
Speaker 1: This well meant plan we had often successfully put in execution,
Speaker 1: but alas on the very day of Janetta's escape, as
Speaker 1: Sophia was majestically removing the fifth bank note from the
Speaker 1: drawer to her own purse, she was most impertinently interrupted
Speaker 1: in her employer by the entrance of mc donald himself
Speaker 1: in a most abrupt and precipitate manner. Sophia, who though
Speaker 1: naturally all winning sweetness, could, when occasions demanded it, call
Speaker 1: forth the dignity of her sex, instantly put on a
Speaker 1: most forbidding look, and darting an angry frown on the
Speaker 1: undaunted culprit demanded in a haughty tone of voice. Wherefore
Speaker 1: her retirement was thus insolently broken in on the unblushing MacDonald,
Speaker 1: without even endeavoring to exculpate himself from the crime he
Speaker 1: was charged with meanly endeavored to reproach Sophia with ignobly
Speaker 1: defrauding him of his money. The dignity of Sophia was wounded, wretch,
Speaker 1: exclaimed she hastily replacing the bank note in the drawer.
Speaker 1: How dareest thou to accuse me of an act of
Speaker 1: which the bare idea makes me blush. The base wretch
Speaker 1: was still unconvinced, and continued to upbraid the justly offended
Speaker 1: Sophia in such approbrious language that at length he so
Speaker 1: greatly provoked the gentle sweetness of her nature as to
Speaker 1: induce her to revenge herself on him by informing him
Speaker 1: of Jeanetta's elopement and of the active part we had
Speaker 1: both taken in the affair at this period of their quarrel.
Speaker 1: I entered the library and was, as you may imagine,
Speaker 1: equally offended as Sophia at the ill grounded accusations of
Speaker 1: the malevolent and contemptible MacDonald. Base miscreant cried, I, how
Speaker 1: canst thou thus undauntedly endeavor to sully the spotless reputation
Speaker 1: of such bright excellence? Why dost thou not suspect my innocence?
Speaker 1: As soon be satisfied, madam replied he, I do suspect it,
Speaker 1: and therefore must desire that you will both leave this
Speaker 1: house in less than half an hour. We shall go, willingly,
Speaker 1: answered Sophia. Our hearts have long detested thee and nothing
Speaker 1: but our friendship for thy daughter could have induced us
Speaker 1: to remain so long beneath thy roof your friendship, For
Speaker 1: my daughter has indeed been most powerfully exert by throwing
Speaker 1: her into the arms of an unprincipled fortune. Hunter replied
Speaker 1: He Yes, exclaimed, I amidst every misfortune. It will afford
Speaker 1: us some consolation to reflect that, by this one act
Speaker 1: of friendship to Janetta, we have amply discharged every obligation
Speaker 1: that we have received from her father. It must indeed
Speaker 1: be a grateful reflection to your exalted minds, said he
Speaker 1: As soon as we had packed up our wardrobe and valuables,
Speaker 1: we left MacDonald Hall, and after having walked about a
Speaker 1: mile and a half, we sat down by the side
Speaker 1: of a clear, limpid stream to refresh our exhausted limbs.
Speaker 1: The place was suited to meditation. A grove of full
Speaker 1: grown elms sheltered us from the east, a bed of
Speaker 1: full grown nettles from the west. Before us ran the
Speaker 1: Murmuring Brook, and behind us ran the Turnpike Road. We
Speaker 1: were in a mood for contemplation and in a disposition
Speaker 1: to enjoy so beautiful a spot. Rtual silence, which had
Speaker 1: for some time reigned between us, was at length broke
Speaker 1: by my exclaiming, what a lovely scene. Alas, why are
Speaker 1: not Edward and Augustus here to enjoy its beauties with us? Ah,
Speaker 1: my beloved Laura, cried Sophia, for pity's sake, forbear, recalling
Speaker 1: to my remembrance the unhappy situation of my imprisoned husband. Alas,
Speaker 1: what would I not give to learn the fate of
Speaker 1: my Augustus, to know if he is still in Newgate,
Speaker 1: or if he is yet hung? But never shall I
Speaker 1: be able so far to conquer my tender sensibility as
Speaker 1: to inquire after him. Oh, do not I beseech you
Speaker 1: ever let me again hear you repeat his beloved name.
Speaker 1: It affects me too deeply. I cannot bear to hear
Speaker 1: him mentioned. It wounds my feelings. Excuse me, my Sophia,
Speaker 1: for having thus unwillingly offended, you replied I, and, then,
Speaker 1: changing the conversation, desired her to admire the noble grandeur
Speaker 1: of the Elms which sheltered us from the Eastern zephyr. Alas,
Speaker 1: my Laura returned, she avoid so melancholy a subject. I
Speaker 1: entreat you do not again wound my sensibility by observations
Speaker 1: on those elms. They remind me of Augustus. He was
Speaker 1: like them, tall, majestic, He possessed that noble grandeur which
Speaker 1: you admire in them. I was silent, fearful lest I
Speaker 1: might any more unwillingly distress her by fixing on any
Speaker 1: other subject of conversation which might again remind her of Augustus.
Speaker 1: Why do you not speak, my Laura, said she, after
Speaker 1: a short pause. I cannot support this silence. You must
Speaker 1: not leave me to my own reflections they ever recur
Speaker 1: to Augustus. What a beautiful sky? Said I. How charmingly
Speaker 1: is the azure varied by those delicate streaks of white? Oh,
Speaker 1: my Laura, replied she hastily, withdrawing her eyes from a
Speaker 1: momentary glance at the sky. Do not not thus distress
Speaker 1: me by calling my attention to an object which so
Speaker 1: cruelly reminds me of my Augustus's blue satin waistcoat striped
Speaker 1: in white. In pity to your unhappy friend, avoid a
Speaker 1: subject so distressing. What could I do? The feelings of
Speaker 1: Sophia were at that time so exquisite, and the tenderness
Speaker 1: she felt for Augustus so poignant, that I had not
Speaker 1: power to start any other topic, justly, fearing that it might,
Speaker 1: in some unforeseen manner again awaken all her sensibility by
Speaker 1: directing her thoughts to her husband. Yet to be silent
Speaker 1: would be cruel. She had entreated me to talk. From
Speaker 1: this dilemma, I was most fortunately relieved by an accident
Speaker 1: truly apropos It was the lucky overturning of a gentleman's
Speaker 1: fight on on the road, which ran murmuring behind us.
Speaker 1: It was a most fortunate accident, as it diverted the
Speaker 1: attention of Sophia from the melancholy reflections which she had
Speaker 1: been before indulging. We instantly quitted our seats and ran
Speaker 1: to the rescue of those who, but a few moments before,
Speaker 1: had been in so elevated a situation as a fashionably
Speaker 1: high fight on, but who were now laid low and
Speaker 1: sprawling in the dust. What an ample subject for reflection
Speaker 1: on the uncertain enjoyments of this world, would not that
Speaker 1: fight on and the life of Cardinal Wolsey afford A
Speaker 1: thinking mind, said I to Sophia, as we were hastening
Speaker 1: to the field of action. She had not time to
Speaker 1: answer me, for every thought was now engaged by the
Speaker 1: horrid spectacle before us. Two gentlemen, most elegantly attired, but
Speaker 1: weltering in their blood, was what first struck our eyes
Speaker 1: we approached. They were Edward and Augustus. Yes, dearest mari Anne,
Speaker 1: they were our husbands. Sophia shrieked and fainted on the ground.
Speaker 1: I screamed and instantly ran mad. We remained thus mutually
Speaker 1: deprived of our senses some minutes, and on regaining them,
Speaker 1: were deprived of them again for an hour and a quarter.
Speaker 1: Did we continue in this unfortunate situation, Sophia fainting every
Speaker 1: moment and I running mad as often at length? A
Speaker 1: groan from the hapless Edward, who alone retained any share
Speaker 1: of life, restored us to ourselves. Had we indeed before
Speaker 1: imagined that either of them lived, we should have been
Speaker 1: more sparing of our grief. But as we had supposed
Speaker 1: when we first beheld them, that they were no more,
Speaker 1: we knew that nothing could remain to be done. But
Speaker 1: what we were about. No sooner did we therefore hear
Speaker 1: my Edward's groan. Than postponing our lamentations for the present,
Speaker 1: we hastily ran to the dear youth, and, kneeling on
Speaker 1: each side of him, implored him not to die. Laura said, he,
Speaker 1: fixing his now languid eyes on me. I fear I
Speaker 1: have been overturned. I was overjoyed to find him, yet sensible.
Speaker 1: Oh tell me, Edward said, tell me, I beseech you
Speaker 1: before you die. What has befallen you since that unhappy
Speaker 1: day in which Augustus was arrested and we were separated?
Speaker 1: I will, said he, and, instantly, fetching a deep sigh, expired.
Speaker 1: Sofia immediately sank again into a swoon. My grief was
Speaker 1: more audible, my voice faltered, my eyes assumed a vacant stare,
Speaker 1: My face became as pale as death, and my senses
Speaker 1: were considerably impaired. Talk not to me, of phytons, said I,
Speaker 1: raving in a frantic, incoherent manner. Give me a violin.
Speaker 1: I'll play to him and soothe him in his melancholy hours. Beware, ye,
Speaker 1: gentle nymphs of Cupid's thunderbolts, avoid the piercing shafts of Jupiter.
Speaker 1: Look at that grove of firs, I see a leg
Speaker 1: of mutton. They told me Edward was not dead, but
Speaker 1: they deceived me. They took him for a cucumber. Thus,
Speaker 1: I continued wildly, exclaiming on my Edward's death for two
Speaker 1: hours did I rave thus madly? And should not then
Speaker 1: have left off? As I was not in the least fatigued.
Speaker 1: Had not. Sophia, who was just recovered from her swoon,
Speaker 1: entreated me to consider that night was now approaching, and
Speaker 1: that the damps began to fall. And whither shall we go,
Speaker 1: said I, to shelter us from either to that white cottage,
Speaker 1: replied she, pointing to a neat building which rose up
Speaker 1: amidst the grove of elms, and which I had not
Speaker 1: before observed. I agreed, and we instantly walked to it.
Speaker 1: We knocked at the door, it was opened by an
Speaker 1: old woman. On being requested to afford us a night's lodging,
Speaker 1: she informed us that her house was but small, that
Speaker 1: she had only two bedrooms, but that however, we should
Speaker 1: be welcome to one of them. We were satisfied and
Speaker 1: followed the good woman into the house, where we were
Speaker 1: greatly cheered by the sight of a comfortable fire. She
Speaker 1: was a widow and had only one daughter, who was
Speaker 1: then just seventeen, one of the best of ages. But
Speaker 1: alas she was very plain, and her name was bridget
Speaker 1: Nothing therefore could be expected from her. She could not
Speaker 1: be supposed to possess either exalted ideas, delicate feelings, or
Speaker 1: refined sensibilities. She was nothing more than a mere, good tempered,
Speaker 1: civil and obliging young woman. As such, we could scarcely
Speaker 1: dislike her. She was only an object of contempt. Adieu, Laura,
Speaker 1: end of Part two, Part three, Letter the fourteenth Laura,
Speaker 1: in continuation, arm yourself, my amiable young friend, with all
Speaker 1: the philosophy you are mistress of, summon up all the
Speaker 1: fortitude you possess, for alas in the perusal of the
Speaker 1: following pages, your sensibility will be most severely tried. Ah,
Speaker 1: What were the misfortunes I had before experienced, and which
Speaker 1: I have already related to you, to the one I
Speaker 1: am now going to inform you of the death of
Speaker 1: my father, and my mother and my husband, though almost
Speaker 1: more than my gentle nature could support, were trifles in
Speaker 1: comparison to the misfortune I am now proceeding to relate.
Speaker 1: The morning after our arrival at the cottage, Sophia complained
Speaker 1: of a violent pain in her delicate limbs, accompanied with
Speaker 1: a disagreeable headache. She attributed it to a cold caught
Speaker 1: by her continued faintings in the open air as the
Speaker 1: dew was falling the evening before this, I feared was
Speaker 1: but too probably the case, since how could it otherwise
Speaker 1: be accounted for that I should have escaped the same indisposition.
Speaker 1: But by supposing that the bodily exertions I had undergone
Speaker 1: in my repeated fits of phrenzy had so effectively circulated
Speaker 1: and warmed my blood as to make me proof against
Speaker 1: the chilling damps of night, whereas Sophia, lying totally inactive
Speaker 1: on the ground, must have been exposed to all their severence.
Speaker 1: I was most seriously alarmed by her illness, which, trifling
Speaker 1: as it may appear to you, a certain instinctive sensibility,
Speaker 1: whispered me, would in the end be fatal to her.
Speaker 1: Alas my fears were but too fully justified, she grew
Speaker 1: gradually worse, and I daily became more alarmed for her.
Speaker 1: At length she was obliged to confine herself solely to
Speaker 1: the bed allotted us by our worthy landlady. Her disorder
Speaker 1: turned to a galloping consumption, and in a few days
Speaker 1: carried her off amidst all my lamentations for her, and
Speaker 1: violent you may suppose they were. I yet received some
Speaker 1: consolation in the reflection of my having paid every attention
Speaker 1: to her that could be offered in her illness. I
Speaker 1: had wept over her every day, had bathed her sweet
Speaker 1: face with my tears, and had pressed her fair hands
Speaker 1: continually in mine, My beloved Laura, said she a few
Speaker 1: hours before she died. Take warning from my unhappy end,
Speaker 1: and avoid the imprudent conduct which had occasioned it. Beware
Speaker 1: of fainting fits, though at the time they may be
Speaker 1: refreshing and agreeable. Yet believe me, they will, in the end,
Speaker 1: if too often repeated and at in proper seasons, prove
Speaker 1: destructive to your constitution. My fate will teach you this.
Speaker 1: I die a martyr to my grief for the loss
Speaker 1: of Augustus. One fatal swoon has cost me my life.
Speaker 1: Beware of swoons, dear Laura. A frenzy fit is not
Speaker 1: one quarter so pernicious. It is an exercise to the body, and,
Speaker 1: if not too violent, is I dare say, conducive to
Speaker 1: health in its consequences. Run mad as often as you choose,
Speaker 1: but do not faint. These were the last words she
Speaker 1: ever addressed to me. It was her dying advice to
Speaker 1: her afflicted Laura, who has ever most faithfully adhered to it.
Speaker 1: After having attended my lamented friend to her early grave,
Speaker 1: I immediately, though late at night, left the detested village
Speaker 1: in which she died, and near which had expired my
Speaker 1: husband and Augustus. I had not walked many yards from
Speaker 1: it before I was overtaken by a stage coach, in
Speaker 1: which I instantly took a place, determined to proceed in
Speaker 1: it to Edinburgh, where I hoped to find some kind,
Speaker 1: some pitying friend, who would receive and comfort me in
Speaker 1: my afflictions. It was so dark when I entered the
Speaker 1: coach that I could not distinguish the number of my
Speaker 1: fellow travelers. I could only perceive that they were many. Regardless, however,
Speaker 1: of anything concerning them, I gave myself up to my
Speaker 1: own sad reflections. A general silence prevailed, a silence which
Speaker 1: was by nothing interrupted but by the loud and repeated
Speaker 1: snores of one of the party. What an illiterate villain
Speaker 1: must that man be, thought I to myself, What a
Speaker 1: total want of delicate refinement must he have, who can
Speaker 1: thus shock our senses by such a brutal noise, He must,
Speaker 1: I am certain, be capable of every bad action. There
Speaker 1: is no crime too black for such a character. Thus
Speaker 1: reasoned I within myself, and doubtless such were the reflections
Speaker 1: of my fellow travelers at length. Returning day enabled me
Speaker 1: to behold the unprincipled scoundrel who had so violently disturbed
Speaker 1: my feelings. It was, Sir Edward, the father of my
Speaker 1: deceased husband. By his side sat Augusta, And on the
Speaker 1: same seat with me were your mother and Lady Dorothea.
Speaker 1: Imagine my surprise at finding myself thus seated amongst my
Speaker 1: old acquaintance. Great as was my astonishment, it was yet
Speaker 1: increased when, on looking out of windows I beheld the
Speaker 1: husband of Philippa, with Philippa by his side, on the
Speaker 1: coach box, and when on looking behind I beheld Philander
Speaker 1: and Gustavs in the basket. Oh heavens, exclaimed I is
Speaker 1: it possible that I should so unexpectedly be surrounded by
Speaker 1: my nearest relations and connections. These words roused the rest
Speaker 1: of the party, and every eye was directed to the
Speaker 1: corner in which I sat. Oh my Isabel, continued, I,
Speaker 1: throwing myself across Lady Dorothea into her arms, receive once
Speaker 1: more to your bosom, the unfortunate Laura. Alas when last
Speaker 1: we parted in a veil of usk, I was happy
Speaker 1: in being united to the best of Edward's I had
Speaker 1: then a father and a mother, and had never known misfortunes,
Speaker 1: but now deprived of every friend. But you, what, interrupted Augusta.
Speaker 1: Is my brother dead, then tell us, I entreat you
Speaker 1: what is become of him? Yes, cold and insensible Nymph
Speaker 1: replied I that, luckless Swain, your brother is no more,
Speaker 1: and you may now glory in being the heiress of
Speaker 1: Sir Edward's fortune. Although I had always despised her from
Speaker 1: the day I had overheard her conversation with my Edward,
Speaker 1: yet in civility I complied with hers and Sir Edward's
Speaker 1: entreaties that I would inform them of the whole melancholy affair.
Speaker 1: They were greatly shocked. Even the obdurate heart of Sir
Speaker 1: Edward and the insensible one of Augusta were touched with
Speaker 1: sorrow by the unhappy tale. At the request of your mother,
Speaker 1: I related to them every other misfortune which had befallen
Speaker 1: me since we parted of the imprisonment of Augustus and
Speaker 1: the absence of Edward, of our arrival in Scotland, of
Speaker 1: our unexpected meeting with our grandfather and our cousins, of
Speaker 1: our visit to MacDonald Hall, of the singular service we
Speaker 1: there performed towards Janetta, of her father's ingratitude for it,
Speaker 1: of his inhuman behavior, unaccountable suspicions and barbarous treatment of
Speaker 1: us in obliging us to leave the house, of our
Speaker 1: lamentations on the loss of Edward and Augustus, and finally
Speaker 1: of the melancholy death of my beloved companion. Pity and
Speaker 1: surprise was strongly depictured in your mother's countenance during the
Speaker 1: whole of my narration. But I am sorry to say
Speaker 1: that the eternal reproach of her sensibility the latter infinitely predominated,
Speaker 1: nay faultless. As my conduct had certainly been during the
Speaker 1: whole course of my late misfortunes and adventures, she pretended
Speaker 1: to find fault with my behavior in many of the
Speaker 1: situations in which I had been placed, As I was
Speaker 1: sensible myself that I had always behaved in a manner
Speaker 1: which reflected honor on my feelings and refinement. I paid
Speaker 1: little attention to what she said, and desired her to
Speaker 1: satisfy my curiosity by informing me how she came there,
Speaker 1: instead of wounding my spotless reputation with unjustifiable reproaches. As
Speaker 1: soon as she had complied with my wishes in this
Speaker 1: particular and had given me an accurate detail of everything
Speaker 1: that had befallen her since our separation, the particulars of which,
Speaker 1: if you were not already acquainted with your mother, will
Speaker 1: give you, I applied to Augusta for the same information,
Speaker 1: respecting herself, Sir Edward and Lady Dorothea. She told me that,
Speaker 1: having a considerable taste for the beauties of nature, her
Speaker 1: curiosity to behold the wonderful scenes it exhibited in that
Speaker 1: part of the world had been so much raised by
Speaker 1: Gilpin's tour to the Highlands that she had prevailed on
Speaker 1: her father to undertake a tour to Scotland, and had
Speaker 1: persuaded Lady Dorothea to accompany them. That they had arrived
Speaker 1: at Edinburgh a few days before, and from thence had
Speaker 1: made daily excursions into the country around in the stage
Speaker 1: coach they were then in from one of which excursions
Speaker 1: they were at that time returning. My next inquiries were
Speaker 1: concerning Philippa and her husband, the latter of whom I learned,
Speaker 1: having spent all her fortune, had recourse for subsistence to
Speaker 1: the talent in which he had always most excelled, namely driving,
Speaker 1: and that, having sold everything which belonged to them except
Speaker 1: their coach, had converted it into a stage, and, in
Speaker 1: order to be removed from any of his former acquaintance,
Speaker 1: had driven it to Edinburgh, from whence he went to
Speaker 1: Sterling every other day. That Philippa, still retaining her affection
Speaker 1: for her ungrateful husband, had followed him to Scotland and
Speaker 1: generally accompanied him in his little excursions to Sterling. It
Speaker 1: has only been to throw a little money into their pockets,
Speaker 1: continued Augusta, that my father has always traveled in their
Speaker 1: coach to view the beauties of the country since our
Speaker 1: arrival in Scotland. For it would certainly have been much
Speaker 1: more agreeable to us to visit the Highlands in a
Speaker 1: post chaise than merely to travel from Edinburgh to Sterling
Speaker 1: and from Sterling to Edinburgh every other day in a
Speaker 1: crowded and uncomfortable stage. I perfectly agreed with her in
Speaker 1: her sentiments on the affair, and secretly blamed Sir Edward
Speaker 1: for thus sacrificing his daughter's pleasure for the sake of
Speaker 1: a ridiculous old woman, whose folly in marrying so young
Speaker 1: a man ought to be punished. His behavior, however, was
Speaker 1: entirely of a piece with his general character. For what
Speaker 1: could be expected from a man who possessed not the
Speaker 1: smallest atom of sensibility, who scarcely knew the meaning of sympathy,
Speaker 1: and who actually snored? Adieu, Laura Letter the fifteenth Laura
Speaker 1: in continuation. When we arrived at the town where we
Speaker 1: were to breakfast, I was determined to speak with Filander
Speaker 1: and Gustavus, and to that purpose, as soon as I
Speaker 1: left the carriage, I went to the basket and tenderly
Speaker 1: inquired after their health, expressing my fears of the uneasiness
Speaker 1: of their situation. At first, they seemed rather confused at
Speaker 1: my appearance, dreading no doubt that I might call them
Speaker 1: to account for the money which our grandfather had left
Speaker 1: me and which they had unjustly deprived me of, But
Speaker 1: finding that I mentioned nothing of the matter, they desired
Speaker 1: me to step into the basket, as we might there
Speaker 1: converse with greater ease. Accordingly I entered, and whilst the
Speaker 1: rest of the party were devouring green tea and buttered toast,
Speaker 1: we feasted ourselves in a more refined and sentimental manner.
Speaker 1: By a confidential conversation. I informed them of everything which
Speaker 1: had befallen me during the course of my life, and
Speaker 1: at my request, they related to me every incident of theirs.
Speaker 1: We are the sons, as you already know, of the
Speaker 1: two youngest daughters which Lord Sainclair had by Lorena, an
Speaker 1: Italian opera girl, our mothers could neither of them exactly
Speaker 1: ascertain who were our father though it is generally believed
Speaker 1: that Fialander is the son of one Philip Jones, a bricklayer,
Speaker 1: and that my father was one Gregory Staves, a staymaker
Speaker 1: of Edinburgh. This is, however, of little consequence, for as
Speaker 1: our mothers were certainly never married to either of them,
Speaker 1: it reflects no dishonor on our blood, which is of
Speaker 1: a most ancient and unpolluted kind. Bertha, the mother of Philander,
Speaker 1: and Agatha, my own mother, always lived together. They were
Speaker 1: neither of them very rich. Their united fortunes had originally
Speaker 1: amounted to nine thousand pounds, but as they had always
Speaker 1: lived on the principle of it, when we were fifteen,
Speaker 1: it was diminished to nine hundred. This nine hundred they
Speaker 1: always kept in a drawer in one of the tables
Speaker 1: which stood in our common sitting parlor, for the convenience
Speaker 1: of having it always at hand. Whether it was from
Speaker 1: this circumstance of its being easily taken, or from a
Speaker 1: wish of being independent, or from an excess of sensibility,
Speaker 1: for which we were always remarkable, I cannot now determine.
Speaker 1: But certain it is that, when we had reached our
Speaker 1: fifteenth year, we took the nine hundred pounds and ran away.
Speaker 1: Having obtained this prize, we were determined to manage it
Speaker 1: with economy, and not to spend it with either folly
Speaker 1: or extravagance. To this purpose, we therefore divided it into
Speaker 1: nine parcels, one of which we devoted to victory us,
Speaker 1: the second to drink, the third to housekeeping, the fourth
Speaker 1: to carriages, the fifth to horses, the sixth to servants,
Speaker 1: the seventh to amusements, the eighth to clothes, and the
Speaker 1: ninth to silver. Buckles. Having thus arranged our expenses for
Speaker 1: two months, for we expected to make the nine hundred
Speaker 1: pounds last as long we hastened to London, and had
Speaker 1: the good luck to spend it in seven weeks in
Speaker 1: a day, which was six days sooner than we had intended.
Speaker 1: As soon as we had thus happily disencumbered ourselves from
Speaker 1: the weight of so much money, we began to think
Speaker 1: of returning to our mothers, but accidentally, hearing that they
Speaker 1: were both starved to death, we gave over the design
Speaker 1: and determined to engage ourselves to some strolling company of players,
Speaker 1: as we had always had a turn for the stage. Accordingly,
Speaker 1: we offered our services to one, and were accepted. Our
Speaker 1: company was indeed rather small, as it consisted only of
Speaker 1: the manager, his wife, and ourselves, but there were fewer
Speaker 1: to pay, and the only inconvenience attending it was a
Speaker 1: scarcity of plays, which, for want of people to fill
Speaker 1: the characters, we could perform. We did not mind trifles. However.
Speaker 1: One of our most admired performances was Macbeth, in which
Speaker 1: we were truly great. The manager always played Banquot himself,
Speaker 1: his wife my Lady Macbeth, I did the three witches,
Speaker 1: and Flander acted all the rest. To say the truth,
Speaker 1: This tragedy was not only the best but the only
Speaker 1: play that we ever performed. And after having acceed it
Speaker 1: all over England and Wales, we came to Scotland to
Speaker 1: exhibit it over the remainder of Great Britain. We happened
Speaker 1: to be quartered in that very town where you came
Speaker 1: and met your grandfather. We were in the inn yard
Speaker 1: when his carriage entered, and perceiving by the arms to
Speaker 1: whom it belonged, and knowing that Lord Saintclao was our grandfather,
Speaker 1: we agreed to endeavor to get something from him by
Speaker 1: discovering the relationship. You know how well it succeeded. Having
Speaker 1: obtained the two hundred pounds, we instantly left the town,
Speaker 1: leaving our manager and his wife to act Macbeth by themselves,
Speaker 1: and took the road to Sterling, where we spent our
Speaker 1: little fortune with greater clas we are now returning to
Speaker 1: Edinburgh in order to get some preferment in the acting way.
Speaker 1: And such, my dear cousin, is our history. I thanked
Speaker 1: the amiable youth for his entertaining narration, and after expressing
Speaker 1: my wishes for their welfare and happiness, left them in
Speaker 1: their little habitation, and returned to my other friends, who
Speaker 1: impatiently expected me. My adventures are now drawing to a close,
Speaker 1: my dearest mary Anne, at least for the present. When
Speaker 1: we arrived at Edinburgh, Sir Edward told me that, as
Speaker 1: the widow of his son, he desired I would accept
Speaker 1: from his hands of four hundred a year. I graciously
Speaker 1: promised that I would, but could not help observing that
Speaker 1: the unsympathetic baronet offered it more on account of my
Speaker 1: being the widow of Edward than in being the refined
Speaker 1: and amiable Laura. I took up my residence in a
Speaker 1: romantic village in the highlands of Scotland, where I have
Speaker 1: ever since continued, and where I can, uninterrupted by unmeaning visits,
Speaker 1: indulge in a melancholy solitude my unceasing lamentations for the
Speaker 1: death of my father, my mother, my husband, and my friend.
Speaker 1: Augusta has been for several years united a Graham, the
Speaker 1: man of all others most suited to her. She became
Speaker 1: acquainted with him during her stay in Scotland. Sir Edward,
Speaker 1: in hopes of gaining an heir to his title and estate,
Speaker 1: at the same time married Lady Dorothea. His wishes have
Speaker 1: been answered. Philander and Gustavus, after having raised their reputation
Speaker 1: by their performances in the theatrical line at Edinburgh, removed
Speaker 1: to Covent Garden, where they still exhibit under the assumed
Speaker 1: names of Leuvis and Quick. Philippa has long paid the
Speaker 1: debt of nature. Her husband, however, still continues to try
Speaker 1: of the stage coach from Edinburgh to Sterling. Adieu, my
Speaker 1: dearest Marie Anne Laura Finney June thirteenth, seventeen ninety End
Speaker 1: of Part three and End of Love and Friendship by
Speaker 1: Jane Austen