ix: Mrs.Johnson to Lady S.Vernon

Edward Street.

My dearest Friend — I congratulate you on Mr.De Courcy’s arrival, and I advise you by all means to
marry him; his father’s estate is, we know, considerable, and I believe certainly entailed.

Sir Reginald is very infirm,
and not likely to stand in your way long.

I hear the young man well spoken of; and though no one can really deserve you,
my dearest Susan, Mr.De Courcy may be worth having.

Mainwaring will storm of course, but you easily pacify him; besides,
the most scrupulous point of honour could not require you to wait for HIS emancipation.

I have seen Sir James; he came to
town for a few days last week, and called several times in Edward Street.

I talked to him about you and your daughter,
and he is so far from having forgotten you, that I am sure he would marry either of you with pleasure.

I gave him hopes
of Frederica’s relenting, and told him a great deal of her improvementS.I scolded him for making love to Maria
Mainwaring; he protested that he had been only in joke, and we both laughed heartily at her disappointment; and, in
short, were very agreeable.

He is as silly as ever.

Yours faithfully,

Alicia.