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.