Letter XLV

Summary

From Miss DARNFORD, in Answer to the preceding.

My dear Mrs. B.

I have been several times (in Company with Mr. Peters) to see Mrs. Jewkes. The poor Woman is very bad, and cannot live many Days. We comfort her all we can; but she often accuses herself of her past Behaviour to so excellent a Lady; and, with Blessings upon Blessings, heaped upon you, and her Master, and your charming little Boy, she is continually declaring how much your Goodness to her exasperates her former Faults to her own Conscience.

She has her Sister-in-law and her Niece with her, and has settled all her Affairs, and thinks she is not long for this World.

Her Distemper is an inward Decay, all at once, as it were, from a Constitution that seem’d like one of Iron; and she is a mere Skeleton: You would not know her, I’m sure.

I will see her every Day; and she has given me up all her Keys, and Accompts, to give Mr. Longman; who is daily expected, and I hope will be here soon; for her Sister-in-law, she says herself, is a Woman of this World, as she has been.

Mr. Peters calling on me to go with him to visit her, I will break off here.

Mrs. Jewkes is much as she was; but your faithful Steward is come. I am glad of it—and so is she.—Nevertheless I will go every Day, and do all the Good I can for the poor Woman, according to your charitable Desires, and excellent Intentions.

I thank you, Madam, for your Communication of Lady Davers's Letter. I am much obliged to my Lord, and her Ladyship; and should have been proud of an Alliance with that noble Family: But with all Mr. H.'s good Qualities, as my Lady paints them out, I could not, for the World, make him my Husband.

I’ll tell you one of my Objections, in Confidence tho’ (for you are only to sound me, you know); and I would not have it mention’d, that I have taken any Thought about the Matter, because a stronger Reason may be given, such an one as my Lord and Lady will both allow; which I will communicate to you by-and-by.