Letter XVIII

Summary

My dear Lady,

I now resume my last Subject where I left off, that your Ladyship may have the Whole before you at one View.

I went after Dinner, with my dear Benefactor, to Lady Arthur’s; and met with fresh Calls upon me for Humility, having the too natural Effects of the Praises and professed Admiration of that Lady's Guests, as well as my dear Mr. B.’s, and those of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur, to guard myself against: And your good Brother was pleased to entertain me in the Chariot, going and coming, with an Account of the Orders he had given in relation to the London House, which is actually taken, and the Furniture he should direct for it; so that I had no Opportunity to tell him what I had done in relation to Mrs. Jervis.

But after Supper, retiring from Company to my Closet, when his Friends were gone, he came up to me about our usual Bed-time: He inquired kindly after my Imployment, which was trying to read in the French Telemachus: For, my Lady, I am learning French, I’ll assure you! And who, do you think, is my Master?—Why, the best I could have in the World, your dearest Brother, who is pleased to say I am no Dunce: How inexcusable should I be, if I was, with such a Master, who teaches me on his Knee, and rewards me with a Kiss whenever I do well, and says, I have already nearly master’d the Accent and Pronunciation, which he tells me is a great Difficulty got over.

I requested him to render for me into English two or three Places that were beyond my Reach; and when he had done it, he asked me, in French, What I had done for Mrs. Jervis?

I said, Permit me, Sir, (for I am not Proficient enough to answer you in my new Tongue) in English, to say, I have made the good Woman quite happy; and if I have your Approbation, I shall be as much so myself in this Instance, as I am in all others.

I dare answer for your Prudence, my Dear, he was pleased to say; but this is your Favourite: Let me know, when you have so bountiful a Heart to Strangers, what you do for your Favourites?