Chapter XI: Letter X: To Miss L

August, 31, 1770.

DO not you condemn me for the very thing that you are guilty of yourself;--but before I recriminate--let me be grateful, and acknowledge that heartfelt satisfaction which I ever feel from the praise of the good.--Sterne says--‘every worthy mind loves praise’--and declares that he loves it too--but then it must be sincere. Now I protest that you have something very like flattery;--no matter--I honestly own, it pleases me--Vanity is a shoot from self-love--and self-love Pope declares to be the spring of motion in the human breast.--Friendship founded upon right judgement takes the good and bad with the indulgence of blind love;--nor is it wrong--for as weakness and error is the lot of humanity--real friendship must oft kindly overlook the undesigning frailties of undisguised nature.--My dear Madam, I beg ten thousand pardons for the dull sermon I have been preaching:--You may well yawn.--So the noble! the humane! the patron! the friend! the good Duke leaves Tunbridge on Monday--true nobility will leave the place with him--and kindness and humanity will accompany Miss L---- whenever she thinks fit to leave it.--Mrs. Sancho is pretty well, pretty round, and pretty tame! she bids me say, Thank you in the kindest manner I possibly can--and observe, I say, Thank you kindly.--I will not pretend to enumerate the many things you deserve our thanks for:--you are upon the whole an estimable young woman--your heart is the best part of you--may it meet with its likeness in the man of your choice!--and I will pronounce you a happy couple.--I hope to hear in your next--(that is, if--) that you are about thinking of coming to town--no news stiring but politics--which I deem very unfit for ladies.--I shall conclude with John Moody’s prayer--“The goodness of goodness bless and preserve you!”--I am dear Miss L----’s most sincere servant and friend,

IGN. SANCHO.