And &longs;o you wi&longs;h to have my opinion
before you know the re&longs;ult of your own. This
is playing a little too much with my patience.
But, however, I will gratify you this once, in
hopes that my epi&longs;tle may have a good effect.
You will a&longs;k, perhaps, whether I would influence
your judgment? I an&longs;wer, no; provided

[figure description] Page 038.[end figure description]

you will exerci&longs;e it your&longs;elf: but I am a little
apprehen&longs;ive that your fancy will mi&longs;lead you.
Methinks I can gather from your letters, a predilection
for this Major Sanford. But he is a
rake, my dear friend; and can a lady of your
delicacy and refinement, think of forming a connection
with a man of that character? I hope not.
Nay, I am confident you do not. You mean only
to exhibit a few more girli&longs;h airs, before you
turn matron. But I am per&longs;uaded, if you wi&longs;h to
lead down the dance of life with regularity, you
will not find a more excellent partner than Mr.
Boyer. Whatever you can rea&longs;onably expect
in a lover, hu&longs;band, or friend, you may perceive
to be united in this worthy man. His ta&longs;te is undebauched,
his manners not vitiated, his morals
uncorrupted. His &longs;ituation in life is, perhaps,
as elevated as you have a right to claim. Forgive
my plainne&longs;s, Eliza. It is the ta&longs;k of
friend&longs;hip, &longs;ometimes to tell di&longs;agreeable truths.
I know your ambition is to make a di&longs;tingui&longs;hed
figure in the fir&longs;t cla&longs;s of poli&longs;hed &longs;ociety; to
&longs;hine in the gay circle of fa&longs;hionable amu&longs;ements,
and to bear off the palm amid&longs;t the votaries of
plea&longs;ure. But the&longs;e are fading honors, unsatisfactory
enjoyments; incapable of gratifying
tho&longs;e immortal principles of rea&longs;on and religion,
which have been implanted in your mind
by nature; a&longs;&longs;iduou&longs;ly cultivated by the be&longs;t of
parents, and exerted, I tru&longs;t, by your&longs;elf. Let me
advi&longs;e you then, in conducting this affair; an affair
big, perhaps, with your future fate, to lay a&longs;ide those

[figure description] Page 039.[end figure description]

coquetti&longs;h airs which you &longs;ometimes put on; and
remember that you are not dealing with a fop,
who will take advantage of every conce&longs;&longs;ion;
but with a man of &longs;en&longs;e and honor, who will
properly e&longs;timate your conde&longs;cen&longs;ion, and frankness.
Act then with that mode&longs;t freedom, that
dignified unre&longs;erve which be&longs;peaks con&longs;cious
rectitude and &longs;incerity of heart.

I &longs;hall be extremely anxious to hear the process
and progre&longs;s of this bu&longs;ine&longs;s. Relieve my
impatience, as &longs;oon as po&longs;&longs;ible, and believe me
yours, with undi&longs;&longs;embled affection.