Is it time for me to talk again of con
que&longs;ts? or mu&longs;t I only enjoy them in &longs;ilence?
I mu&longs;t write to you the impul&longs;es of my mind;
or I mu&longs;t not write at all. You are not &longs;o
moro&longs;e, as to wi&longs;h me to become a nun, would

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our country, and religion allow it. I ventured
ye&longs;terday to throw a&longs;ide the habiliments
of mourning, and to array my&longs;elf in
tho&longs;e more adapted to my ta&longs;te. We arrived at
Col. Farington's about one o'clock. The
Col. handed me out of the carriage, and introduced
me to a large company a&longs;&longs;embled in
the Hall. My name was pronounced with an
empha&longs;is; and I was received with the mo&longs;t
flattering tokens of re&longs;pect. When we were
&longs;ummoned to dinner, a young gentleman in a
clerical dre&longs;s offered me his hand, and led
me to a table furni&longs;hed with an elegant, and
&longs;umptuous repa&longs;t, with more gallantry, and
addre&longs;s than commonly fall to the &longs;hare of
&longs;tudents. He &longs;at oppo&longs;ite me at table; and
whenever I rai&longs;ed my eye, it caught his. The
ca&longs;e, and politene&longs;s of his manners, with his
particular attention to me, rai&longs;ed my curio&longs;ity,
and induced me to a&longs;k Mrs. Laiton who he
was? She told me that his name was Boyer;
that he was de&longs;cended from a worthy family;
had pa&longs;&longs;ed with honor and applau&longs;e through
the univer&longs;ity where he was educated; had
&longs;ince &longs;tudied divinity with &longs;ucce&longs;s; and now
had a call to &longs;ettle as a mini&longs;ter in one of the
fir&longs;t pari&longs;hes in a neighbouring &longs;tate.

The gates of a &longs;pacious garden were thrown
open, at this in&longs;tant; and I accepted with avidity
an invitation to walk in it. Mirth, and hilarity
prevailed, and the moments fled on downy
wings; while we traced the beauties of art

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and nature, &longs;o liberally di&longs;played, and &longs;o happily
blended in this delightful retreat. An
enthu&longs;ia&longs;tic admirer of &longs;cenes like the&longs;e, I had
rambled &longs;ome way from the company, when
I was followed by Mrs. Laiton to offer her condolence
on the &longs;uppo&longs;ed lo&longs;s, which I had
&longs;u&longs;tained, in the death of Mr. Haly. My heart
ro&longs;e again&longs;t the woman, &longs;o ignorant of human
nature, as to think &longs;uch conver&longs;ation acceptable
at &longs;uch a time. I made her little reply,
and waved the &longs;ubject, though I could not immediately
di&longs;pel the gloom which it excited.

The ab&longs;urdity of a cu&longs;tom, authori&longs;ing people
at a fir&longs;t interview to revive the idea of
griefs, which time has lulled; perhaps obliterated,
is intolerable. To have our enjoyments
arre&longs;ted by the empty compliments of unthinking
per&longs;ons, for no other rea&longs;on, than a compliance
with fa&longs;hion is to be treated in a manner
which the laws of humanity forbid.

We were &longs;oon joined by the gentlemen, who
each &longs;elected his partner, and the walk wa&longs;
prolonged.

Mr. Boyer offered me his arm, which I gladly
accepted; happy to be relieved from the
impertinence of my female companion. We
returned to tea, after which the ladies &longs;ung,
and played by turns on the Piano Forte ; while
&longs;ome of the gentlemen accompanied with the
flute, the clarinet, and the violin, forming
in the whole a very decent concert. An elegant
&longs;upper, and half an hour'&longs; conver&longs;ation

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after it, clo&longs;ed the evening; when we returned
home, delighted with our entertainment and
plea&longs;ed with our&longs;elves and each other. My
imagination is &longs;o impre&longs;&longs;ed with the fe&longs;tive &longs;cenes
of the day, that Morpheus waves his ebon-wand
in vain. The evening is fine beyond the power
of de&longs;cription! all nature is &longs;erene and
harmonious; in perfect uni&longs;on with my pre&longs;ent
di&longs;po&longs;ition of mind. I have been taking a retrospect
of my pa&longs;t life; and a few juvenile follies
excepted, which I tru&longs;t the recording angel has
blotted out with the tear of charity, find an approving
con&longs;cience, and a heart at ea&longs;e. Fortune,
indeed, has not been very liberal of her
gifts to me; but I pre&longs;ume on a large &longs;tock in
the bank of friend&longs;hip, which, united with
health and innocence, give me &longs;ome plea&longs;ing
anticiapation&longs; of future felicity.
Whatgever my fate may be, I &longs;hall always
continue your