It is with infinite regret, I take up my pen
to inform my dear friend, that the flattering
appearance of Mrs. Rook&longs;by's returning
health, which had &longs;o elated my spirits
are entirely vani&longs;hed, and an encrea&longs;ing
debility of frame, baffles all the &longs;kill of the
phy&longs;icians and alarms us to an imminent degree.
My mind is in &longs;uch a &longs;tate of painful
anxiety, that I hardly know what I write.
When I am pre&longs;ent with the dear invalid, I
endeavour to command my feelings and

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appear chearful, but the effort is vain, and
when I contemplate her pale, yet placid
countenance, the tears will involuntarily
bur&longs;t from my eyes. She, this morning, observing
my emotions, called me to the
bed&longs;ide, (from which &longs;he is now &longs;carcely
able to ri&longs;e, even while it is making) and taking
my hand, “my dear Mi&longs;s Sidney,” &longs;aid
&longs;he, “do not let my approaching di&longs;&longs;olution
give you pain.—I &longs;ee it draw near with no
other apprehen&longs;ion than what frail mortality
mu&longs;t feel, when called from a temporal to an
eternal &longs;tate, into the immediate pre&longs;ence of
the Creator of the Univer&longs;e!—I have had my
&longs;pan lengthened out far beyond what I had
ever expected.—I feel no regret at leaving
this tran&longs;itory life;—for my only care was
centered in the happine&longs;s of my &longs;on, and him
I &longs;hall leave happy in the affection of the be&longs;t,
the worthie&longs;t of her &longs;ex. I know my beloved
Meriel will feel my lo&longs;s: But time
will mitigate her affliction and &longs;he will bear
it with the fortitude of a chri&longs;tian. I have
one thing to mention, which nearly concerns
your happine&longs;s. I have a nephew
here whom you have &longs;een—Captain On&longs;low
is a man every way worthy the e&longs;teem of a
woman of &longs;en&longs;e. He is not in&longs;en&longs;ible to the
merit of Mi&longs;s Sidney, and has reque&longs;ted me
to plead his cau&longs;e. I flatter my&longs;elf you will
not refu&longs;e his &longs;uit.”—She pau&longs;ed. I was

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&longs;ilent. I had frequently &longs;een and admired
Captain On&longs;low: he is in the Ea&longs;t-India
&longs;ervice; for though a man of fortune, he
prefers a life of activity to one of &longs;upine indolence.
An indifferent &longs;tate of health,
brought him to Aix-la-Chapelle; but being
now perfectly recovered, he propo&longs;ed rejoining
his regiment, which it is expected will
be ordered to Bengal the en&longs;uing &longs;ea&longs;on.
I &longs;hould not be thus particular, but knowing
from &longs;ome di&longs;agreement between Mr.
Rook&longs;by and the Captain, you were totally
ignorant that you had &longs;uch a relation, and
therefore might wi&longs;h &longs;ome information. I
had without vanity rea&longs;on to &longs;u&longs;pect the
Captain&longs;s partiality; nor can I with truth
a&longs;&longs;ert, that my bo&longs;om felt that indifference
toward him, which it had ever maintained
toward the re&longs;t of his &longs;ex. Yet Mrs. Rooksby
taking me at a moment &longs;o unprepared,
I he&longs;itated, and knew not what to an&longs;wer.
She &longs;aw my confu&longs;ion and then continued,
“I have in my will left you a &longs;mall token of
my regard, which if you li&longs;ten to On&longs;low's
&longs;uit, I &longs;hall in&longs;i&longs;t on &longs;eeing &longs;ettled on yourself,
if it is not painful, my dear Amelia,
I could wi&longs;h to hear your candid sentiments
on this &longs;ubject, and it would give me
infinite &longs;atisfaction to &longs;ee you united to &longs;o
worthy a man before I breathe my la&longs;t; as the
welfare of every one dear to my charming

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daughter-in-law mu&longs;t ever intere&longs;t my fonde&longs;t
&longs;olicitude.” I thanked the generous woman
in terms of heartfelt gratitude, a&longs;&longs;ured her I
was perfectly happy in my pre&longs;ent &longs;ituation,
but that if it was my fate to change, I knew
of no per&longs;on I &longs;hould prefer to Captain Onslow.
My only objection would be the
difference &longs;ub&longs;i&longs;ting between him and Mr.
Rook&longs;by, as I feared it would prevent that
&longs;ocial intercour&longs;e that I mu&longs;t ever wi&longs;h to
continue uninterrupted between Mrs. Rooksby
and my&longs;elf. “I will obviate that objection
my dear,” &longs;aid &longs;he, “for it &longs;hall be my la&longs;t
reque&longs;t to Clement that all animo&longs;ity be
laid a&longs;ide, as he values my ble&longs;&longs;ing. And
now,” continued &longs;he, with a faint &longs;mile,
“there remains nothing to be done but for
you to take your pen and bid my &longs;on and
his amiable wife to your nuptials. The
jaunt will be of &longs;ervice to Meriel after her
late illne&longs;s, and &longs;he will have the double pleasure
of &longs;eeing her beloved friend enter into
an honourable and happy marriage, and me
into a &longs;tate of everla&longs;ting bli&longs;s; and tell her
from me &longs;he &longs;hould celebrate the two events
as equally joyful.” “Oh! my dear madam,
&longs;aid I,” in an agony of grief, “do not talk
thus, I hope you will recover.”—

“Impo&longs;&longs;ible,” &longs;aid &longs;he, waving her hand
with a &longs;olemn yet benignant look, “I have

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enquired of the phy&longs;icians how long they
&longs;uppo&longs;e I can remain. They informed me,
ye&longs;terday, I may po&longs;&longs;ibly continue three
weeks or a month longer; but that is the
utmo&longs;t; therefore my dear Amelia, lo&longs;e no
time. I could wi&longs;h to &longs;ee my dear children
once more, and I am certain the bare mention
of that wi&longs;h will be &longs;ufficient to bring
them eagerly to me.”

Thus, my dear Meriel, have I executed
the de&longs;ire of my almo&longs;t expiring benefactre&longs;s;
ha&longs;ten to me my friend that we may pour
our affliction into each others bo&longs;om, and
by participation lighten the burthen that will
pre&longs;s &longs;o heavy on our hearts. I flatter myself
the death-bed of an amiable and re&longs;pected
parent will have a good effect on the mind
of your unkind truant, and bring him back to
a &longs;en&longs;e of the happine&longs;s he is wantonly trifling
away. I tru&longs;t you will u&longs;e all po&longs;&longs;ible expedition.
I have agreable to Mrs. Rook&longs;by's de&longs;ire
wrote to her &longs;on reque&longs;ting his immediate
acquie&longs;cence with her wi&longs;h. Oh! my dear
Meriel, my mind is &longs;orely oppre&longs;&longs;ed, I &longs;hrink
from the thought of uniting my&longs;elf to Captain
On&longs;low at the very moment, when tears of
real &longs;orrow will dim the lu&longs;tre of the hymenial
torch: but your better judgment &longs;hall
in this and every particular direct that of
your

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