“So at last yr. Agent condescends to fix some time
when he will meet my Brs. people. I know
tht. all those sort of personages who have had the Management of an Estate,
& of course of the owner of it, are displeased, when they think it likely
they may lose a portion of their power, by its being transferr’d to a
Wife—I mean power over their employer, & mostly dupe. They are
enemies to matrimony, as much as you see I am to them; in truth I never knew a
Man who had not the cleverest & honestest agent in the World & if ever I have become acquainted
with them or their actions, I have seldom found them honest, sometimes sinning
from stupidity, but invariably turning everything to their own advantage &
selfish to the highest degree, and always enriching themselves. Mr. Hansom may be an exception to this
rule—I certainly have no acquaintance with him, & never heard his
Name but from you—so I do not say this from any knowledge I have either
of him or his character but were I to judge from appearances I should say he
has been unpardonably dilatory in this business from the beginning & were I
Annabella I should never forget him. And indeed it may be well for yr. Lordship that I
am not for you would come in for your share of blame too—but we’ll
say no more about it. On this occasion I should wish the whole to be concluded
speedily, & as I am well acquainted with the dilatoriness, puzzleheadedness
&c., &c., of my Brother’s Agents if I were you I would try &
be married upon Articles. If you laugh at this at least acknow-
| THE AMAZING MARRIAGE | 165 |
