Between the last letter to Mrs. Lefanu and the next one to her father, not many weeks elapsed. This and the subsequent letters are all the indications that remain of her feelings and thoughts upon an event so important in her life, as her first real struggle against falling into love. She used to say, in after life, how little she was then aware of the blessing that had befallen her and how near she had been to missing it, through her own perverseness. There is no doubt that she had dreamed of making a more brilliant match.
I am the least taste in life at a loss how to begin to
tell you what I am going to ask you—which
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He has now five hundred a-year, independent of practice. I don’t myself see the thing quite in the light they do; but they think him a man of such great abilities, such great worth and honour, that I am the most fortunate person in the world.
He stands in the first-class of physicians in London, having taken his Doctor’s degree at Cambridge; his connexions are excellent, &c., &c., and in person very distinguished-looking. Now tell me what you wish, for I am still, as ever, all your own loving and dutiful child,
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On the same subject, she wrote—after a few days—to most of her old friends. The letter to Mrs. Lefanu and Lady Stanley, may be given as specimens of the whole.
Your inimitable letter was a source of great comfort to me. Your eloquent and exalted theories are still less powerful in their influence over me than your bright example. I have seen you the Providence of your family, and I admire and revere too much not to endeavour to imitate.
This event, the most unlooked-for and rapid of my life, has been accelerated by my friends here, and by the more than romantic passion of the most amiable and ardent of human beings, so as to leave me in a state of agitation and flurry that prevented me writing on the subject to any human being but my family—and even to them so incoherently as to leave them more to guess at from inference than fact.
The business was, indeed, so
hurried, that it was all like a dream. The licence and ring have been
in the house these ten days—all the settlements made; yet I have been
battling off, from day to day, and hour to hour, and have only ten minutes back
procured a little breathing time. The fact is, the struggle is almost too great
for me—on one side engaged, be-
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Lord and Lady
Abercorn will not part with Dr.
Morgan for a moment, as they suppose the whole family would die
if they did; so that, after my marriage, I should have no chance of seeing you
all before I went to Eugland, and I have, therefore, at last prevailed on
Morgan to permit me to go up for a week or two, while I am yet a free agent. When
I read that part of your letter where you say Tom and his wife were to live with you, I wept bitterly. Oh, if
it were my lot to live with those I love! but I am about to leave them all. I
write incoherently, for I am feeling strongly; don’t read this to
Livy, but just what is right and
politic to mention to any one. To give you any idea of the passion I have most
unwittingly inspired, would be vain; but if I had spirits, I could amuse you
not a little. Tell Livy to repeat to you some of his
eloquent nonsense which I wrote to her. Barring his wild, unfounded love for
me, the creature is perfection. The most manly, I had
almost said daring, tone of mind, united to more
goodness of heart and disposition, than I ever met with in a human being. Even
with this circle, where all is acquirement and accomplishment, it is confessed
that his versatility of talent is unrivalled. There is scarcely
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A thousand loves to all the fire-side circle; but above all to Joe. I am quite shocked at the expense of my last letter; but as I saw you got all your letters at the Castle, I took it for granted they were free.
It is an age since we held any communion; in the first
instance (I was prevented by the fear of boring you by a platitude of a letter, which could only repeat what you
know—that I love you. In the second, I have been prevented writing since
my arrival here (now five weeks ago) by an event unexpected and critical; in a
word, in this little space of time, a man has fallen in love with me,
tête baissée, and
almost married me, before I know where I am or what it is all about. I
mentioned to you before, that Lord Abercorn
was to bring over with him a physician, and as they wrote me word that he was a
person of distinguished talent, a charming musician, and altogether an
interesting person, I sent him some comical professional problems in my letters
to Lady Abercorn. He answered them by a
poetical thesis—I sent him a diploma—and
thus prepared, we met under circumstances and in
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The fact is, there is much pour et contre, on the subject (Dr. Morgan having but a small patrimonial
property, independent of his profession, in which he is still but young). The
confidence his medical skill and success have inspired in this family, where
there is a continual demand on his attention, have so raised him in their good
opinion, that they have declared themselves his fast friends, and promoters of
his interests for life. Indeed, it was at their instance, I was induced to
listen to a proposal, which could have nothing in it very gratifying to my
ambition. The man, however, is perfection. His mind has
that strength of tone and extent of reflection, which you admire so much. He
thinks upon every subject of importance with us, and is sometimes so daring in
risking his bold and singular opinions, that while it raises him in my esteem,
it makes me tremble for his worldly interests, so seldom promoted by this
sovereign independence of principle and spirit, which throws rank and influence
at such an incalculable distance. He is, with all this deep philosophy of
character, a most accomplished gentleman. He speaks and writes well several
languages, and is a scientific musician, a devoted natu-
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Your own Glorvina.
We expect the Duke and court here in a few days.
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Lady Stanley’s reply to the announcement of her friend’s proposed, but not yet accomplished, marriage is both wise and kind.
Shall I say the import of your letter surprised me? I
know not. However, I think surprise was not the sensation predominant among the
many it set afloat; that you should have met with a man who looked, listened,
and entered the lists of love, tête
baissée, was an event much of course; but that an
equal to the admirable Crichton should
be met at all, and moreover, that the destinies should just place him within
the circle of Glorvina’s influence, is
truly a matter worthy of wonder, and particularly to me, who have hitherto
adhered pertinaciously to a persuasion, that kindred spirits were subjected to
the same laws as parallel lines, and never could meet on this ungracious
planet. But, behold an exception! Receive, my dear Sydney,
my sincere felicitations on your view of establishment. Yet rest assured, I do
not fail of taking a part in your anxieties, but who can be married without
such attendants? If every contre was
nearly looked to, alack, poor Hymen! But in
the main, establishment is good, in some lights almost expedient, since the
delights of youth, of friends, of range, and frolic, are but passengers. On the
subject of riches, it must be
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