You know on what I ground my hope, and it is certainly a good foundation, for school must be very humiliating to a girl of Frederica’s age. And, by-the-by, you had better not invite her any more on that account, as I wish her to find her situation as unpleasant as possible. I am sure of Sir James at any time, and could make him renew his application by a line. I shall trouble you meanwhile to prevent his forming any other attachment when he comes to town. Ask him to your house occasionally, and talk to him of Frederica, that he may not forget her. Upon the whole, I commend my own conduct in this affair extremely, and regard it as a very happy instance of circumspection and tenderness.

Some mothers would have insisted on their daughter’s accepting so good an offer on the first overture; but I could not