meaning of simpathy, and who actually snored--. Adeiu Laura.
LETTER the 15th LAURA in continuation.
When we arrived at the town where we were to Breakfast, I was determined
to speak with Philander and Gustavus, and to that purpose as soon as
I left the Carriage, I went to the Basket and tenderly enquired after
their Health, expressing my fears of the uneasiness of their situation.
At first they seemed rather confused at my appearance dreading no doubt
that I might call them to account for the money which our Grandfather
had left me and which they had unjustly deprived me of, but finding
that I mentioned nothing of the Matter, they desired me to step into
the Basket as we might there converse with greater ease. Accordingly I
entered and whilst the rest of the party were devouring green tea and
buttered toast, we feasted ourselves in a more refined and sentimental
Manner by a confidential Conversation. I informed them of every thing
which had befallen me during the course of my life, and at my request
they related to me every incident of theirs.
“We are the sons as you already know, of the two youngest Daughters
which Lord St Clair had by Laurina an italian opera girl. Our mothers
could neither of them exactly ascertain who were our Father, though it
is generally beleived that Philander, is the son of one Philip Jones
a Bricklayer and that my Father was one Gregory Staves a Staymaker of
Edinburgh. This is however of little consequence for as our Mothers were
certainly never married to either of them it reflects no Dishonour on
our Blood, which is of a most ancient and unpolluted kind. Bertha (the
Mother of Philander) and Agatha (my own Mother) always lived together.
They were neither of them very rich; their united fortunes had
originally amounted to nine thousand Pounds, but as they had always
lived on the principal of it, when we were fifteen it was diminished to
nine Hundred. This nine Hundred they always kept in a Drawer in one
of the Tables which stood in our common sitting Parlour, for the
convenience of having it always at Hand. Whether it was from this
circumstance, of its being easily taken, or from a wish of being
independant, or from an excess of sensibility (for which we were always
remarkable) I cannot now determine, but certain it is that when we had
reached our 15th year, we took the nine Hundred Pounds and ran away.
Having obtained this prize we were determined to manage it with eoconomy
and not to spend it either with folly or Extravagance. To this purpose
we therefore divided it into nine parcels, one of which we devoted to
Victuals, the 2d to Drink, the 3d to Housekeeping, the 4th to Carriages,
the 5th to Horses, the 6th to Servants, the 7th to Amusements, the 8th
to Cloathes and the 9th to Silver Buckles. Having thus arranged our
Expences for two months (for we expected to make the nine Hundred Pounds
last as long) we hastened to London and had the good luck to spend it in
7 weeks and a Day which was 6 Days sooner than we had intended. As soon
as we had thus happily disencumbered ourselves from the weight of
so much money, we began to think of returning to our Mothers, but
accidentally hearing that they were both starved to Death, we gave over
the design and determined to engage ourselves to some strolling Company
of Players, as we had always a turn for the Stage. Accordingly we
offered our services to one and were accepted; our Company was
indeed rather small, as it consisted only of the Manager his wife
and ourselves, but there were fewer to pay and the only inconvenience
attending it was the Scarcity of Plays which for want of People to fill
the Characters, we could perform. We did not mind trifles however--.
One of our most admired Performances was MACBETH, in which we were
truly great. The Manager always played BANQUO himself, his Wife my LADY
MACBETH. I did the THREE WITCHES and Philander acted ALL THE REST. To
say the truth this tragedy was not only the Best, but the only Play
that we ever performed; and after having acted it all over England, and
Wales, we came to Scotland to exhibit it over the remainder of Great
Britain. We happened to be quartered in that very Town, where you came
and met your Grandfather--. We were in the Inn-yard when his Carriage
entered and perceiving by the arms to whom it belonged, and knowing
that Lord St Clair was our Grandfather, we agreed to endeavour to get
something from him by discovering the Relationship--. You know how well
it succeeded--. Having obtained the two Hundred Pounds, we instantly
left the Town, leaving our Manager and his Wife to act MACBETH by
themselves, and took the road to Sterling, where we spent our little
fortune with great ECLAT. We are now returning to Edinburgh in order to
get some preferment in the Acting way; and such my Dear Cousin is our
History.”
I thanked the amiable Youth for his entertaining narration, and after
expressing my wishes for their Welfare and Happiness, left them in
their little Habitation and returned to my other Freinds who impatiently
expected me.
My adventures are now drawing to a close my dearest Marianne; at least
for the present.
When we arrived at Edinburgh Sir Edward told me that as the Widow of his
son, he desired I would accept from his Hands of four Hundred a year. I
graciously promised that I would, but could not help observing that the
unsimpathetic Baronet offered it more on account of my being the Widow
of Edward than in being the refined and amiable Laura.
I took up my Residence in a Romantic Village in the Highlands
of Scotland where I have ever since continued, and where I can
uninterrupted by unmeaning Visits, indulge in a melancholy solitude, my
unceasing Lamentations for the Death of my Father, my Mother, my Husband
and my Freind.
Augusta has been for several years united to Graham the Man of all
others most suited to her; she became acquainted with him during her
stay in Scotland.
Sir Edward in hopes of gaining an Heir to his Title and Estate, at the
same time married Lady Dorothea--. His wishes have been answered.
Philander and Gustavus, after having raised their reputation by their
Performances in the Theatrical Line at Edinburgh, removed to Covent
Garden, where they still exhibit under the assumed names of LUVIS and
QUICK.
Philippa has long paid the Debt of Nature, Her Husband however still
continues to drive the Stage-Coach from Edinburgh to Sterling:--Adeiu my
Dearest Marianne. Laura.
Finis
June 13th 1790.
*****
AN UNFINISHED NOVEL IN LETTERS
To HENRY THOMAS AUSTEN Esqre.
Sir
I am now availing myself of the Liberty you have frequently honoured
me with of dedicating one of my Novels to you. That it is unfinished, I
greive; yet fear that from me, it will always remain so; that as far
as it is carried, it should be so trifling and so unworthy of you, is
another concern to your obliged humble Servant
The Author
Messrs Demand and Co--please to pay Jane Austen Spinster the sum of one
hundred guineas on account of your Humble Servant.
H. T. Austen
L105. 0. 0.
*****
LESLEY CASTLE
LETTER the FIRST is from Miss MARGARET LESLEY to Miss CHARLOTTE
LUTTERELL. Lesley Castle Janry 3rd--1792.
My Brother has just left us. “Matilda (said he at parting) you and
Margaret will I am certain take all the care of my dear little one, that
she might have received from an indulgent, and affectionate and amiable
Mother.” Tears rolled down his cheeks as he spoke these words--the
remembrance of her, who had so wantonly disgraced the Maternal character
and so openly violated the conjugal Duties, prevented his adding
anything farther; he embraced his sweet Child and after saluting Matilda
and Me hastily broke from us and seating himself in his Chaise, pursued
the road to Aberdeen. Never was there a better young Man! Ah! how little
did he deserve the misfortunes he has experienced in the Marriage state.
So good a Husband to so bad a Wife! for you know my dear Charlotte that
the Worthless Louisa left him, her Child and reputation a few weeks ago
in company with Danvers and dishonour. Never was there a sweeter face, a
finer form, or a less amiable Heart than Louisa owned! Her child already
possesses the personal Charms of her unhappy Mother! May she inherit
from her Father all his mental ones! Lesley is at present but five and
twenty, and has already given himself up to melancholy and Despair;
what a difference between him and his Father! Sir George is 57 and still
remains the Beau, the flighty stripling, the gay Lad, and sprightly
Youngster, that his Son was really about five years back, and that HE
has affected to appear ever since my remembrance. While our father is
fluttering about the streets of London, gay, dissipated, and Thoughtless
at the age of 57, Matilda and I continue secluded from Mankind in our
old and Mouldering Castle, which is situated two miles from Perth on a
bold projecting Rock, and commands an extensive veiw of the Town and its
delightful Environs. But tho' retired from almost all the World, (for
we visit no one but the M'Leods, The M'Kenzies, the M'Phersons, the
M'Cartneys, the M'Donalds, The M'kinnons, the M'lellans, the M'kays,
the Macbeths and the Macduffs) we are neither dull nor unhappy; on the
contrary there never were two more lively, more agreable or more witty
girls, than we are; not an hour in the Day hangs heavy on our Hands. We
read, we work, we walk, and when fatigued with these Employments releive
our spirits, either by a lively song, a graceful Dance, or by some smart
bon-mot, and witty repartee. We are handsome my dear Charlotte, very
handsome and the greatest of our Perfections is, that we are entirely
insensible of them ourselves. But why do I thus dwell on myself! Let me
rather repeat the praise of our dear little Neice the innocent Louisa,
who is at present sweetly smiling in a gentle Nap, as she reposes on the
sofa. The dear Creature is just turned of two years old; as handsome as
tho' 2 and 20, as sensible as tho' 2 and 30, and as prudent as tho' 2
and 40. To convince you of this, I must inform you that she has a very
fine complexion and very pretty features, that she already knows the two
first letters in the Alphabet, and that she never tears her frocks--. If
I have not now convinced you of her Beauty, Sense and Prudence, I have
nothing more to urge in support of my assertion, and you will therefore
have no way of deciding the Affair but by coming to Lesley-Castle, and
by a personal acquaintance with Louisa, determine for yourself. Ah! my
dear Freind, how happy should I be to see you within these venerable
Walls! It is now four years since my removal from School has separated
me from you; that two such tender Hearts, so closely linked together by
the ties of simpathy and Freindship, should be so widely removed from
each other, is vastly moving. I live in Perthshire, You in Sussex. We
might meet in London, were my Father disposed to carry me there, and
were your Mother to be there at the same time. We might meet at Bath,
at Tunbridge, or anywhere else indeed, could we but be at the same place
together. We have only to hope that such a period may arrive. My Father
does not return to us till Autumn; my Brother will leave Scotland in a
few Days; he is impatient to travel. Mistaken Youth! He vainly flatters
himself that change of Air will heal the Wounds of a broken Heart! You
will join with me I am certain my dear Charlotte, in prayers for the
recovery of the unhappy Lesley's peace of Mind, which must ever be
essential to that of your sincere freind M. Lesley.
LETTER the SECOND From Miss C. LUTTERELL to Miss M. LESLEY in answer.
Glenford Febry 12
I have a thousand excuses to beg for having so long delayed thanking you
my dear Peggy for your agreable Letter, which beleive me I should not
have deferred doing, had not every moment of my time during the last
five weeks been so fully employed in the necessary arrangements for
my sisters wedding, as to allow me no time to devote either to you or
myself. And now what provokes me more than anything else is that the
Match is broke off, and all my Labour thrown away. Imagine how great
the Dissapointment must be to me, when you consider that after having
laboured both by Night and by Day, in order to get the Wedding dinner
ready by the time appointed, after having roasted Beef, Broiled Mutton,
and Stewed Soup enough to last the new-married Couple through the
Honey-moon, I had the mortification of finding that I had been Roasting,
Broiling and Stewing both the Meat and Myself to no purpose. Indeed my
dear Freind, I never remember suffering any vexation equal to what I
experienced on last Monday when my sister came running to me in the
store-room with her face as White as a Whipt syllabub, and told me that
Hervey had been thrown from his Horse, had fractured his Scull and was
pronounced by his surgeon to be in the most emminent Danger. “Good God!
(said I) you dont say so? Why what in the name of Heaven will become
of all the Victuals! We shall never be able to eat it while it is good.
However, we'll call in the Surgeon to help us. I shall be able to manage
the Sir-loin myself, my Mother will eat the soup, and You and the Doctor
must finish the rest.” Here I was interrupted, by seeing my poor Sister
fall down to appearance Lifeless upon one of the Chests, where we keep
our Table linen. I immediately called my Mother and the Maids, and at
last we brought her to herself again; as soon as ever she was sensible,
she expressed a determination of going instantly to Henry, and was so
wildly bent on this Scheme, that we had the greatest Difficulty in the
World to prevent her putting it in execution; at last however more by
Force than Entreaty we prevailed on her to go into her room; we laid
her upon the Bed, and she continued for some Hours in the most dreadful
Convulsions. My Mother and I continued in the room with her, and when
any intervals of tolerable Composure in Eloisa would allow us, we joined
in heartfelt lamentations on the dreadful Waste in our provisions which
this Event must occasion, and in concerting some plan for getting rid of
them. We agreed that the best thing we could do was to begin eating them
immediately, and accordingly we ordered up the cold Ham and Fowls, and
instantly began our Devouring Plan on them with great Alacrity. We would
have persuaded Eloisa to have taken a Wing of a Chicken, but she would
not be persuaded. She was however much quieter than she had been;
the convulsions she had before suffered having given way to an almost
perfect Insensibility. We endeavoured to rouse her by every means in our
power, but to no purpose. I talked to her of Henry. “Dear Eloisa (said
I) there's no occasion for your crying so much about such a trifle. (for
I was willing to make light of it in order to comfort her) I beg you
would not mind it--You see it does not vex me in the least; though
perhaps I may suffer most from it after all; for I shall not only be
obliged to eat up all the Victuals I have dressed already, but must if
Henry should recover (which however is not very likely) dress as much
for you again; or should he die (as I suppose he will) I shall still
have to prepare a Dinner for you whenever you marry any one else. So
you see that tho' perhaps for the present it may afflict you to think
of Henry's sufferings, Yet I dare say he'll die soon, and then his pain
will be over and you will be easy, whereas my Trouble will last much
longer for work as hard as I may, I am certain that the pantry cannot be
cleared in less than a fortnight.” Thus I did all in my power to console
her, but without any effect, and at last as I saw that she did not seem
to listen to me, I said no more, but leaving her with my Mother I took
down the remains of The Ham and Chicken, and sent William to ask how
Henry did. He was not expected to live many Hours; he died the same day.
We took all possible care to break the melancholy Event to Eloisa in the
tenderest manner; yet in spite of every precaution, her sufferings on
hearing it were too violent for her reason, and she continued for many
hours in a high Delirium. She is still extremely ill, and her Physicians
are greatly afraid of her going into a Decline. We are therefore
preparing for Bristol, where we mean to be in the course of the next
week. And now my dear Margaret let me talk a little of your affairs; and
in the first place I must inform you that it is confidently reported,
your Father is going to be married; I am very unwilling to beleive so
unpleasing a report, and at the same time cannot wholly discredit it. I
have written to my freind Susan Fitzgerald, for information concerning
it, which as she is at present in Town, she will be very able to give
me. I know not who is the Lady. I think your Brother is extremely
right in the resolution he has taken of travelling, as it will perhaps
contribute to obliterate from his remembrance, those disagreable Events,
which have lately so much afflicted him--I am happy to find that
tho' secluded from all the World, neither you nor Matilda are dull or
unhappy--that you may never know what it is to, be either is the wish of
your sincerely affectionate C.L.
P. S. I have this instant received an answer from my freind Susan, which
I enclose to you, and on which you will make your own reflections.
The enclosed LETTER
My dear CHARLOTTE You could not have applied for information concerning
the report of Sir George Lesleys Marriage, to any one better able to
give it you than I am. Sir George is certainly married; I was myself
present at the Ceremony, which you will not be surprised at when I
subscribe myself your Affectionate Susan Lesley
LETTER the THIRD From Miss MARGARET LESLEY to Miss C. LUTTERELL Lesley
Castle February the 16th
I have made my own reflections on the letter you enclosed to me, my
Dear Charlotte and I will now tell you what those reflections were.
I reflected that if by this second Marriage Sir George should have a
second family, our fortunes must be considerably diminushed--that if
his Wife should be of an extravagant turn, she would encourage him
to persevere in that gay and Dissipated way of Life to which little
encouragement would be necessary, and which has I fear already proved
but too detrimental to his health and fortune--that she would now become
Mistress of those Jewels which once adorned our Mother, and which Sir
George had always promised us--that if they did not come into
Perthshire I should not be able to gratify my curiosity of beholding my
Mother-in-law and that if they did, Matilda would no longer sit at
the head of her Father's table--. These my dear Charlotte were the
melancholy reflections which crowded into my imagination after perusing
Susan's letter to you, and which instantly occurred to Matilda when she
had perused it likewise. The same ideas, the same fears, immediately
occupied her Mind, and I know not which reflection distressed her most,
whether the probable Diminution of our Fortunes, or her own Consequence.
We both wish very much to know whether Lady Lesley is handsome and what
is your opinion of her; as you honour her with the appellation of your
freind, we flatter ourselves that she must be amiable. My Brother is
already in Paris. He intends to quit it in a few Days, and to begin his
route to Italy. He writes in a most chearfull manner, says that the air
of France has greatly recovered both his Health and Spirits; that he has
now entirely ceased to think of Louisa with any degree either of Pity or
Affection, that he even feels himself obliged to her for her Elopement,
as he thinks it very good fun to be single again. By this, you may
perceive that he has entirely regained that chearful Gaiety, and
sprightly Wit, for which he was once so remarkable. When he first became
acquainted with Louisa which was little more than three years ago, he
was one of the most lively, the most agreable young Men of the age--.
I beleive you never yet heard the particulars of his first acquaintance
with her. It commenced at our cousin Colonel Drummond's; at whose house
in Cumberland he spent the Christmas, in which he attained the age of
two and twenty. Louisa Burton was the Daughter of a distant Relation of
Mrs. Drummond, who dieing a few Months before in extreme poverty, left
his only Child then about eighteen to the protection of any of his
Relations who would protect her. Mrs. Drummond was the only one who
found herself so disposed--Louisa was therefore removed from a miserable
Cottage in Yorkshire to an elegant Mansion in Cumberland, and from
every pecuniary Distress that Poverty could inflict, to every elegant
Enjoyment that Money could purchase--. Louisa was naturally ill-tempered
and Cunning; but she had been taught to disguise her real Disposition,
under the appearance of insinuating Sweetness, by a father who but too
well knew, that to be married, would be the only chance she would
have of not being starved, and who flattered himself that with such
an extroidinary share of personal beauty, joined to a gentleness of
Manners, and an engaging address, she might stand a good chance of
pleasing some young Man who might afford to marry a girl without a
Shilling. Louisa perfectly entered into her father's schemes and was
determined to forward them with all her care and attention. By dint of
Perseverance and Application, she had at length so thoroughly disguised
her natural disposition under the mask of Innocence, and Softness, as to
impose upon every one who had not by a long and constant intimacy with
her discovered her real Character. Such was Louisa when the hapless
Lesley first beheld her at Drummond-house. His heart which (to use
your favourite comparison) was as delicate as sweet and as tender as a
Whipt-syllabub, could not resist her attractions. In a very few Days,
he was falling in love, shortly after actually fell, and before he had
known her a Month, he had married her. My Father was at first highly
displeased at so hasty and imprudent a connection; but when he found
that they did not mind it, he soon became perfectly reconciled to the
match. The Estate near Aberdeen which my brother possesses by the bounty
of his great Uncle independant of Sir George, was entirely sufficient
to support him and my Sister in Elegance and Ease. For the first
twelvemonth, no one could be happier than Lesley, and no one more
amiable to appearance than Louisa, and so plausibly did she act and
so cautiously behave that tho' Matilda and I often spent several weeks
together with them, yet we neither of us had any suspicion of her real
Disposition. After the birth of Louisa however, which one would have
thought would have strengthened her regard for Lesley, the mask she had
so long supported was by degrees thrown aside, and as probably she then
thought herself secure in the affection of her Husband (which did indeed
appear if possible augmented by the birth of his Child) she seemed
to take no pains to prevent that affection from ever diminushing. Our
visits therefore to Dunbeath, were now less frequent and by far less
agreable than they used to be. Our absence was however never either
mentioned or lamented by Louisa who in the society of young Danvers
with whom she became acquainted at Aberdeen (he was at one of the
Universities there,) felt infinitely happier than in that of Matilda and
your freind, tho' there certainly never were pleasanter girls than we
are. You know the sad end of all Lesleys connubial happiness; I will not
repeat it--. Adeiu my dear Charlotte; although I have not yet mentioned
anything of the matter, I hope you will do me the justice to beleive
that I THINK and FEEL, a great deal for your Sisters affliction. I do
not doubt but that the healthy air of the Bristol downs will intirely
remove it, by erasing from her Mind the remembrance of Henry. I am my
dear Charlotte yrs ever M. L.
LETTER the FOURTH From Miss C. LUTTERELL to Miss M. LESLEY Bristol
February 27th
My Dear Peggy I have but just received your letter, which being directed
to Sussex while I was at Bristol was obliged to be forwarded to me here,
and from some unaccountable Delay, has but this instant reached me--.
I return you many thanks for the account it contains of Lesley's
acquaintance, Love and Marriage with Louisa, which has not the less
entertained me for having often been repeated to me before.
I have the satisfaction of informing you that we have every reason to
imagine our pantry is by this time nearly cleared, as we left Particular
orders with the servants to eat as hard as they possibly could, and to
call in a couple of Chairwomen to assist them. We brought a cold Pigeon
pye, a cold turkey, a cold tongue, and half a dozen Jellies with us,
which we were lucky enough with the help of our Landlady, her husband,
and their three children, to get rid of, in less than two days after
our arrival. Poor Eloisa is still so very indifferent both in Health and
Spirits, that I very much fear, the air of the Bristol downs, healthy as
it is, has not been able to drive poor Henry from her remembrance.
You ask me whether your new Mother in law is handsome and amiable--I
will now give you an exact description of her bodily and mental charms.
She is short, and extremely well made; is naturally pale, but rouges a
good deal; has fine eyes, and fine teeth, as she will take care to let
you know as soon as she sees you, and is altogether very pretty. She is
remarkably good-tempered when she has her own way, and very lively when
she is not out of humour. She is naturally extravagant and not very
affected; she never reads anything but the letters she receives from me,
and never writes anything but her answers to them. She plays, sings and
Dances, but has no taste for either, and excells in none, tho' she says
she is passionately fond of all. Perhaps you may flatter me so far as to
be surprised that one of whom I speak with so little affection should
be my particular freind; but to tell you the truth, our freindship arose
rather from Caprice on her side than Esteem on mine. We spent two or
three days together with a Lady in Berkshire with whom we both happened
to be connected--. During our visit, the Weather being remarkably bad,
and our party particularly stupid, she was so good as to conceive
a violent partiality for me, which very soon settled in a downright
Freindship and ended in an established correspondence. She is probably
by this time as tired of me, as I am of her; but as she is too Polite
and I am too civil to say so, our letters are still as frequent and
affectionate as ever, and our Attachment as firm and sincere as when it
first commenced. As she had a great taste for the pleasures of London,
and of Brighthelmstone, she will I dare say find some difficulty in
prevailing on herself even to satisfy the curiosity I dare say she feels
of beholding you, at the expence of quitting those favourite haunts of
Dissipation, for the melancholy tho' venerable gloom of the castle you
inhabit. Perhaps however if she finds her health impaired by too much
amusement, she may acquire fortitude sufficient to undertake a Journey
to Scotland in the hope of its Proving at least beneficial to her
health, if not conducive to her happiness. Your fears I am sorry to say,
concerning your father's extravagance, your own fortunes, your Mothers
Jewels and your Sister's consequence, I should suppose are but too well
founded. My freind herself has four thousand pounds, and will probably
spend nearly as much every year in Dress and Public places, if she can
get it--she will certainly not endeavour to reclaim Sir George from the
manner of living to which he has been so long accustomed, and there is
therefore some reason to fear that you will be very well off, if you get
any fortune at all. The Jewels I should imagine too will undoubtedly be
hers, and there is too much reason to think that she will preside at
her Husbands table in preference to his Daughter. But as so melancholy a
subject must necessarily extremely distress you, I will no longer dwell
on it--.
Eloisa's indisposition has brought us to Bristol at so unfashionable a
season of the year, that we have actually seen but one genteel family
since we came. Mr and Mrs Marlowe are very agreable people; the ill
health of their little boy occasioned their arrival here; you may
imagine that being the only family with whom we can converse, we are
of course on a footing of intimacy with them; we see them indeed almost
every day, and dined with them yesterday. We spent a very pleasant
Day, and had a very good Dinner, tho' to be sure the Veal was terribly
underdone, and the Curry had no seasoning. I could not help wishing
all dinner-time that I had been at the dressing it--. A brother of Mrs
Marlowe, Mr Cleveland is with them at present; he is a good-looking
young Man, and seems to have a good deal to say for himself. I tell
Eloisa that she should set her cap at him, but she does not at all
seem to relish the proposal. I should like to see the girl married and
Cleveland has a very good estate. Perhaps you may wonder that I do not
consider myself as well as my Sister in my matrimonial Projects; but
to tell you the truth I never wish to act a more principal part at a
Wedding than the superintending and directing the Dinner, and therefore
while I can get any of my acquaintance to marry for me, I shall never
think of doing it myself, as I very much suspect that I should not have
so much time for dressing my own Wedding-dinner, as for dressing that of
my freinds. Yours sincerely C. L.
LETTER the FIFTH Miss MARGARET LESLEY to Miss CHARLOTTE LUTTERELL
Lesley-Castle March 18th
On the same day that I received your last kind letter, Matilda received
one from Sir George which was dated from Edinburgh, and informed us that
he should do himself the pleasure of introducing Lady Lesley to us on
the following evening. This as you may suppose considerably surprised
us, particularly as your account of her Ladyship had given us reason to
imagine there was little chance of her visiting Scotland at a time that
London must be so gay. As it was our business however to be delighted at
such a mark of condescension as a visit from Sir George and Lady Lesley,
we prepared to return them an answer expressive of the happiness we
enjoyed in expectation of such a Blessing, when luckily recollecting
that as they were to reach the Castle the next Evening, it would be
impossible for my father to receive it before he left Edinburgh, we
contented ourselves with leaving them to suppose that we were as happy
as we ought to be. At nine in the Evening on the following day,
they came, accompanied by one of Lady Lesleys brothers. Her Ladyship
perfectly answers the description you sent me of her, except that I do
not think her so pretty as you seem to consider her. She has not a
bad face, but there is something so extremely unmajestic in her little
diminutive figure, as to render her in comparison with the elegant
height of Matilda and Myself, an insignificant Dwarf. Her curiosity to
see us (which must have been great to bring her more than four hundred
miles) being now perfectly gratified, she already begins to mention
their return to town, and has desired us to accompany her. We cannot
refuse her request since it is seconded by the commands of our Father,
and thirded by the entreaties of Mr. Fitzgerald who is certainly one
of the most pleasing young Men, I ever beheld. It is not yet determined
when we are to go, but when ever we do we shall certainly take our
little Louisa with us. Adeiu my dear Charlotte; Matilda unites in best
wishes to you, and Eloisa, with yours ever M. L.
LETTER the SIXTH LADY LESLEY to Miss CHARLOTTE LUTTERELL Lesley-Castle
March 20th
We arrived here my sweet Freind about a fortnight ago, and I already
heartily repent that I ever left our charming House in Portman-square
for such a dismal old weather-beaten Castle as this. You can form no
idea sufficiently hideous, of its dungeon-like form. It is actually
perched upon a Rock to appearance so totally inaccessible, that I
expected to have been pulled up by a rope; and sincerely repented having
gratified my curiosity to behold my Daughters at the expence of being
obliged to enter their prison in so dangerous and ridiculous a manner.
But as soon as I once found myself safely arrived in the inside of
this tremendous building, I comforted myself with the hope of having my
spirits revived, by the sight of two beautifull girls, such as the Miss
Lesleys had been represented to me, at Edinburgh. But here again, I
met with nothing but Disappointment and Surprise. Matilda and Margaret
Lesley are two great, tall, out of the way, over-grown, girls, just of
a proper size to inhabit a Castle almost as large in comparison as
themselves. I wish my dear Charlotte that you could but behold these
Scotch giants; I am sure they would frighten you out of your wits.
They will do very well as foils to myself, so I have invited them to
accompany me to London where I hope to be in the course of a fortnight.
Besides these two fair Damsels, I found a little humoured Brat here who
I beleive is some relation to them, they told me who she was, and gave
me a long rigmerole story of her father and a Miss SOMEBODY which I have
entirely forgot. I hate scandal and detest Children. I have been plagued
ever since I came here with tiresome visits from a parcel of Scotch
wretches, with terrible hard-names; they were so civil, gave me so many
invitations, and talked of coming again so soon, that I could not help
affronting them. I suppose I shall not see them any more, and yet as
a family party we are so stupid, that I do not know what to do with
myself. These girls have no Music, but Scotch airs, no Drawings but
Scotch Mountains, and no Books but Scotch Poems--and I hate everything
Scotch. In general I can spend half the Day at my toilett with a great
deal of pleasure, but why should I dress here, since there is not a
creature in the House whom I have any wish to please. I have just had
a conversation with my Brother in which he has greatly offended me, and
which as I have nothing more entertaining to send you I will gave you
the particulars of. You must know that I have for these 4 or 5 Days past
strongly suspected William of entertaining a partiality to my eldest
Daughter. I own indeed that had I been inclined to fall in love with any
woman, I should not have made choice of Matilda Lesley for the object
of my passion; for there is nothing I hate so much as a tall Woman: but
however there is no accounting for some men's taste and as William is
himself nearly six feet high, it is not wonderful that he should be
partial to that height. Now as I have a very great affection for my
Brother and should be extremely sorry to see him unhappy, which I
suppose he means to be if he cannot marry Matilda, as moreover I know
that his circumstances will not allow him to marry any one without a
fortune, and that Matilda's is entirely dependant on her Father, who
will neither have his own inclination nor my permission to give her
anything at present, I thought it would be doing a good-natured action
by my Brother to let him know as much, in order that he might choose
for himself, whether to conquer his passion, or Love and Despair.
Accordingly finding myself this Morning alone with him in one of the
horrid old rooms of this Castle, I opened the cause to him in the
following Manner.
“Well my dear William what do you think of these girls? for my part, I
do not find them so plain as I expected: but perhaps you may think me
partial to the Daughters of my Husband and perhaps you are right--They
are indeed so very like Sir George that it is natural to think”--
“My Dear Susan (cried he in a tone of the greatest amazement) You do not
really think they bear the least resemblance to their Father! He is so
very plain!--but I beg your pardon--I had entirely forgotten to whom I
was speaking--”
“Oh! pray dont mind me; (replied I) every one knows Sir George is
horribly ugly, and I assure you I always thought him a fright.”
“You surprise me extremely (answered William) by what you say both with
respect to Sir George and his Daughters. You cannot think your Husband
so deficient in personal Charms as you speak of, nor can you surely see
any resemblance between him and the Miss Lesleys who are in my opinion
perfectly unlike him and perfectly Handsome.”
“If that is your opinion with regard to the girls it certainly is no
proof of their Fathers beauty, for if they are perfectly unlike him and
very handsome at the same time, it is natural to suppose that he is very
plain.”
“By no means, (said he) for what may be pretty in a Woman, may be very
unpleasing in a Man.”
“But you yourself (replied I) but a few minutes ago allowed him to be
very plain.”
“Men are no Judges of Beauty in their own Sex.” (said he).
“Neither Men nor Women can think Sir George tolerable.”
“Well, well, (said he) we will not dispute about HIS Beauty, but your
opinion of his DAUGHTERS is surely very singular, for if I understood
you right, you said you did not find them so plain as you expected to
do!”
“Why, do YOU find them plainer then?” (said I).
“I can scarcely beleive you to be serious (returned he) when you speak
of their persons in so extroidinary a Manner. Do not you think the Miss
Lesleys are two very handsome young Women?”
“Lord! No! (cried I) I think them terribly plain!”
“Plain! (replied He) My dear Susan, you cannot really think so! Why
what single Feature in the face of either of them, can you possibly find
fault with?”
“Oh! trust me for that; (replied I). Come I will begin with the
eldest--with Matilda. Shall I, William?” (I looked as cunning as I could
when I said it, in order to shame him).
“They are so much alike (said he) that I should suppose the faults of
one, would be the faults of both.”
“Well, then, in the first place; they are both so horribly tall!”
“They are TALLER than you are indeed.” (said he with a saucy smile.)
“Nay, (said I), I know nothing of that.”
“Well, but (he continued) tho' they may be above the common size, their
figures are perfectly elegant; and as to their faces, their Eyes are
beautifull.”
“I never can think such tremendous, knock-me-down figures in the least
degree elegant, and as for their eyes, they are so tall that I never
could strain my neck enough to look at them.”
“Nay, (replied he) I know not whether you may not be in the right in not
attempting it, for perhaps they might dazzle you with their Lustre.”
“Oh! Certainly. (said I, with the greatest complacency, for I assure
you my dearest Charlotte I was not in the least offended tho' by what
followed, one would suppose that William was conscious of having given
me just cause to be so, for coming up to me and taking my hand, he said)
“You must not look so grave Susan; you will make me fear I have offended
you!”
“Offended me! Dear Brother, how came such a thought in your head!
(returned I) No really! I assure you that I am not in the least
surprised at your being so warm an advocate for the Beauty of these
girls.”--
“Well, but (interrupted William) remember that we have not yet
concluded our dispute concerning them. What fault do you find with their
complexion?”
“They are so horridly pale.”
“They have always a little colour, and after any exercise it is
considerably heightened.”
“Yes, but if there should ever happen to be any rain in this part of
the world, they will never be able raise more than their common
stock--except indeed they amuse themselves with running up and Down
these horrid old galleries and Antichambers.”
“Well, (replied my Brother in a tone of vexation, and glancing an
impertinent look at me) if they HAVE but little colour, at least, it is
all their own.”
This was too much my dear Charlotte, for I am certain that he had the
impudence by that look, of pretending to suspect the reality of mine.
But you I am sure will vindicate my character whenever you may hear
it so cruelly aspersed, for you can witness how often I have protested
against wearing Rouge, and how much I always told you I disliked it. And
I assure you that my opinions are still the same.--. Well, not bearing
to be so suspected by my Brother, I left the room immediately, and have
been ever since in my own Dressing-room writing to you. What a long
letter have I made of it! But you must not expect to receive such from
me when I get to Town; for it is only at Lesley castle, that one has
time to write even to a Charlotte Lutterell.--. I was so much vexed by
William's glance, that I could not summon Patience enough, to stay and
give him that advice respecting his attachment to Matilda which had
first induced me from pure Love to him to begin the conversation; and
I am now so thoroughly convinced by it, of his violent passion for her,
that I am certain he would never hear reason on the subject, and I
shall there fore give myself no more trouble either about him or his
favourite. Adeiu my dear girl--Yrs affectionately Susan L.
LETTER the SEVENTH From Miss C. LUTTERELL to Miss M. LESLEY Bristol the
27th of March
I have received Letters from you and your Mother-in-law within this week
which have greatly entertained me, as I find by them that you are both
downright jealous of each others Beauty. It is very odd that two pretty
Women tho' actually Mother and Daughter cannot be in the same House
without falling out about their faces. Do be convinced that you are both
perfectly handsome and say no more of the Matter. I suppose this letter
must be directed to Portman Square where probably (great as is your
affection for Lesley Castle) you will not be sorry to find yourself. In
spite of all that people may say about Green fields and the Country
I was always of opinion that London and its amusements must be very
agreable for a while, and should be very happy could my Mother's income
allow her to jockey us into its Public-places, during Winter. I always
longed particularly to go to Vaux-hall, to see whether the cold Beef
there is cut so thin as it is reported, for I have a sly suspicion that
few people understand the art of cutting a slice of cold Beef so well
as I do: nay it would be hard if I did not know something of the Matter,
for it was a part of my Education that I took by far the most pains
with. Mama always found me HER best scholar, tho' when Papa was
alive Eloisa was HIS. Never to be sure were there two more different
Dispositions in the World. We both loved Reading. SHE preferred
Histories, and I Receipts. She loved drawing, Pictures, and I drawing
Pullets. No one could sing a better song than she, and no one make a
better Pye than I.--And so it has always continued since we have been
no longer children. The only difference is that all disputes on the
superior excellence of our Employments THEN so frequent are now no more.
We have for many years entered into an agreement always to admire
each other's works; I never fail listening to HER Music, and she is as
constant in eating my pies. Such at least was the case till Henry Hervey
made his appearance in Sussex. Before the arrival of his Aunt in our
neighbourhood where she established herself you know about a twelvemonth
ago, his visits to her had been at stated times, and of equal and
settled Duration; but on her removal to the Hall which is within a walk
from our House, they became both more frequent and longer. This as you
may suppose could not be pleasing to Mrs Diana who is a professed enemy
to everything which is not directed by Decorum and Formality, or which
bears the least resemblance to Ease and Good-breeding. Nay so great was
her aversion to her Nephews behaviour that I have often heard her give
such hints of it before his face that had not Henry at such times been
engaged in conversation with Eloisa, they must have caught his Attention
and have very much distressed him. The alteration in my Sisters
behaviour which I have before hinted at, now took place. The Agreement
we had entered into of admiring each others productions she no
longer seemed to regard, and tho' I constantly applauded even every
Country-dance, she played, yet not even a pidgeon-pye of my making could
obtain from her a single word of approbation. This was certainly enough
to put any one in a Passion; however, I was as cool as a cream-cheese
and having formed my plan and concerted a scheme of Revenge, I was
determined to let her have her own way and not even to make her a single
reproach. My scheme was to treat her as she treated me, and tho' she
might even draw my own Picture or play Malbrook (which is the only tune
I ever really liked) not to say so much as “Thank you Eloisa;” tho'
I had for many years constantly hollowed whenever she played, BRAVO,
BRAVISSIMO, ENCORE, DA CAPO, ALLEGRETTO, CON EXPRESSIONE, and POCO
PRESTO with many other such outlandish words, all of them as Eloisa told
me expressive of my Admiration; and so indeed I suppose they are, as I
see some of them in every Page of every Music book, being the sentiments
I imagine of the composer.
I executed my Plan with great Punctuality. I can not say success, for
alas! my silence while she played seemed not in the least to displease
her; on the contrary she actually said to me one day “Well Charlotte,
I am very glad to find that you have at last left off that ridiculous
custom of applauding my Execution on the Harpsichord till you made
my head ake, and yourself hoarse. I feel very much obliged to you for
keeping your admiration to yourself.” I never shall forget the very
witty answer I made to this speech. “Eloisa (said I) I beg you would
be quite at your Ease with respect to all such fears in future, for
be assured that I shall always keep my admiration to myself and my own
pursuits and never extend it to yours.” This was the only very severe
thing I ever said in my Life; not but that I have often felt myself
extremely satirical but it was the only time I ever made my feelings
public.
I suppose there never were two Young people who had a greater affection
for each other than Henry and Eloisa; no, the Love of your Brother for
Miss Burton could not be so strong tho' it might be more violent. You
may imagine therefore how provoked my Sister must have been to have
him play her such a trick. Poor girl! she still laments his Death with
undiminished constancy, notwithstanding he has been dead more than six
weeks; but some People mind such things more than others. The ill state
of Health into which his loss has thrown her makes her so weak, and so
unable to support the least exertion, that she has been in tears all
this Morning merely from having taken leave of Mrs. Marlowe who with her
Husband, Brother and Child are to leave Bristol this morning. I am sorry
to have them go because they are the only family with whom we have here
any acquaintance, but I never thought of crying; to be sure Eloisa
and Mrs Marlowe have always been more together than with me, and have
therefore contracted a kind of affection for each other, which does not
make Tears so inexcusable in them as they would be in me. The Marlowes
are going to Town; Cliveland accompanies them; as neither Eloisa nor I
could catch him I hope you or Matilda may have better Luck. I know not
when we shall leave Bristol, Eloisa's spirits are so low that she is
very averse to moving, and yet is certainly by no means mended by her
residence here. A week or two will I hope determine our Measures--in the
mean time believe me and etc--and etc--Charlotte Lutterell.
LETTER the EIGHTH Miss LUTTERELL to Mrs MARLOWE Bristol April 4th
I feel myself greatly obliged to you my dear Emma for such a mark of
your affection as I flatter myself was conveyed in the proposal you made
me of our Corresponding; I assure you that it will be a great releif to
me to write to you and as long as my Health and Spirits will allow
me, you will find me a very constant correspondent; I will not say
an entertaining one, for you know my situation suffciently not to be
ignorant that in me Mirth would be improper and I know my own Heart too
well not to be sensible that it would be unnatural. You must not expect
news for we see no one with whom we are in the least acquainted, or in
whose proceedings we have any Interest. You must not expect scandal
for by the same rule we are equally debarred either from hearing or
inventing it.--You must expect from me nothing but the melancholy
effusions of a broken Heart which is ever reverting to the Happiness
it once enjoyed and which ill supports its present wretchedness. The
Possibility of being able to write, to speak, to you of my lost Henry
will be a luxury to me, and your goodness will not I know refuse to read
what it will so much releive my Heart to write. I once thought that to
have what is in general called a Freind (I mean one of my own sex
to whom I might speak with less reserve than to any other person)
independant of my sister would never be an object of my wishes, but how
much was I mistaken! Charlotte is too much engrossed by two confidential
correspondents of that sort, to supply the place of one to me, and I
hope you will not think me girlishly romantic, when I say that to
have some kind and compassionate Freind who might listen to my sorrows
without endeavouring to console me was what I had for some time wished
for, when our acquaintance with you, the intimacy which followed it and
the particular affectionate attention you paid me almost from the first,
caused me to entertain the flattering Idea of those attentions being
improved on a closer acquaintance into a Freindship which, if you were
what my wishes formed you would be the greatest Happiness I could
be capable of enjoying. To find that such Hopes are realised is a
satisfaction indeed, a satisfaction which is now almost the only one I
can ever experience.--I feel myself so languid that I am sure were you
with me you would oblige me to leave off writing, and I cannot give you
a greater proof of my affection for you than by acting, as I know you
would wish me to do, whether Absent or Present. I am my dear Emmas
sincere freind E. L.
LETTER the NINTH Mrs MARLOWE to Miss LUTTERELL Grosvenor Street, April
10th
Need I say my dear Eloisa how wellcome your letter was to me I cannot
give a greater proof of the pleasure I received from it, or of the
Desire I feel that our Correspondence may be regular and frequent than
by setting you so good an example as I now do in answering it before the
end of the week--. But do not imagine that I claim any merit in being
so punctual; on the contrary I assure you, that it is a far greater
Gratification to me to write to you, than to spend the Evening either at
a Concert or a Ball. Mr Marlowe is so desirous of my appearing at some
of the Public places every evening that I do not like to refuse him, but
at the same time so much wish to remain at Home, that independant of
the Pleasure I experience in devoting any portion of my Time to my
Dear Eloisa, yet the Liberty I claim from having a letter to write of
spending an Evening at home with my little Boy, you know me well enough
to be sensible, will of itself be a sufficient Inducement (if one is
necessary) to my maintaining with Pleasure a Correspondence with you.
As to the subject of your letters to me, whether grave or merry, if they
concern you they must be equally interesting to me; not but that I think
the melancholy Indulgence of your own sorrows by repeating them and
dwelling on them to me, will only encourage and increase them, and
that it will be more prudent in you to avoid so sad a subject; but yet
knowing as I do what a soothing and melancholy Pleasure it must afford
you, I cannot prevail on myself to deny you so great an Indulgence, and
will only insist on your not expecting me to encourage you in it, by my
own letters; on the contrary I intend to fill them with such lively Wit
and enlivening Humour as shall even provoke a smile in the sweet but
sorrowfull countenance of my Eloisa.
In the first place you are to learn that I have met your sisters three
freinds Lady Lesley and her Daughters, twice in Public since I have been
here. I know you will be impatient to hear my opinion of the Beauty of
three Ladies of whom you have heard so much. Now, as you are too ill and
too unhappy to be vain, I think I may venture to inform you that I
like none of their faces so well as I do your own. Yet they are all
handsome--Lady Lesley indeed I have seen before; her Daughters I beleive
would in general be said to have a finer face than her Ladyship, and yet
what with the charms of a Blooming complexion, a little Affectation and
a great deal of small-talk, (in each of which she is superior to the
young Ladies) she will I dare say gain herself as many admirers as the
more regular features of Matilda, and Margaret. I am sure you will agree
with me in saying that they can none of them be of a proper size for
real Beauty, when you know that two of them are taller and the other
shorter than ourselves. In spite of this Defect (or rather by reason
of it) there is something very noble and majestic in the figures of the
Miss Lesleys, and something agreably lively in the appearance of their
pretty little Mother-in-law. But tho' one may be majestic and the other
lively, yet the faces of neither possess that Bewitching sweetness of
my Eloisas, which her present languor is so far from diminushing. What
would my Husband and Brother say of us, if they knew all the fine things
I have been saying to you in this letter. It is very hard that a pretty
woman is never to be told she is so by any one of her own sex without
that person's being suspected to be either her determined Enemy, or
her professed Toad-eater. How much more amiable are women in that
particular! One man may say forty civil things to another without our
supposing that he is ever paid for it, and provided he does his Duty by
our sex, we care not how Polite he is to his own.
Mrs Lutterell will be so good as to accept my compliments, Charlotte,
my Love, and Eloisa the best wishes for the recovery of her Health and
Spirits that can be offered by her affectionate Freind E. Marlowe.
I am afraid this letter will be but a poor specimen of my Powers in the
witty way; and your opinion of them will not be greatly increased when I
assure you that I have been as entertaining as I possibly could.
LETTER the TENTH From Miss MARGARET LESLEY to Miss CHARLOTTE LUTTERELL
Portman Square April 13th
MY DEAR CHARLOTTE We left Lesley-Castle on the 28th of last Month,
and arrived safely in London after a Journey of seven Days; I had the
pleasure of finding your Letter here waiting my Arrival, for which you
have my grateful Thanks. Ah! my dear Freind I every day more regret the
serene and tranquil Pleasures of the Castle we have left, in exchange
for the uncertain and unequal Amusements of this vaunted City. Not that
I will pretend to assert that these uncertain and unequal Amusements
are in the least Degree unpleasing to me; on the contrary I enjoy them
extremely and should enjoy them even more, were I not certain that every
appearance I make in Public but rivetts the Chains of those unhappy
Beings whose Passion it is impossible not to pity, tho' it is out of my
power to return. In short my Dear Charlotte it is my sensibility for
the sufferings of so many amiable young Men, my Dislike of the extreme
admiration I meet with, and my aversion to being so celebrated both in
Public, in Private, in Papers, and in Printshops, that are the reasons
why I cannot more fully enjoy, the Amusements so various and pleasing
of London. How often have I wished that I possessed as little Personal
Beauty as you do; that my figure were as inelegant; my face as unlovely;
and my appearance as unpleasing as yours! But ah! what little chance
is there of so desirable an Event; I have had the small-pox, and must
therefore submit to my unhappy fate.
I am now going to intrust you my dear Charlotte with a secret which has
long disturbed the tranquility of my days, and which is of a kind to
require the most inviolable Secrecy from you. Last Monday se'night
Matilda and I accompanied Lady Lesley to a Rout at the Honourable Mrs
Kickabout's; we were escorted by Mr Fitzgerald who is a very amiable
young Man in the main, tho' perhaps a little singular in his Taste--He
is in love with Matilda--. We had scarcely paid our Compliments to the
Lady of the House and curtseyed to half a score different people when my
Attention was attracted by the appearance of a Young Man the most lovely
of his Sex, who at that moment entered the Room with another Gentleman
and Lady. From the first moment I beheld him, I was certain that on him
depended the future Happiness of my Life. Imagine my surprise when he
was introduced to me by the name of Cleveland--I instantly recognised
him as the Brother of Mrs Marlowe, and the acquaintance of my Charlotte
at Bristol. Mr and Mrs M. were the gentleman and Lady who accompanied
him. (You do not think Mrs Marlowe handsome?) The elegant address of Mr
Cleveland, his polished Manners and Delightful Bow, at once confirmed my
attachment. He did not speak; but I can imagine everything he would have
said, had he opened his Mouth. I can picture to myself the cultivated
Understanding, the Noble sentiments, and elegant Language which would
have shone so conspicuous in the conversation of Mr Cleveland. The
approach of Sir James Gower (one of my too numerous admirers) prevented
the Discovery of any such Powers, by putting an end to a Conversation we
had never commenced, and by attracting my attention to himself. But oh!
how inferior are the accomplishments of Sir James to those of his so
greatly envied Rival! Sir James is one of the most frequent of our
Visitors, and is almost always of our Parties. We have since often met
Mr and Mrs Marlowe but no Cleveland--he is always engaged some where
,
-
-
.
.
1
2
3
4
5
.
6
7
,
8
,
9
,
10
,
.
11
12
13
,
14
,
15
.
16
17
,
18
.
19
,
20
.
21
22
«
,
23
.
24
,
25
,
26
27
.
28
29
,
.
(
30
)
(
)
.
31
;
32
,
33
,
34
.
35
,
36
.
37
,
,
38
,
(
39
)
,
40
,
.
41
42
.
43
,
44
,
,
,
,
45
,
,
,
46
.
47
(
48
)
49
.
50
51
,
,
52
,
53
54
,
.
55
;
56
,
57
,
58
59
,
.
-
-
.
60
,
61
.
,
62
.
.
63
,
64
;
,
65
,
66
.
,
67
-
-
.
-
68
,
69
,
70
-
-
.
71
-
-
.
,
72
,
73
,
,
74
.
75
;
76
.
»
77
78
,
79
,
80
81
.
82
83
;
84
.
85
86
87
,
.
88
,
89
90
.
91
92
93
,
94
,
,
95
,
,
96
.
97
98
99
;
100
.
101
102
,
103
-
-
.
.
104
105
,
106
,
107
,
108
.
109
110
,
111
-
:
-
-
112
.
.
113
114
115
116
.
117
118
119
120
121
*
*
*
*
*
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
.
130
131
132
133
134
.
,
135
;
,
;
136
,
,
137
138
139
140
141
142
-
-
143
.
144
145
.
.
146
147
.
.
.
148
149
*
*
*
*
*
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
.
-
-
.
161
162
.
«
(
)
163
,
164
,
165
.
»
-
-
166
,
167
,
168
;
169
,
170
.
!
!
171
.
172
!
173
,
174
.
,
175
,
!
176
!
177
!
178
,
;
179
!
180
,
,
,
181
,
,
182
.
183
,
,
,
184
,
185
,
186
,
187
.
'
,
(
188
'
,
'
,
'
,
189
'
,
'
,
'
,
'
,
'
,
190
)
;
191
,
192
,
;
.
193
,
,
,
194
,
,
,
195
-
,
.
,
196
,
197
.
!
198
,
199
,
200
.
;
201
'
,
'
,
'
202
.
,
203
,
204
,
-
-
.
205
,
,
206
,
207
-
,
208
,
.
!
209
,
210
!
211
;
,
212
,
213
,
.
,
.
214
,
,
215
.
,
216
,
,
217
.
.
218
;
219
;
.
!
220
!
221
,
222
'
,
223
.
.
224
225
226
227
228
.
.
.
229
230
231
232
,
233
,
234
235
,
236
.
237
,
.
238
,
239
,
240
,
,
,
241
-
242
-
,
,
243
.
244
,
245
246
-
,
247
,
248
.
«
!
249
(
)
?
250
!
.
251
,
'
.
252
-
,
,
253
.
»
,
254
,
255
.
,
256
;
,
257
,
258
,
259
;
260
;
261
,
262
.
,
263
,
264
265
,
266
.
267
,
,
268
.
269
,
270
.
;
271
272
.
273
,
.
.
«
(
274
)
'
.
(
275
)
276
-
-
;
277
;
278
,
279
(
)
280
;
(
)
281
.
282
'
283
'
,
'
,
284
,
285
,
286
.
»
287
,
,
288
,
,
289
,
290
.
;
.
291
292
;
,
293
,
294
.
,
295
.
296
,
297
.
;
298
,
299
;
300
,
.
301
,
302
,
,
303
.
.
304
,
305
,
,
306
-
-
307
'
,
308
-
-
,
309
.
.
310
311
.
.
,
312
,
.
313
314
315
316
317
,
318
.
;
319
,
320
321
322
323
324
325
.
326
327
328
,
329
.
330
331
,
-
-
332
,
333
334
,
335
-
-
336
,
337
-
-
338
339
-
-
,
340
'
-
-
.
341
342
'
,
343
.
,
,
344
,
,
345
,
.
346
347
;
348
,
.
349
.
,
350
.
,
351
;
352
353
,
,
354
.
,
355
,
356
,
.
357
,
358
,
-
-
.
359
360
.
'
;
361
,
362
.
363
.
,
,
364
365
.
.
366
-
-
367
,
368
,
369
-
-
.
-
370
;
,
371
,
372
,
,
373
,
374
,
375
,
,
376
377
.
'
378
.
379
,
380
,
,
381
382
.
383
-
.
(
384
)
385
-
,
.
,
386
,
,
387
,
.
388
;
389
,
390
.
391
,
392
.
393
,
,
394
,
395
'
396
,
397
.
,
398
,
399
,
400
(
401
)
402
.
403
,
404
.
405
406
(
407
,
)
408
,
'
409
.
;
410
-
-
.
;
411
,
412
,
.
413
414
,
.
415
.
.
416
417
418
419
420
.
.
421
422
423
,
424
,
425
,
-
-
.
426
'
427
,
,
428
.
429
430
431
,
432
,
433
.
434
,
,
,
,
435
,
,
436
,
,
437
.
438
,
,
,
439
,
.
440
441
-
-
442
.
443
,
;
,
444
;
,
,
445
,
.
446
-
,
447
.
448
;
,
449
.
,
450
,
,
,
'
451
.
452
453
;
,
454
.
455
456
-
-
.
,
,
457
,
458
,
459
.
460
,
;
461
,
462
,
463
.
,
464
,
465
466
,
467
,
'
468
.
469
,
470
471
,
.
,
472
'
,
,
473
'
,
474
.
,
475
,
476
-
-
477
,
478
,
479
.
480
,
481
.
482
,
483
-
-
.
484
485
'
486
,
487
.
;
488
;
489
,
490
;
491
,
.
492
,
,
'
493
,
.
494
-
-
-
.
495
,
;
-
496
,
.
497
,
498
.
499
.
500
;
501
502
,
503
,
504
,
505
-
,
506
.
.
.
507
508
509
510
511
512
-
513
514
,
515
,
516
517
.
518
,
519
520
.
521
,
522
523
,
524
,
525
,
526
527
.
,
528
,
.
529
,
530
.
531
,
532
,
533
,
.
534
(
535
)
,
536
,
.
537
,
538
.
539
,
.
540
,
541
.
;
542
,
,
.
.
543
544
545
546
547
-
548
549
550
,
551
-
552
-
.
553
,
-
.
554
,
555
;
556
557
.
558
559
,
560
,
,
561
,
.
,
562
.
563
,
,
,
-
,
,
564
565
.
566
;
.
567
,
568
.
569
,
570
,
,
571
572
.
.
573
574
,
-
;
,
575
,
,
576
.
,
577
,
578
.
,
,
579
,
-
-
580
.
581
,
,
582
.
583
,
584
585
.
586
587
.
588
,
589
;
:
590
'
591
,
592
.
593
,
594
,
595
596
,
'
,
597
598
,
-
599
,
600
,
,
.
601
602
,
603
.
604
605
«
?
,
606
:
607
-
-
608
»
-
-
609
610
«
(
)
611
!
612
!
-
-
-
-
613
-
-
»
614
615
«
!
;
(
)
616
,
.
»
617
618
«
(
)
619
.
620
,
621
622
.
»
623
624
«
625
,
626
,
627
.
»
628
629
«
,
(
)
,
630
.
»
631
632
«
(
)
633
.
»
634
635
«
.
»
(
)
.
636
637
«
.
»
638
639
«
,
,
(
)
,
640
,
641
,
642
!
»
643
644
«
,
?
»
(
)
.
645
646
«
(
)
647
.
648
?
»
649
650
«
!
!
(
)
!
»
651
652
«
!
(
)
,
!
653
,
654
?
»
655
656
«
!
;
(
)
.
657
-
-
.
,
?
»
(
658
,
)
.
659
660
«
(
)
661
,
.
»
662
663
«
,
,
;
!
»
664
665
«
.
»
(
.
)
666
667
«
,
(
)
,
.
»
668
669
«
,
(
)
'
,
670
;
,
671
.
»
672
673
«
,
-
-
674
,
,
675
.
»
676
677
«
,
(
)
678
,
.
»
679
680
«
!
.
(
,
,
681
'
682
,
683
,
,
)
684
«
;
685
!
»
686
687
«
!
,
!
688
(
)
!
689
690
.
»
-
-
691
692
«
,
(
)
693
.
694
?
»
695
696
«
.
»
697
698
«
,
699
.
»
700
701
«
,
702
,
703
-
-
704
.
»
705
706
«
,
(
,
707
)
,
,
708
.
»
709
710
,
711
,
.
712
713
,
714
,
.
715
.
-
-
.
,
716
,
,
717
-
.
718
!
719
;
,
720
.
-
-
.
721
'
,
,
722
723
;
724
,
,
725
,
726
727
.
-
-
.
728
729
730
731
732
.
.
733
734
735
-
-
736
,
737
.
738
'
739
.
740
.
741
(
742
)
.
743
744
745
,
'
746
-
,
.
747
-
,
748
,
749
750
:
,
751
752
.
,
'
753
.
754
.
.
755
,
.
,
,
756
.
,
757
.
-
-
758
.
759
.
760
761
'
;
,
762
.
763
.
764
765
,
,
766
;
767
,
.
768
769
,
770
-
.
771
772
773
,
774
.
775
,
.
776
777
,
'
778
-
,
,
-
779
.
780
;
,
-
781
,
782
783
.
,
'
784
(
785
)
«
;
»
'
786
,
,
787
,
,
,
,
,
788
,
789
;
,
790
,
791
.
792
793
.
,
794
!
795
;
«
,
796
797
798
,
.
799
.
»
800
.
«
(
)
801
,
802
803
.
»
804
;
805
806
.
807
808
809
;
,
810
'
.
811
812
.
!
813
,
814
;
.
815
,
816
,
817
.
818
,
.
819
820
,
;
821
,
822
,
823
.
824
;
;
825
.
826
,
'
827
,
828
.
-
-
829
-
-
-
-
.
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
;
839
840
,
;
841
,
842
843
.
844
,
845
.
846
847
.
-
-
848
849
.
850
,
,
851
,
852
.
853
(
854
)
855
,
856
!
857
,
,
858
,
859
860
861
,
,
862
,
863
864
,
865
866
.
867
,
868
.
-
-
869
,
870
,
871
,
.
872
.
.
873
874
875
876
877
,
878
879
880
881
,
882
883
884
-
-
.
885
;
,
886
,
887
.
888
,
889
,
890
891
,
892
,
893
,
(
894
)
.
895
,
,
896
;
897
898
,
,
899
;
900
901
,
,
902
,
903
;
904
905
.
906
907
908
,
909
.
910
.
,
911
,
912
.
913
-
-
;
914
,
915
,
916
-
,
(
917
)
918
,
.
919
920
,
921
.
(
922
)
923
,
924
-
-
.
'
925
,
926
,
.
927
,
928
.
929
930
'
,
931
-
.
932
!
933
,
934
,
.
935
936
,
,
937
,
938
.
.
939
940
941
;
942
.
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
-
,
951
;
952
,
953
.
!
954
,
955
.
956
957
;
958
,
959
960
,
'
961
.
962
,
963
,
964
,
,
,
,
965
,
966
.
967
;
;
;
968
!
!
969
;
-
,
970
.
971
972
973
,
974
.
'
975
976
'
;
977
,
'
-
-
978
-
-
.
979
980
981
,
982
.
,
983
.
984
-
-
985
,
986
.
.
987
.
(
?
)
988
,
,
989
.
;
990
,
.
991
,
,
992
.
993
(
)
994
,
995
,
.
!
996
997
!
998
,
.
999
-
-
1000