LETTERCIII.TO MRS. W——E.
Charles Street, Sept. 5, 1779.
DEAR MADAM,
YOUR wonder will be equal to your indignation—when—(after due apologies for the liberty of this address—and a few good-natured protestations of friendship and so forth—with an injunction to strict secresy) I inform you that it is absolutely necessary for your immediate setting out for Red-lion Court.—Your good man is only running after all the young gypsies about the neighbourhood—all colours—black or fair—are alike;—this is the effect of country air—and your nursing.—The good man made his appearanceon Thursday evening last—the glow of health in his face—joy in his eyes.—“Wife, Joe, and little Frank all well, and myself never better in my life;”—a pretty girl he led by the hand—and, as if one petticoat plague was not enough, he insisted upon taking away two of mine—and carried his point against every reasonable odds: away they all went to the play—and God only knows where else—I threatened him with a modest report to Melchbourn, but he seemed to care very lightly about it;—so I humbly advise, as your best method of taming him, either to insist upon his speedily coming down to you—or else your immediate setting out for home:—at present he only attempts our daughters—but, should you be absent a month longer, I tremble for our wives;—for my part, I have some reason, for here both wife and daughters are as fond of Mr. W——e as they dare own—Seriously, I think, you should coax him down, if only for a fortnight; for it is amazing how much better he is for the short time he was absent—and this I take to be the pleasantest and wholesomest time for the country, if theevening dews are carefully guarded against—I shall advise him strongly to take the other trip—and I trust your documents, with the innocent simplicity of all around him—fine air—exercise—new milk—and the smell of new hay—will make him ten thousand times worse than he is—you won’t like him the worse for that. My love attends cousins I—— and F——.
I am, dear Madam,
most sincerely yours to command,
IGNATIUS SANCHO.
Mrs. Sancho joins me in every thing but the abuse of Mr. W——e.