I have within the last sad hour recieved your affectionate though painful letter of the 12 which caused me more uneasiness than I am capable of expressing; indeed I know not how I shall answer it— Ah my beloved friend how shall I acquire fortitude to bear my present disappointment— You have it is true kindly endeavoured to heal the wound so reluctantly given, but in vain each endearing line instead [p. 413] of mitigating the anguish of my mind tends but to probe it more deeply— But why do I so cruelly add to your affliction; forgive me my friend, I will try to conquer unavailing sorrow, and if possible prevail on reason to usurp her right, which though unable fully to satisfy the heart will I trust contribute to silence its complaints—

Willingly would I acquiesce in every thing you recommend yet am I inclined to believe even you in this instance find theory easier than practice—

In a former letter you recommended me to be prepared for a sudden departure—with what pleasure did I immediately set about the delightful employment, and had completed it to the most minute article— But a truce with complaints—

Write me again soon and be assured that I have already surmounted every aversion to writing and hope to prove by a frequent and interested correspondence the invariable affection of,