chatham-place.

I make no apologies for not writing before, as I am well persuaded you will attribute the omission to its true cause, – want of leisure and not want of friendship. You, my dear Harriet, both know and feel the full force of that attachment; consequently, will not think the proofs consist merely in those little punctilious observances, which may with most propriety be deemed the fetters of friendship.

Yesterday I parted with Mr. and Mrs. Clements, who are gone back to Leeds with Mr. Montgomery. You will naturally suppose the separation was rather painful to all parties: indeed it was extremely so to me, and I have not been able to raise my spirits since. I am ingenious at tormenting myself with ideal dangers upon the journey. – I say to myself,/Two hundred miles – what a tremendous distance! Roads bad; the waters out, in many places; days, very short; air, piercing cold; damp beds, perhaps; and my poor Charles may get a cold, to which may succeed a fever, or a consumption; or he may be – but I will enumerate no more of the disasters I dread, lest you should be shocked at my evident want of dependance upon him by whose power alone every human being is protected. I feel distressed, when I consider my own ingratitude and weakness in this instance; but I will henceforth commit my beloved Charles to the care of him who cares for all his creatures, and on his protection of him will I rely. Had I seen a necessity for his undertaking the journey, at this time, I think I should have submitted to it with more fortitude, from conceiving him to be engaged in an act of duty; but now I consider him as only engaged in the service of pride. He is really gone for no other purpose but to set the workmen about repairing and beautifying the good old mansion at the Grove, to make it what he terms a fit habitation to receive its mistress.