chatham-place.

Dear Charles,

Your last has dissipated all my fears for you, and now you may prepare for the long-concealed secret.

Frederick Montgomery was only nineteen when, by the decease of his father, he came into possession of the family estate. Being then pursuing his studies at Cambridge, and having a more ardent thirst after knowledge than the pleasures of gaiety and dissipation, he still continued the pursuit, and remained at the university till he had attained his twenty-third year. About that period I prevailed upon him, after repeated invitations, to spend a few months with me in London. I had then been married near two years, to one of the worthiest of her sex, and providence had blessed us with a lovely boy. My family/ was exactly suited to the taste of my friend, and he staid with us near a year. But there was an object far more pleasing than any other, that riveted him to the spot. This was a sister of Mrs. Bertill's, and the very counterpart of herself. Tho' Frederick ventured to hint that he thought Miss Musgrave had the advantage of her sister in point of beauty, we did not agree in that opinion; but, as I deemed it a very unimportant matter, I let him enjoy the flattering idea. With the consent of all parties concerned, a day was at length fixed for their union; when, alas! poor Miss Musgrave was seized with the small pox, and expired two days previous to that which had been fixed on for her marriage!

The distress of your father was beyond description: – He could no longer bear the house, or the sight of any of the family; therefore left us and retired immediately to his seat in Sussex. Could he have flown from himself as well as from the town, he might have regained tranquility; but that was impossible.