Deterville to Zilia.

You will be surprised, my lovely friend, to hear of the voyage I am going to take; but every thing at Malta seems to be safe: we have nothing to dread from the Turks, who are certainly too much intimidated to think of attacking us, and will be well satisfied if we will let them remain unmolested. This state of security has made me yield to pressing solicitations from my friend Dubois, to accompany him to England, at the invitation of a very agreeable nobleman of that country. We have obtained permission of the Grand Master, and shall leave this rocky island, as soon as we shall have made the necessary preparations for our departure.

I think you would be pleased with the acquaintance of Lord Bruton; he has that native openness of character which is said to have distinguished the ancient inhabitants of Britain; he is brave and generous, and all his actions have that true dignity which ought to distinguish nobility, of every nation. My Lord has a sister, who is reckoned very handsome, as well as accomplished. The father of this amiable brother, and sister, was what is called a man of pleasure; that is to say, he preferred the gratification of his own appetites to the future welfare of his children; by which means he has left an estate to his son, too much loaded to support his dignity in his own country, and his daughter too small a fortune to match her suitable to her rank.

Lord Bruton had too much spirit to sit down satisfied with a nominal large estate; he has therefore spent some years in study and travel, and, by œconomy without parsimony, has gone great lengths in paying off the incumbrances of his estate: but while he has spared from himself, he has been liberal to his sister, and annually makes such an addition to her income, as enables her to live elegantly, under the protection of an aunt.