FIR-GROVE.

A request from my father to return to him immediately has not only brought me from Bath sooner than I intended, but has prevented me from fulfilling my promise to pass a few days with you, in my way home. I had, as usual, travelled with such speed, that when I reached Ferrybridge, yesterday, at three o'clock, I absolutely found myself too much exhausted to go any farther without refreshment, tho' within eight miles of the end of my journey. I therefore stopped at the/ Angel, where I had not been more than five minutes when I perceived my father driving past the window – he saw me instantly, and alighted, and we took a chearful meal together – that ended, we both got into his carriage and pursued our way hither. On the road he said to me,

‘When I last wrote to you, Charles, I was just returned from Westbrook-lodge, where I had been spending the day with my worthy friend Lord Lucan, who informed me that he intended, in a few weeks, to visit the Continent in quality of a tutor to his son, whom he wished to acquire every advantage that could be gained by travelling, without any of those disadvantages which youth too often receives from being placed under the direction of an hireling. His Lordship then painted to me the benefit you might derive from making the tour under similar circumstances; and so earnestly persuaded me to join their party with you, that I consented, and wrote for your return to Fir-grove to consult you upon it and give you time to make such preparation as you may think necessary./

He stopped, in expectation of my answer; but I could not, instantly, bring myself to acquiesce in a measure so subversive of my plan of happiness. My father had never before proposed any thing to which my heart did not yield a willing assent; but now, Edward, it formed the most powerful objections; yet of such a nature as would, I was sensible, have no weight with him, since they were founded on the only circumstance that had induced him to determine on this tour.