love and freindship-第1章

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LOVE　AND　FRIENDSHIP　and　Other　Early　Works
also　spelled
LOVE　AND　FREINDSHIP
A　collection　of　juvenile　writings




CONTENTS

Love　and　Freindship
Lesley　Castle
The　History　of　England
Collection　of　Letters
Scraps

*



LOVE　AND　FREINDSHIP



TO　MADAME　LA　COMTESSE　DE　FEUILLIDE　THIS　NOVEL　IS　INSCRIBED　BY　HER　OBLIGED　HUMBLE　SERVANT　THE　AUTHOR。


〃Deceived　in　Freindship　and　Betrayed　in　Love。〃



LETTER　the　FIRST　From　ISABEL　to　LAURA

How　often；　in　answer　to　my　repeated　intreaties　that　you　would　give　my　Daughter　a　regular　detail　of　the　Misfortunes　and　Adventures　of　your　Life；　have　you　said　〃No；　my　freind　never　will　I　comply　with　your　request　till　I　may　be　no　longer　in　Danger　of　again　experiencing　such　dreadful　ones。〃

Surely　that　time　is　now　at　hand。　　You　are　this　day　55。　　If　a　woman　may　ever　be　said　to　be　in　safety　from　the　determined　Perseverance　of　disagreeable　Lovers　and　the　cruel　Persecutions　of　obstinate　Fathers；　surely　it　must　be　at　such　a　time　of　Life。　Isabel



LETTER　2nd　LAURA　to　ISABEL

Altho'　I　cannot　agree　with　you　in　supposing　that　I　shall　never　again　be　exposed　to　Misfortunes　as　unmerited　as　those　I　have　already　experienced；　yet　to　avoid　the　imputation　of　Obstinacy　or　ill…nature；　I　will　gratify　the　curiosity　of　your　daughter；　and　may　the　fortitude　with　which　I　have　suffered　the　many　afflictions　of　my　past　Life；　prove　to　her　a　useful　lesson　for　the　support　of　those　which　may　befall　her　in　her　own。　Laura



LETTER　3rd　LAURA　to　MARIANNE

As　the　Daughter　of　my　most　intimate　freind　I　think　you　entitled　to　that　knowledge　of　my　unhappy　story；　which　your　Mother　has　so　often　solicited　me　to　give　you。

My　Father　was　a　native　of　Ireland　and　an　inhabitant　of　Wales；　my　Mother　was　the　natural　Daughter　of　a　Scotch　Peer　by　an　italian　Opera…girlI　was　born　in　Spain　and　received　my　Education　at　a　Convent　in　France。

When　I　had　reached　my　eighteenth　Year　I　was　recalled　by　my　Parents　to　my　paternal　roof　in　Wales。　　Our　mansion　was　situated　in　one　of　the　most　romantic　parts　of　the　Vale　of　Uske。　　Tho'　my　Charms　are　now　considerably　softened　and　somewhat　impaired　by　the　Misfortunes　I　have　undergone；　I　was　once　beautiful。　　But　lovely　as　I　was　the　Graces　of　my　Person　were　the　least　of　my　Perfections。　Of　every　accomplishment　accustomary　to　my　sex；　I　was　Mistress。　When　in　the　Convent；　my　progress　had　always　exceeded　my　instructions；　my　Acquirements　had　been　wonderfull　for　my　age；　and　I　had　shortly　surpassed　my　Masters。

In　my　Mind；　every　Virtue　that　could　adorn　it　was　centered；　it　was　the　Rendez…vous　of　every　good　Quality　and　of　every　noble　sentiment。

A　sensibility　too　tremblingly　alive　to　every　affliction　of　my　Freinds；　my　Acquaintance　and　particularly　to　every　affliction　of　my　own；　was　my　only　fault；　if　a　fault　it　could　be　called。　　Alas！　how　altered　now！　　Tho'　indeed　my　own　Misfortunes　do　not　make　less　impression　on　me　than　they　ever　did；　yet　now　I　never　feel　for　those　of　an　other。　　My　accomplishments　too；　begin　to　fadeI　can　neither　sing　so　well　nor　Dance　so　gracefully　as　I　once　didand　I　have　entirely　forgot　the　MINUET　DELA　COUR。　Adeiu。　Laura。



LETTER　4th　Laura　to　MARIANNE

Our　neighbourhood　was　small；　for　it　consisted　only　of　your　Mother。　　She　may　probably　have　already　told　you　that　being　left　by　her　Parents　in　indigent　Circumstances　she　had　retired　into　Wales　on　eoconomical　motives。　　There　it　was　our　freindship　first　commenced。　　Isobel　was　then　one　and　twenty。　　Tho'　pleasing　both　in　her　Person　and　Manners　（between　ourselves）　she　never　possessed　the　hundredth　part　of　my　Beauty　or　Accomplishments。　　Isabel　had　seen　the　World。　　She　had　passed　2　Years　at　one　of　the　first　Boarding…schools　in　London；　had　spent　a　fortnight　in　Bath　and　had　supped　one　night　in　Southampton。

〃Beware　my　Laura　（she　would　often　say）　Beware　of　the　insipid　Vanities　and　idle　Dissipations　of　the　Metropolis　of　England；　Beware　of　the　unmeaning　Luxuries　of　Bath　and　of　the　stinking　fish　of　Southampton。〃

〃Alas！　　（exclaimed　I）　how　am　I　to　avoid　those　evils　I　shall　never　be　exposed　to？　　What　probability　is　there　of　my　ever　tasting　the　Dissipations　of　London；　the　Luxuries　of　Bath；　or　the　stinking　Fish　of　Southampton？　　I　who　am　doomed　to　waste　my　Days　of　Youth　and　Beauty　in　an　humble　Cottage　in　the　Vale　of　Uske。〃

Ah！　　little　did　I　then　think　I　was　ordained　so　soon　to　quit　that　humble　Cottage　for　the　Deceitfull　Pleasures　of　the　World。　Adeiu　Laura。



LETTER　5th　LAURA　to　MARIANNE

One　Evening　in　December　as　my　Father；　my　Mother　and　myself；　were　arranged　in　social　converse　round　our　Fireside；　we　were　on　a　sudden　greatly　astonished；　by　hearing　a　violent　knocking　on　the　outward　door　of　our　rustic　Cot。

My　Father　started〃What　noise　is　that；〃　（said　he。）　〃It　sounds　like　a　loud　rapping　at　the　door〃（replied　my　Mother。）　〃it　does　indeed。〃　（cried　I。）　〃I　am　of　your　opinion；　（said　my　Father）　it　certainly　does　appear　to　proceed　from　some　uncommon　violence　exerted　against　our　unoffending　door。〃　〃Yes　（exclaimed　I）　I　cannot　help　thinking　it　must　be　somebody　who　knocks　for　admittance。〃

〃That　is　another　point　（replied　he；）　We　must　not　pretend　to　determine　on　what　motive　the　person　may　knocktho'　that　someone　DOES　rap　at　the　door；　I　am　partly　convinced。〃

Here；　a　2d　tremendous　rap　interrupted　my　Father　in　his　speech；　and　somewhat　alarmed　my　Mother　and　me。

〃Had　we　better　not　go　and　see　who　it　is？　　（said　she）　the　servants　are　out。〃　〃I　think　we　had。〃　（replied　I。）　〃Certainly；　（added　my　Father）　by　all　means。〃　〃Shall　we　go　now？〃　　（said　my　Mother；）　〃The　sooner　the　better。〃　（answered　he。）　〃Oh！　　let　no　time　be　lost〃　（cried　I。）

A　third　more　violent　Rap　than　ever　again　assaulted　our　ears。　〃I　am　certain　there　is　somebody　knocking　at　the　Door。〃　（said　my　Mother。）　〃I　think　there　must；〃　（replied　my　Father）　〃I　fancy　the　servants　are　returned；　（said　I）　I　think　I　hear　Mary　going　to　the　Door。〃　〃I'm　glad　of　it　（cried　my　Father）　for　I　long　to　know　who　it　is。〃

I　was　right　in　my　conjecture；　for　Mary　instantly　entering　the　Room；　informed　us　that　a　young　Gentleman　and　his　Servant　were　at　the　door；　who　had　lossed　their　way；　were　very　cold　and　begged　leave　to　warm　themselves　by　our　fire。

〃Won't　you　admit　them？〃　　（said　I。）　〃You　have　no　objection；　my　Dear？〃　　（said　my　Father。）　〃None　in　the　World。〃　（replied　my　Mother。）

Mary；　without　waiting　for　any　further　commands　immediately　left　the　room　and　quickly　returned　introducing　the　most　beauteous　and　amiable　Youth；　I　had　ever　beheld。　　The　servant　she　kept　to　herself。

My　natural　sensibility　had　already　been　greatly　affected　by　the　sufferings　of　the　unfortunate　stranger　and　no　sooner　did　I　first　behold　him；　than　I　felt　that　on　him　the　happiness　or　Misery　of　my　future　Life　must　depend。　Adeiu　Laura。



LETTER　6th　LAURA　to　MARIANNE

The　noble　Youth　informed　us　that　his　name　was　Lindsayfor　particular　reasons　however　I　shall　conceal　it　under　that　of　Talbot。　　He　told　us　that　he　was　the　son　of　an　English　Baronet；　that　his　Mother　had　been　for　many　years　no　more　and　that　he　had　a　Sister　of　the　middle　size。　　〃My　Father　（he　continued）　is　a　mean　and　mercenary　wretchit　is　only　to　such　particular　freinds　as　this　Dear　Party　that　I　would　thus　betray　his　failings。　　Your　Virtues　my　amiable　Polydore　（addressing　himself　to　my　father）　yours　Dear　Claudia　and　yours　my　Charming　Laura　call　on　me　to　repose　in　you；　my　confidence。〃　We　bowed。　　〃My　Father　seduced　by　the　false　glare　of　Fortune　and　the　Deluding　Pomp　of　Title；　insisted　on　my　giving　my　hand　to　Lady　Dorothea。　　No　never　exclaimed　I。　　Lady　Dorothea　is　lovely　and　Engaging；　I　prefer　no　woman　to　her；　but　know　Sir；　that　I　scorn　to　marry　her　in　compliance　with　your　Wishes。　　No！　　Never　shall　it　be　said　that　I　obliged　my　Father。〃

We　all　admired　the　noble　Manliness　of　his　reply。　　He　continued。

〃Sir　Edward　was　surprised；　he　had　perhaps　little　expected　to　meet　with　so　spirited　an　opposition　to　his　will。　　〃Where；　Edward　in　the　name　of　wonder　（said　he）　did　you　pick　up　this　unmeaning　gibberish？　　You　have　been　studying　Novels　I　suspect。〃　I　scorned　to　answer：　　it　would　have　been　beneath　my　dignity。　　I　mounted　my　Horse　and　followed　by　my　faithful　William　set　forth　for　my　Aunts。〃

〃My　Father's　house　is　situated　in　Bedfordshire；　my　Aunt's　in　Middlesex；　and　tho'　I　flatter　myse