Lady Susan

MRS. JOHNSON TO LADY S. VERNON

Edward Street.

My dearest Friend,—­I congratulate you on Mr. De Courcy’s arrival, and I advise you by all means to marry him; his father’s estate is, we know, considerable, and I believe certainly entailed.  Sir Reginald is very infirm, and not likely to stand in your way long.  I hear the young man well spoken of; and though no one can really deserve you, my dearest Susan, Mr. De Courcy may be worth having.  Mainwaring will storm of course, but you easily pacify him; besides, the most scrupulous point of honour could not require you to wait for his emancipation.  I have seen Sir James; he came to town for a few days last week, and called several times in Edward Street.  I talked to him about you and your daughter, and he is so far from having forgotten you, that I am sure he would marry either of you with pleasure.  I gave him hopes of Frederica’s relenting, and told him a great deal of her improvements.  I scolded him for making love to Maria Mainwaring; he protested that he had been only in joke, and we both laughed heartily at her disappointment; and, in short, were very agreeable.  He is as silly as ever.

Yours faithfully,

Alicia.