the past, and be assured, that she who pursues such a line of
conduct as you have done, will ever find it militate against her
own happiness, as well as that of others; and I fear, it has done
so in the present instance, for while smarting under the bitter
feelings your behaviour called forth, I wrote to an intimate
friend, and spoke of my disappointment, and the struggle I had to
obtain such a mastery over myself, as would prevent it interfering
with my duty. Unfortunately, that friend was the very man to whom
you are engaged; which I did not know at the time, nor am I
prepared to say if I had, how I should have acted. George Graham is
an honourable fellow, who believed you as faithful as himself. Thus
has your thoughtless, nay, I will go farther, and say highly
culpable levity, sacrificed the happiness of two as honest hearts
as ever beat in the human breast; I would say I pity you, but I can
hardly expect your own peace to have suffered.

"Mine is a responsible and sacred calling; and feeling it to be
such, I want, when I marry, a woman who will _aid_, not _hinder_ me
in my arduous duties; I have, as far as human infirmity permits,
done with the world and its pleasures; but I am but mortal, and who
knows to what frivolity, nay to what sin, but for the merciful
interposition of God, you might have led me; and that, while bound
to teach and guide others, I might, in my daily conduct, have
contradicted the truths I was bound to enforce.

"On first coming to reside here, I was much pleased with Miss
Fortescue, and I felt that with her, I could be happy, but her
reserve made me fancy her indifferent to me, and I judged she could
not return my love; and while her conduct increased my esteem, I
resolved that I would not forfeit her friendship by persevering in