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romantic attachment, which offers nothing in prospect but poverty
and distress, with future inconvenience and unhappiness. M.
d'Arblay is certainly a very amiable and accomplished man, and of
great military abilities I take for granted ; but what employment
has he for them of which the success is not extremely hazardous?
His property, whatever it was, has been confiscated--d‚cr‚--by
the Convention - and if a counter-revolution takes place, unless
it be exactly such a one as suits the particular political sect
in which he enlisted, it does not seem likely to secure to him an
establishment in France. And as to an establishment in England, I
know the difficulty which very deserving natives find in
procuring one, with every appearance of interest, friends, and
probability; and, to a foreigner, I fear the difficulty will be
more than doubled.

As M. d'Arblay is at present circumstanced, an alliance with
anything but a fortune sufficient for the support of himself and
partner would be very imprudent. He is a mere soldier of fortune,
under great disadvantages. Your income, if it was as certain as a
freehold estate, is insufficient for the purpose ; and if the
queen should be displeased and withdraw her allowance, what could
you do?

I own that, if M. d'Arblay had an establishment in France
sufficient for him to marry a wife with little or no fortune,
much as I am inclined to honour and esteem him, I should wish to
prevent you from fixing your residence there; not merely from
selfishness, but for your own sake, I know your love for your