MARIA EDGEWORTH _to_ MISS RUXTON.

ASHTON BOWER, CLIFTON, _August 14, 1792._

Last Saturday my poor brother Richard took leave of us to return to
America. He has gone up to London with my father and mother, and is to
sail from thence. We could not part with him without great pain and
regret, for he made us all extremely fond of him. I wish my dear aunt
could have seen him; he was very sensible of her kindness, and longed to
have a letter from her. He is to come over in '95. Emmeline is still
with Lady Holt and Mrs. Bracebridge, at Atherstone, in Warwickshire.
Miss Bracebridge, grand-daughter to Lady Holt, is a very agreeable
companion to my sister, though some years younger, and she enjoys the
society at Atherstone very much. They are most unwilling to part with
her; but now she has been absent two months, and we all begin to _growl_
for her return, especially now that my brother is gone, who was "in
himself a host."

I am engaged to go in October to pay a visit to Mrs. Charles Hoare. I
believe you may remember my talking to you of this lady, and my telling
you that she was my friend at school,[Footnote: Miss Robinson.] and had
corresponded with me since. She was at Lisbon when we first came to
England, and I thought I had little prospect of seeing her, but the
moment she returned to England she wrote to me in the kindest and most
pressing manner to beg I would come to her. Immediately after this, I
dare not add that she is a most amiable and sensible woman, lest Sophy
should exclaim, "Ah! vanity! because she likes you, Mademoiselle Marie!"

My uncle, William Sneyd, whom I believe you saw at Edgeworthstown, has