excellent as you and my sister set me, that I should endeavour to assert
my character, in order to be thought less an alien, and nearer of kin to
you both, than either of you have of late seemed to suppose me.

Give me leave, in order to empty my female quiver at once, to add, that I
know no other reason which you can have for forbidding me to reply to
you, after you have written what you pleased to me, than that you are
conscious you cannot answer to reason and to justice the treatment you
have given me.

If it be otherwise, I, an unlearned, an unlogical girl, younger by near a
third than yourself, will venture (so assured am I of the justice of my
cause) to put my fate upon an issue with you: with you, Sir, who have had
the advantage of an academical education; whose mind must have been
strengthened by observation, and learned conversation, and who, pardon my
going so low, have been accustomed to give choke-pears to those you
vouchsafe to write against.

Any impartial person, your late tutor, for instance, or the pious and
worthy Dr. Lewen, may be judge between us: and if either give it against
me, I will promise to resign to my destiny: provided, if it be given
against you, that my father will be pleased only to allow of my negative
to the person so violently sought to be imposed upon me.

I flatter myself, Brother, that you will the readier come into this
proposal, as you seem to have a high opinion of your talents for
argumentation; and not a low one of the cogency of the arguments
contained in your last letter. And if I can possibly have no advantage
in a contention with you, if the justice of my cause affords me not any
(as you have no opinion it will,) it behoves you, methinks, to shew to an