I expected a little hint or two from him on my past vivacities; but not a word of that nature. He felicitated my good man and me: and when he spoke of Lord and Lady L. and his joy in their happiness, he put two sisters and their good men together, as two of the happiest pairs in England. Politic enough; for as we sat at breakfast, two or three toy-some things were said by my lord (no ape was ever so fond!/ and I could hardly forbear him: but the reputation my brother gaiie me, was a restraint upon me. I see, one may be flattered, by undeserved compliments, into good behaviour, when we have a regard to the opinion of the complimenter.

Aunt Nell was all joy and gladness: she was in raptures last night, it seems, at her nephew’s first arrival. He rejoiced to see her; and was so thankful to her for letting him find her in town, and at his house, that she resolves she will not leave him till he is married. The good old soul imagines she is of importance to him, in the direction of the family matters, now I have left him /, Harriet! there’s self-importance! But, good creatures, these old virgins! they do so love to be thought useful Well, and is not that a good sign, on aunt Nell’s part? Does it not look as if she would have been an useful creature in the days of nightrail and notableness, had she been a wife in good time? I always think, when I see those badgerly virgins fond of a parrot, a squirrel, a monkey or a lap-dog, that their ima-gination makes out husband and children in the animals Poor things! But as to her care, I dare say, that will only serve to make bustle and confu-sion, where else would be order and regularity: for my brother has the best of servants.

I wished her in Yorkshire fifty times, as we sat at breakfast: for when I wanted to ask my brother twenty thousand questions, and to set him on talking, we were entertained with her dreams the night before his arrival, and last night Seas crossed, ri-vers forded Dangers escaped by the help of angels and saints, were the reveries of the former night; and of the last, the music of the spheres, heaven, and joy, and festivity The plump creature loves good cheer, Harriet. In short, hardly aword could we say, but what put her upon recollecting a part of one of her dreams: yet, some excuse lies good, for anoldsoul, whose whole life has been but one dream, a little fal-lalishly varied And, would you think it? (yes, I believe you would) my odd creature was once or twice put upon endeavouring to recollect two or three dreams of his own, of the week past: and would have gone on, if I had not silenced him by a frown, as he looked upon me for his cue, as a tender hus-band ought.