Must this (I hope not!) be the last time that I write myself to you

CHARLOTTE GRANDISON?

Letter XIII.

miss bvron to miss selby.

St. James’s Square, Friday morning, April 7.

Sir Charles Grand ison set out early this morn* ing for Lord W.‘s, in his way to Lady Mansfield’s* I am here with this whimsical Charlotte.

Lady L. Miss Jervois, myself, and every female of the family, or who do business for both sisters out of it, are busy in some way or other, preparatory to the approaching Tuesday.

MissGrandison is the only idle person. I tell her, she is affectedly so.

The earl has presented her, in his son’s name, with some very rich trinkets. Very valuable jewels are also bespoke by Lord G. who takes Lady L.‘s advice in every-thing; as one well read in the fashions. New equipages are bespoke; and gay ones they will be.

Miss Grandison confounded me this morning by an instance of her generosity. She was extremely urgent with me to accept, as her third sister, of her share of her mother’s jewels. You may believe, that I absolutely refused such a present. I was angry with her; and told her, she had but one way of making up with me: and that was, that since she would be so completely set out from her lord, she would unite the two halves, by presenting hers to Lady L. who had refused jewels from her lord on her marriage; and who then would make an appear-ance, occasionally, as brilliant as her own.

She was pleased with the hint; and has actually given them (unknown to any-body but me) to her jeweller; who is to dispose them m such figures, as shall answer those she herself is to have, which Lady k 3

L. has not. And by this contrivance, which will make them in a manner useless to herself, she thinks she shall oblige her sister, however reluctant, to ac-cept of them.

Lady Gertrude is also preparing some fine presents for her niece elect: but neither the delighted approbation of the family she is entering into, nor the satisfaction expressed by her own friends, give the perverse Charlotte any visible joy, nor procure for Lord G. the distinction which she ought to think of beginning to pay him. But, for his part, never was man so happy. He would, however, perhaps, fare better from her, if he could be more moderate in the outward expression of his joy; which she has taken it into her head to call an insult upon her.

She does not, however, give the scope she did before the day was fixt, to her playful captiousness. She is not quite so arch as she was. Thoughtfulness, and a seeming carelessness of what we are all employed in, appear in her countenance. She saunters about, and affects to be diverted by her harpsichord only. What a whimsical thing is Char-lotte Grandison! But still she keeps Lord G. at distance. I told her an hour ago, that she knows not how to condescend to him with that grace which is so natural to her in her whole behaviour to every-body else.