Beaumont; resolving to make another effort to get so valuable a
person to restore herself to my beloved England.
Thus, my dear Dr. Bartlett, do I endeavour to console myself, in order to
lighten that load of grief which I labour under on the distresses of the
dear Clementina. If I can leave her happy, I shall be sooner so, than I
could have been in the same circumstances, had I, from the first of my
acquaintance with the family, (to the breach of all the laws of
hospitality,) indulged a passion for her.
Yet is the unhappy Olivia a damp upon my endeavours after consolation.
When she made her unseasonable visit to me at Bologna, she refused to
return to Florence without me, till I assured her, that as my affairs
would soon call me thither, I would visit her at her own palace, as often
as those affairs would permit. Her pretence for coming to Bologna was,
to induce me to place Emily with her, till I had settled every thing for
my carrying the child to England; but I was obliged to be peremptory in
my denial, though she had wrought so with Emily, as to induce her to be
an earnest petitioner to me, to permit her to live with Lady Olivia,
whose equipages, and the glare in which she lives, had dazzled the eyes
of the young lady.
***
I was impatient to hear again from Jeronymo; and just as I was setting
out for Florence, in despair of that favour, it being the second day
after my farewell visit, I had the following letter from him:
I have not been well, my dear Grandison.
Pages:
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51