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My dearest, dearest, dearest, Sister Friend, my Miranda,

      I flatter myself I shall be able to clear myself
now of that imputation which you accused me of yesterday when
you asked me in your last dear Billet, why I would force Mr..
Ramus to tell me what was said in my favour; to be sure
what passed before your eyes bore very much that appearance
but I do assure you by what really was the case, I think
I shall be able to clear myself totally in your opinion.
      Before I can come to explain this I must
resume a little higher. Do not you remember my dearest
friend, in your last but one, you said to me you was sorry
for my sake that I was going to make a short stay at Windsor
for that I got into low Company there, whether you meant

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by that, that I made myself too free among the Servants,
or that I got into bad company by hunting; I know not
but supposing, you meant either of these, or both,
I hope I shall be able to answer them all in a manner
most to your satisfaction.
      As to the first of these, ever dearest Miranda
I can not but confess I have lowered myself much by
familiarizing myself to too great a degree with the Servants
, & especially with that little Devil William Ramus
however since what you mentioned to me I have kept
him more within bounds that I ever did before in the
whole course of my life, but for the future I solemnly
promise you here my dearest, dearest, dearest Sister
that I will in this, follow your Precepts, as I hope I
shall every other you give me to the utmost of my
power, & that I will never again demean myself
either to them or to any other low Company.
      As to the affair of hunting, I ride always
                                                         among

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a set of Gentlemen, very worthy good sort of people, one
of whom my Father I believe wishes me to be particularly
acquainted with, his name is Nevil he is Son to a
Mr.. Nevil who was under Secretary of State in the late Kings
Reign & who now lives at Billingbear, this young man
is in the Berkshire Militia, & is a very plain, honest
civil, wellbehaved, polite young Man, & will be Heir
to a very great fortune, a great part of which he will
in all probability receive from Sir John & Lady Griffin
upon the whole he is a very good sort of young Man
& indeed I am very glad of having such an acquaintance not a friend
Another of these Gentlemen is a Mr. Lisle (I do not
know how exactly he spells his name) a very civil
sort of a man also, he is Brother in law to Lord
Cholmondeley: this Gentleman I have conversed
very little with, & know very little of him,
except this Character which every body that know
any thing of him give him.
      Now then, that I have brought you acquainted

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with this Gentleman, I shall be able to proceed with my
defence with regard to my forcing William Ramus to tell me
what was said to my praise & in my favour.
      William Ramus is much acquainted with this
Gentleman, I told you he made him a present of
a Horse in the most genteel way imaginable. Well
then the first day of the Sport this Mr. Lisle, followed
me very closely throughout the whole of the day, without
my knowing either his name or his Person, he observed
I supposed how eager I was after the Sport, & how
shocked my Nature was at the death of the poor
Animal, & the different emotions which appeared in
my Countenance upon that occasion. A Day or
two after he sent William Ramus a Letter to tell
him I believe that he had sent him his horse.
      You must know that I generally go &
lay my whip & Hat before I go out a riding in the
Servants Breakfast Room, there, accordingly as I

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was going out of the Room, after I had been to fetch
them away -- William Ramus entreated of me to stop a
moment, for he said he had something to show me
upon which he pulled out a Letter, (by his manner
he wanted to insinuate he had received it from you)
in which he desired me to read a Sentence upon
which he laid his Finger, which was first great
encomiums on my Horsemanship, & on the spirit
I had shown throughout the Day, as well as great Compliments
on the goodness of heart I had shown; after I had read
this sentence he snatched the Letter out of my Hands
so that I could not see any other part of it, not
even the signature. Upon going up Stairs
you heard me press William Ramus but it was merely
to know the Gentleman's name, which turned out
to be this very Mr.. Lisle I have been speaking to
you of, that is the whole & sole of the case; by which
I fancy you will think me so much to blame as you did.

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I did not feel my self flattered by these praises,
as my Miranda, when I receive them from you.
I then think myself exalted above any earthly
Potentate.
      It is now so near 8 o'clock that I
must bid you Adieu. Adieu then dearest
dearest, dearest Sister, Friend, Miranda, may
you be under the especial care of the Almighty
& of his Angels, & may you ever find from that
All-benevolent Being the rewards which your.
Virtues so much deserve, I am & ever shall
be your sincerely affectionate Brother, & Friend
                             Palemon, toujours de même
P.S.
      Why would my friend send me the Rose Colour if she
likes the Brown best, I send you them back again
looked at them again, & choose that which you yourself
like best, for it will be most agreeable to me, be plain
with me my dearest Miranda, for I will not wear the one
you like least. Adieu Adieu Adieu toujours chére.




                             I thank you much for your Letters,
                             I like them much, I can not say
                             more to you at present but that
                             you are dearer to me now than
                             ever. Adieu Adieu Adieu dearest, dearest
                             sister Miranda.
                                   Palemon