LYDIA MELFORD
Direct for me, still under cover, to Win; and Jarvis will take
care to convey it safe. Adieu.
To Sir WATKIN PHILLIPS, of Jesus college, Oxon.
BATH, April 24.
DEAR PHILLIPS,
You have, indeed, reason to be surprised, that I should have
concealed my correspondence with miss Blackerby from you, to whom
I disclosed all my other connexions of that nature; but the truth
is, I never dreamed of any such commerce, till your last informed
me, that it had produced something which could not be much longer
concealed. It is a lucky circumstance, however, that her
reputation will not suffer any detriment, but rather derive
advantage from the discovery; which will prove, at least, that it
is not quite so rotten as most people imagined -- For my own
part, I declare to you, in all the sincerity of friendship, that,
far from having any amorous intercourse with the object in
question, I never had the least acquaintance with her person;
but, if she is really in the condition you describe, I suspect
Mansel to be at the bottom of the whole. His visits to that
shrine were no secret; and this attachment, added to some good
offices, which you know he has done me, since I left Alma-mater,
give me a right to believe him capable of saddling me with this
scandal, when my back was turned -- Nevertheless, if my name can
be of any service to him, he is welcome to make use of it; and if
the woman should be abandoned enough to swear his banding to me,
I must beg the favour of you to compound with the parish: I shall
pay the penalty without repining; and you will be so good as to
draw upon me immediately for the sum required -- On this
occasion, I act by the advice of my uncle; who says I shall have
good-luck if I pass through life without being obliged to make
many more compositions of the same kind.
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