To Miss WILLIS at Gloucester.
BATH, April 26.
MY DEAREST COMPANION,
The pleasure I received from yours, which came to hand yesterday,
is not to be expressed. Love and friendship are, without doubt,
charming passions; which absence serves only to heighten and
improve. Your kind present of the garnet bracelets, I shall keep
as carefully as I preserve my own life; and I beg you will accept,
in return, my heart-housewife, with the tortoise-shell
memorandum-book, as a trifling pledge of my unalterable
affection.
Bath is to me a new world -- All is gayety, good-humour, and
diversion. The eye is continually entertained with the splendour
of dress and equipage; and the ear with the sound of coaches,
chairs, and other carriages. The merry bells ring round, from
morn till night. Then we are welcomed by the city-waits in our
own lodgings; we have music in the Pump-room every morning,
cotillons every forenoon in the rooms, balls twice a week, and
concerts every other night, besides private assemblies and
parties without number -- As soon as we were settled in lodgings,
we were visited by the Master of the Ceremonies; a pretty little
gentleman, so sweet, so fine, so civil, and polite, that in our
country he might pass for the prince of Wales; then he talks so
charmingly, both in verse and prose, that you would be delighted
to hear him discourse; for you must know he is a great writer,
and has got five tragedies ready for the stage.
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