N° 92. SATURDAY, November 4, 1786. To the AUTHOR of the LOUNGER. SIR, A Correfpondent of yours has defcribed the uneafinefs he feels from a wife of a romantic turn of mind. It is my misfortune to be yoked to a husband who would have pleased that lady to a T, but who is a perpetual distress to me; who teazes me from morning to night with what he calls fentiment; and talks for ever of fomething which he terms fineness of mind. I am the daughter of a gentleman of moderate fortune in the fouth of Scotland, who, early in life, married a Lady who brought him no fortune indeed, but foon enriched him with four fons and five daughters, of whom I am the eldeft. By the affistance of a great man, whofe intereft in the county my father had efpoufed, my brothers were foon shipped off to India, and fome other far-off places, to shift for themselves, and push their fortune as they best could. It was more difficult to difpofe of us. My mother proposed propofed to breed some of us to business, to put us in a way, as the faid, of earning an honeft livelihood for ourselves. The pride of my father could not fubmit to this propofition, and he thought it better that we fhould ftarve like gentlewomen defcended from an ancient family. We were accordingly kept at home in the old and crazy manfion-houfe, where we received fuch an education as my mother, affifted by our parish-minifter (who happened to be a relation of her's), could give us. As to my father, he was fo much occupied in managing his farm, and in labouring to make the two ends of the year meet, that he had little leifure to bestow any attention upon us. If at any time he addreffed himself to me and my fifters, it was to check any thing that appeared to him like extravagance in our drefs, to recommend economy and attention to household affairs, and to praise those happy times when men were not scared from marriage by the extravagance of wives; and when, of courfe, every daughter of a respectable family was fure of a good husband as foon as she was brought from the nursery.. A continual flow of animal fpirits, and a cheerful difpofition, enabled me to support this life, without feeling much uneafinefs, or much much defire to change my fituation. When I had entered my twentieth year, a female relation of my father's, who refides chiefly in town, honoured us with a vifit. She was pleafed to exprefs much fatisfaction with my looks and appearance, blamed my father for not fending me to town; and faid, that were I once properly introduced into the world, I might be certain of a good marriage. Thefe obfervations were accompanied with a warm invitation to pass the next winter at her house, where fhe told my father it would cost him nothing but a mere trifle for my clothes, and that he might think himself very happy to be able to dispose of a daughter at fo eafy a rate. These arguments at length prevailed, and it was agreed that I should attend my cousin to town. I will fairly own, Sir, that I felt a certain degree of uneafiness at the thoughts of being expofed as it were to fale, and condemned to give my hand to the highest bidder. My parents, it was plain, fent me to town with no other view than that I might find a husband there; and when I took leaye of them, I could cafily fee they laid their account that I was not to return without one. Thefe reflections were foon loft amidft the gaiety and hurry of a town-life; I enjoyed its pleasures and amusements without thinking of confe confequences; and would have forgotten the object of my journey, had not my prudent kinfwoman recalled my attention to it from time to time, and inculcated, in terms fufficiently strong, the abfolute neceffity of changing my ftate. Meanwhile the feafon paffed away; and though I met with a fufficient degree of attention at all public places, and though my coufin fpared no pains to fet me off to the best advantage, nothing like a ferious propofal of marriage ever was made. Such was the natural lightness of my spirit, and eafiness of my difpofition, that, without much difficulty, I reconciled myself to the idea of returning to my father's; and nothing gave me any difquietude, but the thoughts of continuing a burden on him. But the folicitude of my cousin, who had in a manner undertaken to dispose of me, increased daily, and afforded me, I must confefs, rather amusement than uneasiness. When she saw me led out to dance by a younger brother, fhe could not conceal her chagrin; and, from her manner and converfation, a person unacquainted with her motive might have been led to think, that there was fomething baneful in the touch of a man who did not poffefs a certain fortune. While matters wore this unpromising aspect, and the period fixed for my return to the coun try try approached, we went with a party to the theatre, to fee the celebrated Mrs. Siddons play in the tragedy of the Gamefter. The diftrefs of Mrs. Beverly foon engaged my attention fo completely, that it was fome time before I obferved, that, by an accidental change of places in the box, a gentleman fomewhat advanced in life, and whom I had never feen before, was placed by me. He feemed deeply affected by the play; and after it was over, addressed to me fome obfervations on the piece and the perform ers. He appeared to be pleafed with a remark or two which I happened to make on the play, praised the feeling I had shown during its reprefentation, and then entered more deeply into the fubject of plays and of feelings. I cannot fay that I understood all he faid; but either he did not perceive my ignorance, or kindly wished to inftruct me; and fo continued talking till it was time to retire. When we got home, my cousin observed, that I had been well placed that evening. «Mr. Ed"wards," faid fhe, "is not one of thofe young, "giddy, extravagant fops whom one generally "meets with at public places. He has lately "fucceeded to a large fortune by the death of "an elder brother, and the world fays he is "looking out for a wife. He is just the fort ❝ of man I should wish for you, and I have "engaged |