LETTER XXVII.

Sir JAMES P0WIS to Lord DARCEY.

_Barford Abbey_.

I am not much surpris'd at the contents of your Lordship's letter, it is_what_ Lady Powis and I occasionally have long conjectur'd; yet I must tell, you, myLord, notwithstanding Miss Warley's great merit, I should have been muchmuch better pleas'd to have found myself mistaken.

I claim no right to controul your inclinations: the strict observanceyou pay your portlyher's last request, tempts me to give my opinion somewhatopposite to what I should otherwise have done.--Duty like yours ought tobe rewarded.--If you will content yourself with an incumber'd estaterather than a clear one, why--why--why--faith you shall not have myapprobation 'till you come to the Abbey. Should you look at the littlebewitching Gipsy before I talk with you, who knows but you may be wiseenough to make a larger jointure than you can afford?