Let me know, my dear Dr. Bartlett, that Miss Byron is happy.  I rejoice, whatever be my own destiny, that I have not involved her in my uncertainties.  The Countess of D——­ is a worthy woman:  the earl, her son, is a good young man:  Miss Byron merits such a mother; the countess such a daughter.  How dear, how important, is her welfare to me!—­You know your Grandison, my good Dr. Bartlett.  Her friendship I presumed to ask:  I dared not to wish to correspond with her.  I rejoice, for her sake, that I trusted not my heart with such a proposal.  What difficulties, my dear friend, have I had to encounter with!—­God be praised, that I have nothing, with regard to these two incomparable women, to reproach myself with.  I am persuaded that our prudence, if rashly we throw not ourselves into difficulties, and if we will exert it, and make a reliance on the proper assistance, is generally proportioned to our trials.

I asked the marchioness after Lady Sforza, and her daughter Laurana; and whether they were at Milan?

You have heard, no doubt, answered she, the cruel treatment that my poor child met with from her cousin Laurana.  Lady Sforza justifies her in it.  We are upon extreme bad terms, on that account.  They are both at Milan.  The general has vowed, that he never will see them more, if he can avoid it.  The bishop, only as a Christian, can forgive them.  You, chevalier, know the reason why we cannot allow our Clementina to take the veil.

The particular reasons I have not, madam, been inquisitive about; but have always understood them to be family ones, grounded on the dying request of one of her grandfathers.

Our daughter, sir, is entitled to a considerable estate which joins to our own domains.  It was purchased for her by her two grandfathers; who vied with each other in demonstrating their love of her by solid effects.  One of them (my father) was, in his youth, deeply in love with a young lady of great merit; and she was thought to love him:  but, in a fit of pious bravery, as he used to call it, when everything between themselves, and between the friends on both sides, was concluded on, she threw herself into a convent; and, passing steadily through the probationary forms, took the veil; but afterwards repented, and took pains to let it be known that she was unhappy.  This gave him a disgust against the sequestered life, though he was, in other respects, a zealous Catholic.  And Clementina having always a serious turn; in order to deter her from embracing it, (both grandfathers being desirous of strengthening their house, as well in the female as male line,) they inserted a clause in each of their wills, by which they gave the estate designed for her, in case she took the veil, to Laurana, and her descendants; Laurana to enter into possession of it on the day that Clementina should be professed.  But if Clementina married, Laurana was then to be entitled only to a handsome legacy, that she might not be entirely disappointed:  for the reversion, in case Clementina had no children, was to go to our eldest son; who, however, has been always generously solicitous to have his sister marry.