Amply indeed were your exertions rewarded by your gaining
the acquaintance of Mrs. Rittenhouse. How much pleasure would the
contemplation of advanced life afford us, if we could be certain of
enjoying it as she does. She has rendered old age not only respectable,
but desirable, for by continuing the pursuits of literature, she has
effectually precluded the approach of peevishness and ennui.
Though I do not correspond with Miss Casper, at present, yet I have heard
of her very frequently. She has sacrificed much to friendship this winter.
She proposed spending it with Mrs. Fullerton, but Mrs. Bache warmly
solicited her to make a [part?] of her family. Dr. Bache was absent, his
sister very ill at her house, herself confined at home, by a young infant,
and very often to her chamber, by ill health. In such circumstances
how salutory and indeed, how necessary was the company of a friend.
Thus invited, Miss Casper became her guest, became [sealed?]
the gaieties of the city, and what she must have more
regretted, was deprived of the society of those friends, whose
political sentiments prevented from visiting at Mrs. Bache's.
You ask, how I pass my time, but you give me no account of your dis-
tribution of days and hours. I have been uncommonly domestic, not on-
ly in avoiding public amusements, but making few visits, and conse-
quently rceiving few. [deleted]visits.[deleted]. All my leisure hours have been employed in
reading Clarissa Marlowe. Have you read "Ormond? Mr. Brown told me
he intended sending it to you. Let me know your candid opinion of it.
What other works have you perused? What valuable acquaintance have
you formed? Do you walk frequently, and who are your companions? Or
to sum up all enquiries in your own phrase, "What have you been, and
what are you now doing. Tell Maria I would have written to her by your
brother, but I did not know he had been in New York, till informed of his
departure. She deserves more from me than you do, Margaret. Her letters are
more affecionate than yours. Shall I own that I was hurt by the too visible
EN