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New York December [12?]

Disappointment, my dear Margaret, is not always to be the lot of your friend. Hope shall again be my goddess, she has seldom deceived me, perhaps now she will be uniformly kind, and only place in view those objects which my own industry can obtain. One of my warmest wishes is at length accomplished, by the assistance of Dr. Miller, I have gained the acquaintance of Mrs. Higginson. You well know my high [?] expectations in regard to this lady, if possible, they have been reshaped. I had often dwelt with delight on the portrait I had received of her, and was impatient to see [one ?], whom I had heard so much commended. But this delight was checked by reflecting that when we trace the resemblance of a friend, to delineate their beauties affords no such a sweet satisfaction, we think it would be a pity to mar the picture by introducing my defect. On Tuesday a note from Dr. Miller conveyed the glad tidings that he would call for me in the afternoon to visit Mrs. Rodgers, where I would his good friend [Mrs ?] Higginson. For the first time in three months pure, [? mmised] joy, warmed my heart and exhilarated my spirits.

"My [?] lord sat lightly on his throne,

"And all that day, in unaccustomed spirit,

"Raised me above the ground with cheerful thoughts."

But at the moment of introduction it [ha ?] given place to apprehension I [recollected ?] the force of first [?], and remembered with sorrow, that they were not [? nently] in my favour. I will not attempt