106 A Century of Family Letters [CHAP, vin 



your wishes. The Betley scheme is in all our opinions 

 a very excellent one, and it is very agreeable to their own 

 feelings; if you saw the cheerfulness of all that family you 

 would set your mind very much at ease about them. We 

 are in great hopes that their income will not be much 

 diminished by the late change, and then certainly it will be 

 a most happy tiling for John and Jane to be rid of an 

 anxiety which has embittered their life for many years, 

 particularly John's. He seems a much happier person than 

 he was, even now before his affairs are fully settled; so 

 don't torment yourself any more on their account. 



You used me very cruelly in saying you had a great deal 

 that was interesting to tell me, and then not saying a word 

 on any subject that was interesting, except about Mr W. 

 Clifford. On that subject I hardly know myself what 

 I wish; yes I do, I wish that that might be which you say 

 will not; but if wishes had any power in these no-fairy 

 days, I should be very much afraid to wish this; for, 

 charming as Mr W. C. is, I think the happiness of his wife 

 would always be a very doubtful thing. I feel much less 

 doubt about the chance that M. Sismondi's wife would have 

 of being happy, and I do hope you have not been influenced 

 in refusing so to be, by any reasons but wise ones. By 

 unwise reasons, I mean the fear of John Allen's expressive 

 eye when you present his brother-in-law to him, and such 

 Little feelings, which I know you would find it difficult to 

 shake off, and which it would be a thousand pities that you 

 should attend to, if for them you give up the greatest 

 happiness this world can give that of spending your life 

 with a person who suits you, who loves you, and whom you 

 love. For such a destiny I would run the gauntlet of all 

 the quizzing that this quizzing age could shoot at me. If 

 you find that you have done wrong, and that you are not 

 happy, don't be ashamed to own that you have changed 

 your mind to one, who would perhaps give his right hand 

 to hear it. 



I cannot take your advice in the regulation of rny 

 feelings about my friends. Friendship is to me a much 



