1830.] The Ugly Matt. L>55 



conspired to prey upon me. Like the letters of the alphabet, which they 

 exceeded in number, there were no two alike. Some were folded very 

 mysteriously, and tortured into geometrical forms ; others were not 

 folded at all, but looked as if they had been doubled in the dark. The 

 seals were no less multiform, and were graced by every impression from 

 a sixpence to a key. There was, however, a surprising unanimity in their 

 contents ; they all struck at me with some silly satire. But it was quite 

 in vain. Nature had done so much for me, that my enemies could not 

 by any possibility caricature me. I wished that these were indeed my 

 portraits: instead of scorning them, I contemplated them with envy. 

 All that I regretted was, that the real letter, the Ariel among these 

 mischievous imps, did not appear. I waited till the next post ; to my 

 dismay, the dose was repeated " the mixture as before." Here they 

 were again, some directed at the right-hand corner, and others at the 

 left many bearing the insignia of a button, and more of a thimble. I 

 opened them one by one ; and Letty found or feigned something to do 

 about the room, in order to catch a glance at their contents, and to see 

 how I bore my misfortunes. Every one I came to increased my dis- 

 appointment. I looked for " South Audley-street" at the top, and 

 " sincerely your's" at the bottom, in vain. Letty observed the change of 

 countenance that attended the opening of these seals. She felt for me - 

 I saw it in her face. She is really a kind creature, for she never laughs 

 out even when I look serious. When I opened the last, and beheld a 

 coloured nose extending all across the page, with " turn over" written 

 beneath it, tears of disappointment gushed into my eyes. Letty attributed 

 my grief to the sight I had just witnessed ; she ventured to speak. " I 

 wish you hadn't taken them in, sir ; it's a shame that they're all so ! I 

 did think you would have had one rose, or a true lover's knot ; and I'm 

 sure if I'd known, and had thought you wouldn't have been offended, 

 I'd have sent you one myself with some verses out of Tasso, made by a 

 friend of mine, a governess, that knows French very well." 



After thanking Letty for all her intended kindness, I desired her to 

 let me have the result of the next delivery. It was to the same effect 

 as the preceding they were roseless, torchless, heartless and dartless. 

 Above all, they brought with them no redeeming companion, no saving 

 clause or accompaniment, that, like a delightful air, might make even 

 nonsense endurable. They were a flock of ravens but where was my 

 promised dove ! My mortification rose twenty per cent. I paced up 

 and down my apartment, ruminating upon philosophy and the post- 

 office on ill-directed love and mis-directed letters. At length the final 

 double-knock was heard the last delivery had arrived. The sound 

 came upon me like the tolling of a bell ; it announced the death of my 

 hopes. Another moment, and a step is heard on the stairs, hurried and 

 agitated. The door is flung back, and a packet of letters placed on 

 the table with four pence out of a half-crown that had paid for them. 

 The door is shut again, and the candles brought nearer to me ; the seals 

 are broken the paper rent asunder. My eye glances rapidly over them 

 one after another j my hand drops them tremblingly upon the table 

 the last wafer gives way I turn paler than the paper, and sink back in 

 my chair exhausted. It was not among them. 



In this state of stupor I continued for an hour or two, when I rose, 

 and once more paced the apartment. I began to sing, but a servant 

 tapping at the door to tell me that her mistress had heard a strange 



