Manc/iester Memoirs, Vol. liv. (1910), No. 9- 35 



herself, for some time past, but thought she could not do it without 

 mentioning this subject and it was too delicate for her to touch upon. 

 Now that you have spoken upon it, you will hear from her soor. 

 I saw in the paper some time ago, that two thousand pounds would be 

 given for the best translation of Lucien Bonaparte's poem of Charle- 

 magne. Could you enquire where information respecting this could 

 be had ? It is a work for which Felicia's perfect knowledge (jf the 

 French tongue and poetical genius make her quite competent." 



Felicia's letter followed that of her mother, not 

 "soon " but a month later : — 



" Bronwhilfa, I2th March. i8l2. 



I must rely upon your indulgence, my dear Sir, to receive this 

 letter with a gracious aspect, as I feel conscious, when I look at the 

 date of your last, that my long neglect of it has forfeited all pretensions 

 to such clemency. I trust, however, you will not consider my excuse 

 as a superficial one, when I tell you, that I felt I should be deficient in 

 what I owe to a friendship so zealous and disinterested as yours has 

 been, if I wrote to you without mentioning a subject of the first 

 importance to myself, and yet too delicate for me to introduce first. 

 Now that this scruple is removed, I hope our correspondence will be 

 more frequent, and be assured no change of prospects or situation will 

 ever lessen the pleasure and improvement I shall always derive from 

 your letters. Vou seem to think, my dear Sir, in your last letter, that 

 my having ' concentrated my affections ' will interfere with the pursuit 

 of my favorite studies ; on the contrary, as the object of those affections, 

 (to whom they have been long devoted, with all the enthusiasm of a 

 first attachment and an ardent mind ;) will have delight in encouraging 

 my progress, and will know how to appreciate excellence if I should 

 ever attain it, I shall have in his approbation, an additional stimulus to 

 exertion. Were you fully acquainted with him (which I wish you 

 were, ) you would feel satisfied, that the happiness of your young friend 

 could not rest on a more secure basis than his worth and attachment ; 

 on which I rely with the most deserved confidence, for all that is to 

 cheer and illumine my future life. 



I have a particular desire to attempt a new style of writing, and 

 think I should succeed in translation. Could you, or would Mr. 

 Roscoe, recommend any poem in French, Italian, or Spanish, which 

 you think would be desirable ? I ha\e so few books in any of those 

 languages, that though I have acquired the two latter without any 

 assistance, I am not sufficiently acquainted with their literature to 

 know if they possess any work of merit which has not yet had an 

 English dress. I hope I shall have the gratification of a letter from 

 you shortly, and that it will contain u more favorable account of your 

 health, and a free absolution for all my sins as a correspondent. We 

 have had three very interesting letters from George, in the last of 



