94 A ScorrisH Ipyt. : 
yet, and we have an excelent bed here for Alicie to loll upon and 
tell a story, ‘twas just got a purpose for you, so I hope you won't 
disapoint me. I saw my dr Lady Erskine yesterday, and sur- 
priz’d her a little by taking her about the neck and kissing her 
before she saw who it was, but she return’d it in as great a hurry 
when she did see me, and laught at me about ten minets. I have 
been interupted about twenty times since I began this letter, but 
I will have it made out if the whole world should combine against 
me. I can’t imagine what folks expect to see about me, in short 
they run about me, and stare so just as if I had got asses ears 
like Midas. I very often run to the glass to see if I have got 
horns, or someting that’s monstrous about me, but I am happy 
enough never to discover anything there that displeases me. I 
was at the play last night, my first appearance, so you may guess 
I would sufer a good deal. I coud hardly get a man to lead me 
out, Mortifying: I was married they said, so “twas no matter how 
I got out, who do you think led me out. Why, my old friend 
Doct. Bembridge, who is just now falen into an state, and seem’d 
to be in a vast surprize when he heard I was dispos’d of. My old 
way of speaking Alicie you know. Well my dr Johnston I 
expect a long letter from you soon in spite of our little toust, and 
I hope we shall still be the same that ever we was. Maguire has 
made that promise to me and I shan’t be quite happy till I have 
the same from you. And O dear Alicie call me Jean if you love 
me, farwell my dear Girl and believe me to be most sincerely 
yours. ! 
JEAN KIRKPATRICK. 
Edr Jan 17 1746-7. 
That the last letter produced the desired effect, and that no 
breach of friendship had occurred between the two maidens of 
modern Athens, who, like their classic prototypes Helea and Her- 
mia, were two cherries on one stem, we may gather from the 
last billet of the series addressed to the ‘ sweetest of Alicies,” 
when her change of name had been notified to Mistress Jean Kirk- 
patrick, some six months after the former communication. Once 
more the pen indulges in the familiar terms of endearment, which, 
like the flowers of the spring time, are sure to grow rarer and less 
spontaneous towards the autumn of life. 
