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294 you excessively! He was well acquainted with a lady, a friend of mine, in this neighbourhood, at whose house he frequently visited: and on account of her husband being a brother officer, the intimacy existing caused him often to speak to her of you: when she told him, that if he would hear your praises, he must come to me, for that I adored you. He did so, his friend introduced him to me, and in this very parlour he has gone upon his knees to implore me to write to you. You start, Rosilia, but it is true; in this very parlour he has begged of me to use my influence with you, and to tell you that you could do with him what you pleased, that he would renounce the world for you, if you wished it, and live in a desert for your sake. He was sadly pushed to it, for he had then come to London previous to his embarkation, and you had given him his refusal. He could not make up his mind to address you, in the fear that his letter might meet with suppression; or if not, with disregard or indifference; which would have added still further to his mortification and sorrow. But I can assure you, without exaggeration, he has with tears dropping from his eyes, begged, urged, solicited me, by all that was sacred, if I valued his