To: Henrietta St John, afterwards Lady Luxborough. n.p. 2 November [n.s.] 1720. Text: MS, BL Add. 34196, fols 14–15.

I receive y^r letters, my dear Girl, with so much pleasure, that you ought to give me that pleasure oftner. I make no doubt of y^e sincerity of y^r professions, and I will certainly always deserve from you that they should be sincere. the last french fashion which has been follow’d in England costs y^e publick dear, & ruines multitudes of familys. I wish with all my heart that such remedys may be found as may with y^e help of Italian musick put you all into good humour again. I neglect 7nothing to improve my pupil both as to body and mind. he may think my government a little hard att first, it will grow lighter as he grows more into y^e knowledg of men & of things. he is precisely att that age & in that situation where people generally form y^e habits which last their lives, and decide of their characters in good or evil. I have put a gentleman, ¹ whom I can rely upon, to live in the Academy with him. it was by no means proper to leave him any longer att Paris alone, and I was not able sooner to find a person, such as pleas’d me, to put about him. if he was born a prince, he would have more state, but he could not have more advantages for real improvement than he now has. I shall take a turn to Paris in few days to see what use he makes of them. if you think me a good Tutour Tutor, I hope you will make haste and bring me another pupil before I grow old and good for nothing. I would not however have you make more haste than good speed. a man of a narrow fortune, a mean birth, or a bad character shall never by my consent have you thrown away upon him, & I dare say my Lord & my Lady think as I do upon this subject. you seem so perfectly idle in England, that if you I could send an enchanted boat, like that of Armida, ² to Battersea stairs, you should sail down y^e hTames, cross the Sea, and up the Loire in a trice, & Land in my park, wherein the most beautiful place that ever Nature adorn’d you would find the tenderest welcome. this image flatters me so agreably that I would dwell longer upon it if I could hope to think it into reallity & practice. You will receive a letter from M^e de V:[illette] so that I am charg’d with no compliments from her. Adieu my Dear Girl, I love you with all my soul & am ever yours /