All Being Now Prepared, They Came To London, Where They Lay But One
Night Before They Took Shipping For Helvoetsluys
In Holland, where,
being safely landed, they proceeded to Utrecht, and so to
Aix-la-chappelle; there they stayed some
Weeks for the sake of the
waters, air, and good company; and Louisa thought it so pleasant, that
she would have been glad not to have removed for some time longer; but
Melanthe was yet restless in her mind, and required frequent change of
place. Here it was, however, that Louisa thought she might venture to
write to Dorilaus, to ease him of that kind concern she doubted not but
he was in for her welfare, by the advertisement already mentioned in the
Gazette. The purport of her letter was as follows:
Ever Honoured Sir,
'Child of your bounty as I am, I flatter myself
that, in spight of my enforc'd disobedience,
it would be a trouble to you to hear I should
do any thing unworthy of that education you were
pleased to bestow on me: I therefore take the liberty
of acquainting you, that heaven has raised
me a protectress in a lady of quality with whom
I now am, as you will see by the date of this, at
Aix-la-chappelle. As all the favours I receive
from her, or all the good that shall happen during
my whole life is, and will be entirely owing
to you as the fountain-head, it will be always my
inclination, as well as duty, to pay you the tribute
of grateful thanks. - Poor recompence,
alas, for all you have done for me! yet those,
with my incessant prayers to heaven, are all in
the power of
Your most dutiful
LOUISA.'
She took no notice of the advertisement, not only as she could not be
positive it related to herself, as also because she thought, if he were
certain she had read it, he might resent her not answering it, as
discovering a too great diffidence of his honour. She added, however, a
postscript, entreating him to let her brother know, that whatever
happened, he should have no reason to find fault with her conduct.
After they left Aix-la-chappelle, they took bye roads to avoid the
armies; yet notwithstanding all their care, they now and then met
parties who were out on foraging, but as it happened, they were always
under the conduct of officers who prevented any ill accident, so that
our travellers met with no manner of interruption, but arrived safely at
the magnificent city of Vienna, where was at that time an extreme gay
court, affording every thing capable of diverting a much more settled
melancholy than either Melanthe or her fair companion were possessed of.
The arch-dutchesses, Mary Elizabeth, and Mary Anna Josepha, afterward
queen of Portugal, had frequent balls and entertainments in their
different drawing-rooms; to all which Melanthe, being a stranger and a
woman of quality, was invited:
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