 Letter from Sophia, and goes to a Play with Mrs.
                             Miller and Partridge.
 
The Arrival of Black George in Town, and the good Offices which that grateful
Fellow had promised to do for his old Benefactor, greatly comforted Jones in the
Midst of all the Anxiety and Uneasiness which he had suffered on the Account of
Sophia; from whom, by the Means of the said George, he received the following
Answer to his Letter, which Sophia, to whom the Use of Pen, Ink, and Paper was
restored with her Liberty, wrote the very Evening when she departed from her
Confinement.
 
        »Sir,
            As I do not doubt your Sincerity in what you write, you will be
        pleased to hear that some of my Afflictions are at an End, by the
        Arrival of my Aunt Western, with whom I am at present, and with whom I
        enjoy all the Liberty I can desire. One Promise my Aunt hath insisted on
        my making, which is, that I will not see or converse with any Person
        without her Knowledge and Consent. This Promise I have most solemnly
        given, and shall most inviolably keep: And tho' she hath not expresly
        forbidden me writing, yet that must be an Omission from Forgetfulness;
        or this, perhaps, is included in the Word conversing. However, as I
        cannot but consider this as a Breach of her generous Confidence in my
        Honour, you cannot expect that I shall, after this, continue to write
        myself, or to receive Letters without her Knowledge. A Promise is with
        me a very sacred Thing, and to be extended to every Thing understood
        from it, as well as to what is expressed by it; and this Consideration
        may perhaps, on Reflection, afford you some Comfort. But why should I
        mention a Comfort to you of this Kind? For though there is one Thing in
        which I can never comply with the best of Fathers, yet am I firmly
        resolved never to act in Defiance of him, or to take any Step of
        Consequence without his Consent. A firm Perswasion of this, must teach
        you to divert your Thoughts from what Fortune hath (perhaps) made
        impossible. This your own Interest persuades you. This may reconcile, I
        hope, Mr. Allworthy to you; and if it will, you have my Injunctions to
        pursue it. Accidents have laid some Obligations on me, and your good
        Intentions probably more. Fortune may, perhaps, be sometimes kinder to
        us both than at present. Believe this, that I shall always think of you
        as I think you deserve, and am,
Sir,
Your Obliged Humble Servant
