denying yourself in the case before us, when you can, by performing the filial duty, oblige your whole family?
Permit me to say, that tho' a Protestant, I am not an enemy to such foundations in general. I could wish, under proper regulations, that we had Nunneneries among us. I would not, indeed, have the obligation upon Nuns be perpetual: Let them have liberty, at the end of every two or three years, to renew their vows, or otherwise, by the consent of friends. Celibacy in the Clergy is an indispensable law of your church: Yet a Cardinal has been allowed to lay down the purple, and marry. You know, madam, I must mean Ferdinand of Medicis. Family-reasons, in that case, preponderated, as well at Rome, as at Florence.
Of all the women I know, Lady Clementina della Porretta should be the last who should be earnest to take the veil. There can be but two persons in the world, besides herself, who will not be grieved at her

choice. We know their reasons. The will of her grandfathers, now with God, is against her; and her living parents, and every other person of her family, those two excepted, would be made unhappy, if she sequestered herself from the world, and them. Clementina has charity: She wishes, she once said, to take a great revenge upon Laurana. Laurana has something to repent of: Let her take the veil. The fondness she has for the world, a fondness which could make her break through all the ties of relation, and humanity, requires a check: But are any of those in convents more pious, more exemplary pious, than Clementina is, out of them?
Much more could I urge on the same side of the question; but what I have urged has been a task upon me; a task which I could not have performed, had I not preferred to my own, the happiness of you and your family.
May both earthly and heavenly blessings attend your determination, whatever it be, prays, dearest madam.
Your ever-faithful Friend, Affectionate Brother, and Humble Servant, CH. GRANDISON.

London, Sat. Sept. 18-29.
I Have written, my beloved friend, to Lady Clementina; and shall inclose a copy of my Letter.
I own, that, till I received hers, I thought there was a possibility, tho' not a probability, that she might change her mind in my favour. I foresaw that you would all join,