me; but it does not admit of advice. If my father insists I must submit, for I can never think of disobeying his commands; yet I tremble at the thoughts of becoming Maitland's wife.—Oh, my dear, I am distracted with a croud of thoughts. I beg you'll come to me, and am,
Your's most affectionately, MARIA STAMFORD.

LETTER IX. Mr. STAMFORD, Jun. to Mr. ALWYN.
Dear HARRY,
I WROTE to you last week, in answer to your's; but have not since had the pleasure of a line from you. Old Maitland's sending my father a proposal of marriage, in the form of a mathematical problem, is truly whimsical. What is still more, my father assures me that there is no joke at all meant by it; but, that he seriously intends to make himself understood. If he intended quite the contrary, I think he could not have adopted a better method.
YOUNG Maitland is arrived, to try the experiment, as his father expresses it; but Maria does not seem disposed to

exert her attractive influence. She is constantly wrapt in thought, and takes very little notice of him, and he does not appear to care much about it. He is one of those wild youths, who, though possessed of sense and understanding, have too much vivacity to use them. I am afraid Maria, who is all meekness and delicacy, will be very unhappy with him if the match succeeds, and I see nothing at present, to hinder it, for she will never dispute her father's will; and young Maitland seems as if he thought it no affair of his, but leaves it to the management and direction of the old folks.
I HAVE agreed to accompany him to Maitland-hall, in a fortnight, where I promise myself a vast fund of entertainment from the oddities of his father. We should have set out sooner, but

that it would be impolite to leave Miss Gowland, who is now on a visit to my sister. You have often heard Maria mention her. They were at Mrs. Carrington's boarding-school together, and contracted a friendship, which is founded in the most perfect union of disposition and sentiment.
MISS Gowland is rather above the middle stature, but perfectly well-shaped and genteel. She cannot be called handsome; but the tout ensemble of her countenance, is so expressive of every amiable trait of disposition, that it is impossible to behold her without esteem. I think she differs from Maria,