LETTER L.
To Mr. Colden.
December 11.
Hereafter I shall be astonished at nothing
but that credulity which could give even
momentary credit to your assertions.
Most fortunately, my belief lasted only till
you left the house. Then my scruples, which
slept for a moment, revived, and I determined
to clear up my doubts by immediately calling
on Miss Jessup.
If any thing can exceed your depravity, Sir,
it is your folly. But I will not debase myself—
my indignation at being made the subject, and,
for some minutes, the dupe of so gross and so
profligate an artifice, carries me beyond all
bounds. What Sir!—But I will restrain myself.
I would not leave the city without apprising
you of this detection of your schemes. If Miss
Jessup were wise she would seek a just revenge
for so atrocious a slander.
I need not tell you that I have seen her; laid
the letter before her which you delivered to me;
nor do I need to tell you what her anger and amazement
were on finding her name thus
abused.
I pity you, Sir; I grieve for you; you have
talents of a certain kind, but your habits, wretchedly
and flagitiously perverse, have made you
act on most occasions like an idiot. Their iniquity
was not sufficient to deter you from impostures
which—but I scorn to chide you.
My daughter is a monument of the success
of your schemes. But their success shall never
be complete. While I live she shall never join
her interests with yours. That is a vow which,
I thank God I am able to accomplish; and shall.
