April 2.—
Miss Burchell is gone into
the country; and this morning, for the
first time, severed me from the best of
mothers. I cannot recover my spirits; I
have wept all day. Mr. Arnold, ever
good and obliging, would needs accompany
her some miles on her journey; you
may be sure I was not left behind. Sir
George was so polite as to say, He would
escort her down to Sidney Castle. I was surprized
at it; for he does not often do obliging
things. My mother gladly accepted
of his company, and said, she would
make him her prisoner, when she had him
there; for she should be quite melancholy
without me for a time. Now though I
should be very unwilling not to allow
the merit of a good-natured action to Sir
George, yet do I attribute this in some
measure to its answering a propose of
convenience to himself. You know, before
his illness sent him to the Spa, he
always spent his summers with us at the
Castle, though he has another very convenient
house on his estate. When he
was in London he never had any thing
but lodgings, for which I have often been
angry with him. My mother, since his
return, made him a compliment of her
house; but as the time she took it for
is now expired, and it is let to another
family, he could not longer continue
in it. Mr. Arnold, in the most affectionate
manner, pressed him to accept of
an apartment with us, which he declined.
Now as he could not, without shewing
us an apparent slight, continue in town
in other lodgings, I believe he, for this
reason, preferred going down with my
mother. Be it as it may, I am very glad
that she will have his company; for I
make no doubt of his staying with her
some time, unless Miss Burchell should
frighten him away.
