I had learned with great gratification that you were going to be married to a most worthy gentleman, Mr. John Grey of Nethercoats, in Cambridgeshire. When I first heard this I made it my business to institute some inquiries, and I was heartily glad to find that your choice had done you so much credit. [If the reader has read Alice's character as I have meant it should be read, it will thoroughly be understood that this was wormwood to her.] I was informed that Mr. Grey is in every respect a gentleman,--that he is a man of most excellent habits, and one to whom any young woman could commit her future happiness with security, that his means are very good for his position, and that there was no possible objection to such a marriage. All this gave great satisfaction to me, in which I was joined by the Marchioness of Auld Reekie, who is connected with you almost as nearly as I am, and who, I can assure you, feels a considerable interest in your welfare. I am staying with her now, and in all that I say, she agrees with me.

I had learned with great gratification that you were going to be married to a most worthy gentleman, Mr. John Grey of Nethercoats. When I made inquiries, I was heartily glad to find that your choice had done you so much credit. I was informed that Mr. Grey is in every respect a gentleman of excellent habits and very good means, and that there was no possible objection to such a marriage. All this gave me great satisfaction, in which I was joined by the Marchioness of Auld Reekie, who feels a considerable interest in your welfare. I am staying with her now, and in all that I say, she agrees with me.
