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The Gentleman's Reply

DEAR MADAM: I return you a thousand thanks for your letter, and it is with the greatest pleasure I can clear up to your satisfaction the matter you doubted of. Before I wrote to you, I communicated the affair to my two cousins, but had not courage enough to mention it to my mother; but that is now over, and nothing, she says, would give her greater pleasure than to see me married to a young lady of your amiable character; nay, so far is she from having any objection, that she would have waited on you as the bearer of this, had I not persuaded her against it, as she has been these three days afflicted with a severe cold, and I was afraid that if she ventured abroad so soon, it might be attended with dangerous consequences. But to convince you of my sincerity, she has sent the enclosed, written with her own hand; and whatever may be the contents, I solemnly assure you I am totally ignorant, except that she told me it was in approbation of my suit. If you will give me leave to wait on you, I shall then be able to explain things more particularly.

I am, dear madam, your real lover.