It is very easy for you to say, go no more to public places, renounce balls, operas, &c. But what am I to put in their places? I no longer delight in them, yet how otherwise can I fill up my time? Flora is fourteen; she knows nothing, has no taste for any accomplishment but dancing, and this misfortune is now without remedy. Her sister is only four years old, consequently she cannot take up the whole day. One is too old for my cares to be of any use, the other too young to want them at present. What then must I do with all the time you would give me? I see your indignation at this distance. I hear you say, ‘Why not read and reflect, and wait till you can act?’ All this is mighty well, but reading hurts my eyes, and reflection is death to me. Besides, you have read and reflected enough for us both. I still entirely rely on your advice; you shall dictate what I must say and do, I shall punctually execute it. Only do not require study or meditation of me, I am incapable of it. But I promise you to keep the secret, and to be very tractable. To be serious; I cannot take a better method; I distrust my own understanding, and depend on yours. It is better to take a person for our guide, whose sense we are convinced of, than to employ our own, when we are in doubt that we shall not be able to succeed.

I wait with impatience for the rest of the particulars you have promised me, certain they will be interesting, and that I shall be able to draw from them the most useful and instructive lessons. I have been too little accustomed to study to make it possible for you to fix my attention to precepts and maxims. I must have pictures and examples of real life.