JB/537/320/002

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some of thy letters: and as there was nothing particular in them that there
could be any reason for concealing, and as they served in general to
shew thee occupied, and particularly that in the way of this business I thought
it would do no harm to let him see them.

"Very absurd" — that was the Epithet bestowed by the Lady upon your plan of early
rising, by the Lady upon it's being brought some how or other upon the
carpet. "Brought upon the carpet" did I say? Yes, but it was by herself
My father indeed was reading indeed your letters, in which you mention
it, taking notice of the obstacles. but she did not see those letters: possibly
she was mortified because she did not see them. I suppose you
had mentioned something about it to him; and that it was from thence
her intelligence was derived. Flatter not yourself with the vain hopes of
pleasing by any plan of laudable improvement: or by any endeavours of
any other kind you can use. The utmost you and I can hope for
is to be tolerated. You are not on this account to look upon yourself
as destitute of inducement. Your schemes will gain you no favour
there — be it so — but for whose sake do you pursue them? You
have yourself to profit: and you have me to please; as I have you.
You have the world to please: who it is to be hoped are swayed with
tolerable steadiness by their own interest. At the same time if by accident you
catch a transient gale of favour, sail with it as far as it will
carry you: as you did with (and the instance I mean of) the little "Carpenter's mistake". Chance
and caprice will now and then do something in your favour: but I
cannot promise you any thing from design. I can no more conjecture
what reception any thing I say or do in hopes to please will meet with, than I could
what rock a cask would split upon that I were to launch in the midst
of the Bay of Biscay.

I must have done — I have got a most swinging cold, which shews

Identifier: | JB/537/320/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 537.
Date_1	1774-12-14	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	537	Main Headings
Folio number	320	Info in main headings field
Image	002	Titles
Category	Correspondence	Number of Pages
Recto/Verso		Page Numbering
Penner	Jeremy Bentham	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number
Box Contents