To Agnes McLehose (Clarinda)
Glasgow Monday even: 9 o’clock [18th February 1788]
The attraction of love, I find, is in an inverse proportion to the
attraction of the Newtonian Philosophy: in the system of Sir Isaac,
the nearer objects were to one another, the stronger was the
attractive force; in my system, every milestone that marked my
progress from Clarinda, awaked a keener pang of attachment to her.
—How do you feel, my Love? is your heart ill at ease? I fear it.—God
forbid that these Persecutors should harass that Peace which is more
precious to me than my own—Be assured I shall ever think of you,
muse on you, and in my moments of devotion, pray for you.—The
hour that you are not in all my thoughts—”be that hour darkness!
let the shadows of Death cover it! let it not be numbered in the
hours of the day!”
—“When I forget the darling theme—
“Be my tongue mute! may fancy paint no more!
“And dead to joy, forget my heart to beat!”2
I have just met with my old friend, the ship Captain; guess my
pleasure: to meet you could alone have given me more.—My brother
William too, the young Saddler, has come to Glasgow to meet me;
and here are we three spending the evening.—
I arrived here too late to write by post; but I’ll wrap half a dozen
sheets of blank paper together, and send it by the Fly under the
name of a—parcel--You shall heat from me, next post town—I
would write you a longer letter but for the present circumstance of
my friend—Adieu, My Clarinda! I am just going to propose your
health by way of grace-drink.—
Sylvander
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