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" fortune, which is every day encreasing.""How nobly will you spend it!;1 what credit""will you give him in the eyes of all!; How""much will he be respected on his Wife's""account! But why my dearest Lucy, why"" will you not at once decide this affair by re:""turning to me & never leaving me again !? Altho'Although""I admire your the noble sentiments with respect to""obligations, yet, let me beg that they may not prevent but yet me beg you not to suffer their them to prevent preventing you from2your making me happy. It will""to be sure be a great expence to me, to have""you always with me — I shall not be able to"" support it – but what is that in comparison""with the happineſs I shall enjoy in your society?""– t’will ruin me I know — you will not there"::fore

Footnotes

1.
Appears as a semi-colon adapted to function as an exclamation mark, as does the same mark on the next line. Back to context...
2.
Uncharacteristic use of pothook letters for purpose of erasure. Back to context...
Image for page: 71 of manuscript: blvolfirst