'You are now collecting your people delightfully, getting them exactly
into such a spot as is the delight of my life. Three or four families
in a country village is the very thing to work on; and I hope you will
write a great deal more, and make full use of them while they are so
very favourably arranged.'

'Sept. 28.

'Devereux Forrester being ruined by his vanity is very good: but I
wish you would not let him plunge into a "vortex of dissipation." I
do not object to the thing, but I cannot bear the expression: it is
such thorough novel slang; and so old that I dare say Adam met with it
in the first novel that he opened.'

'Hans Place (Nov. 1814).

'I have been very far from finding your book an evil, I assure you. I
read it immediately, and with great pleasure. Indeed, I do think you
get on very fast. I wish other people of my acquaintance could
compose as rapidly. Julian's history was quite a surprise to me. You
had not very long known it yourself, I suspect; but I have no
objection to make to the circumstance; it is very well told, and his
having been in love with the aunt gives Cecilia an additional interest
with him. I like the idea; a very proper compliment to an aunt! I
rather imagine, indeed, that nieces are seldom chosen but in
compliment to some aunt or other. I dare say your husband was in love
with me once, and would never have thought of you if he had not
supposed me dead of a scarlet fever.'