Foster, of Stafford,
Connecticut, who afterwards settled in Stow, Massachusetts, and who was
father of Rev. John Foster, of Brighton, Massachusetts, the husband of
the author of this book.]
THE COQUETTE;
OR,
THE HISTORY OF ELIZA WHARTON.
LETTER I.
TO MISS LUCY FREEMAN.
NEW HAVEN
An unusual sensation possesses my breast--a sensation which I once
thought could never pervade it on any occasion whatever. It is
_pleasure_, pleasure, my dear Lucy, on leaving my paternal roof. Could
you have believed that the darling child of an indulgent and
dearly-beloved mother would feel a gleam of joy at leaving her? But so
it is. The melancholy, the gloom, the condolence which surrounded me for
a month after the death of Mr. Haly had depressed my spirits, and palled
every enjoyment of life. Mr. Haly was a man of worth--a man of real and
substantial merit. He is, therefore, deeply and justly regretted by
_his_ friends. He was chosen to be a future guardian and companion for
me, and was, therefore, beloved by _mine_. As their choice, as a good
man, and a faithful friend, I esteemed him; but no one acquainted with
the disparity of our tempers and dispositions, our views and designs,
can suppose my heart much engaged in the alliance. Both nature and
education had instilled into my mind an implicit obedience to the will
and desires of my parents. To them, of course, I sacrificed my fancy in
this affair, determined that my reason should concur with theirs, and on
that to risk my future happiness.
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