when in thy dear arms I will beg for pardon, and if thou canst forgive me all,
will have it sealed — oh with ten-thousand kiƒses. If I could laugh at the
effusions of thy tenderneƒs it would be to see the idolatrous language thou
frequently usest to me. Thou makest an idol and then worshipest it; and like
some of the inhabitants of the east thou also bestowest a little castigation
occasionally, just to let the ugly deity know the value of thy devotion.
Thinkest thou not, my dearest love, that I shall be spoiled by thy endearing
flatteries? — I fear it, and yet can hardly part with one, so dear to me is thy
affection in whatever way expreƒsed. I am indeed far behind thee in expreƒsions
of tenderneƒs, yet I cannot allow that my love is far behind thine. Measure me not by
the abundance of profeƒsion, but believe, my dearest and only love, that very very often
my thoughts which are never expreƒsed are devoted to thee. In torture at the great
distance from me, I lay musing upon thee, whilst sighs of fervent love, compaƒsion
for thy suffering health, and admiration of thy excellencies in turn get utterance.
    I would not my dear Ann, have thee ambitious, for was that the case, and in-
-stead of restraining me thou wast to add fuel to the fire, I know not what might
be aimed, ^ ^at even to sovereign power; but my heart is with thee, and so soon as I can
insure for us a moderate portion of the comforts of life, thou wilt see whether
love or ambition have the greatest power over me. Before thou wast mine, I was
engaged in this voyage; — without it we could not live. Thou knowest not the
struggle in my bosom, before I consented to the neceƒsity. There was no prospect
of a permanent subsistence but in pursuing what I had undertaken, and I
doubt not but that it will answer its end.

            Isle of France July 13. 1804
    Various have been the turns of fortune, my dearest life, since the former
part of this letter was addreƒsed to thee; but since my brother will, I trust,
have arrived before this can reach thee, my paper shall not be occupied by
these. I will turn to what he cannot tell thee, though alas the review is not
leƒs darkened by misfortune than the former part. Unacquainted with the
circumstances thou wilt with much justice complain, that since March 1803
no letter has been addreƒsed to thee, but in this confinement, watched and sus-
-pected, my sighs must be smothered, and the effusions of my love must here be
given to the winds in some secret corner. I have, however, ventured three ^ ^short letters
since my arrival in this island, which though addreƒsed to M^r Tyler were meant
for thee; they bear date Dec. 31. 1803 — April 26 and May 20 1804.
    It is scarcely poƒsible but that the very unjust treatment I have met with
from the French must be known by this time in England. How it will end is yet un-
-certain, for I am still kept closely confined as before, although in seven months
nothing has been found against me to confirm their villainous suspicions. It is
now in agitation to send me out into the country away from the port; and then I am
to have the liberty of walking and perhaps riding within certain limits. This alte-
-ration has been brought about at the same time with the return of most of my
books and charts, which just now haveing been given to me, and for which I am