Address:
Lisez et croyez Nannette

      In sober Seriousneƒs I sit down to commune with
you my sweet Friend, to say I feel your Loƒs approaching
as it now is with unfeigned Concern, the Vacuum I now
shall have in the Privation of your Society, and the
perhaps continued future separation, will I trust be
useleƒs; you may have seen my Desire to make the
most of our Acquaintance by seeing you so often perhaps
you may have thought too often, I thank you most
sincerely for the good opinion you have formed of
the "wayward Wight" I feel it with real pleasure; for
Flattery seldom fails to touch us; the Friendship of one
like yourself, who poƒseƒs a Mind of such Cultivation, & a
natural Genius so superior to the. Females of the
present age and which your good Sense has led you
to make Use of, seeing your Merits & feeling them as
I do must be grateful, and you will in my "Minds'
Eye" be a Comparison for me to form an Estimate ^ ^by of
others, perhaps not for their Advantage. Deem not this
Flattery what the Heart dictates the pen utters.

I shall perhaps hear of you sometimes, you will
not fail to prove if ever neceƒsary how happy
I should be to render you any Service. —
I will not tire you with much more of my Scribbling
only to expreƒs to you my sincerest Wishes for your
Health, Happineƒs & my gratitude for your Opinion
of me — For you to be happy as I wish you, would
be a Bliƒs contrary to the Designs of providence that we
should ever enjoy here, but that the path of Life
may prove to you as smooth and pleasant as
a feeling Mind can ever find it is, & ever will be
the fervent Wish of yours
                              Edwin
Wednesday night

[NB 'Edwin' is almost certainly Matthew Flinders writing under a pseudonym according to the convention of the time]