that might attend thee on the voyage, the difficulty of finding a proper person
and confidential person to accompany and protect thee, are too great to be
overcome, buried, as thou art, in the country, and unacquainted with sea af-
-fairs. Of all things in the world, I most desire thy presence here, since I can-
-not come to thee; but of all things in the world I should most dread thy
undertaking such a voyage, without being protected and accomodated [sic] in a
manner, which it is scarcely poƒsible any opportunity should place in thy
reach. Let the conduct of a woman on board a ship, without her husband,
be ever so prudent and circumspect, the tongue of slander will almost
certainly find occasion, or it will create one, to embitter the future peace
of her husband and family. Thou wouldst have first to go to America,
most probably, and afterwards embark on board another ship for the
Isle of France; but what a route for thee! I dare not think of it.
      Only with all these concurring circumstances is it poƒsible; — that thy
health was good, — that thou shouldst be accompanied by a father, an un-
-cle, or a brother, or that thou wast acquainted with the captain of a ship,
or with some respectable man coming here, who had his wife with
him, and would undertake to protect and befriend thee: — that thou
shouldst have learned, that no orders had been given, or were likely to be
soon given, concerning me; and that thou couldst procure bills of ex-
-change from M^r Standert, for £200, £300, or £400 upon some respecta-
-ble merchant in the Isle of France, India, or America for our use here;
and which, on such an immergency [sic], I hereby request him to procure for
thee on my account. On the concurrence of these circumstances, I would
then, my love, leave it to thee, and to thy friends, to decide, and I should
receive thee with transport; but even with all these concurring circum-
-stances, I could not ask thee to undertake such a voyage, so much do I
dread the effects of the fatigue on thy health, and of ten-thousand circum-
-stances that might occur to a person whom I so entirely and so tenderly
love. My friend Thomas Pitot has offered to receive thee into his family
on thy first arrival, and to give me letters of recommendation for thee to
several persons in different ports of France, in case any accident might
conduct thee there on the paƒsage; and as it is always best to be provided
against all circumstances, I will ask him for one or two, though without