EPISTLE DEDICATORY
關燈
小
中
大
DearMissLey,—YouwillnotconsideritunflatteringifIaskmyselfwhenexactlyitwasthatIhadthegoodfortunetomakeyouracquaintancefor,thoughIamwellawarethedateisnotfardistant,Iseemtohaveknownyouallmylife.Wasitreallyduringthesummerbeforelast,atNaples?(IforgetwhyyougohabituallytowinterresortsinthemiddleofAugustthereasonsyougavewereingeniousbutinconclusive—surelyitisnottoavoidyourfellow-countrymen?)IwasintheGalleryofMasterpieces,lookingatthewonderfulportrait-statueofAgrippina,whenyou,sittingbesideme,askedsomequestion.Webegantotalk—bytheway,weneverinquiredifourrespectivefamiliesweredesirableyoutookmyreputabilityforgranted—andsincethenwehavepassedagooddealoftimetogetherindeed,youhavebeenseldomabsentfrommythoughts.
Nowthatwestandatapartingofways(thephraseishackneyedandyouwouldloatheit),youmustpermitmetotellyouwhatpleasureyourregardhasgivenmeandhowthoroughlyIhaveenjoyedourintercourse,regrettingalwaysthatinevitablecircumstancesmadeitsorare.IconfessIstandinaweofyou—thisyouwillnotbelieve,foryouhaveoften
