Give my love to dear little Johnny, he will seem pleased at least, if he has not forgotten to laugh at the name of Siddons, God bless you all.
I am unalterably,
Your sincere friend

S. SIDDONS

Letter VII

You know you began your last letter very ungallantly, by telling me you were a very bad correspondent ; and in short intimating that you found it rather troublesome to write letters.
Now, my dear friend, I assure you I can enter into all your feelings on that subject, for we think exactly alike about it; and I only write these few lines to assure you, that having the identical fellow feeling, I pardon you with all my heart. I shall in future address myself to Mrs. G., this will indulge my own indolence, and at the same time gratify yours; I have written her a long lecture about you,* and have ventured taking a great liberty with you, but as you must be sure that I am actuated by the truest regard for your happiness, I trust you will pardon
Your sincere and affectionate friend,
Always and unalterably,
S. SIDDONS

*The foregoing letter.

LETTER VIII

Dear Mr. G.

I am very sorry to find that any thing I have written has made you uneasy, for I assure you on my honour, I should not have been the least offended if you really had been tired of writing.
I have often heard you say you could not write letters, and I can easily imagine it must be a great restraint upon you; for my own part I confess there is nothing I dislike so much, and were it not that I fear my friends would accuse me of neglect or unkindness, I should never write a line to any one.
To say the truth I have a dread of having my letters thrown about, to be picked up by servants, or other officious persons; with this fear before my eyes; no wonder my correspondence is not very voluminous, there is an insatiable curiosity both in my own family, and in those whom one would imagine could have no earthly concern about me, to find out what I write, and to whom I write, that robs me of all the pleasure I could receive from opening my own heart or reading that of my friend.
You will therefore allow the reasonableness of my dislike to writing letters or even of receiving any, but those of the commonest sort, and you can imagine that such an intercourse can but ill supply those sallies of good humour and peculiarities of cordiality, which might be misinterpreted by those who were not acquainted with the characters of the writers.