Love and Friendship

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Love and Friendship
To Madame La Comtesse de Feuillide,
this novel is inscribed by her obliged
humble servant, the author
“Deceived in Friendship and 
Betrayed in Love”
1

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Transcriber’s 
Note:
Few changes
have been made
to this version:
Italics have been
converted to
capitals. The
British ‘pound’
symbol has been
converted to ‘L’;
but in general
the author’s
erratic spelling,
punctuation and
capitalisation
have been
retained
2

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LETTER THE FIRST
How often, in answer to my repeated entreaties
that you would give my daughter a regular detail
of the Misfortunes and Adventures of tour Life,
have you said “No, my friend never will I comply
with your request till I may be no longer in
Danger of again experiencing such dreadful
ones.” 
Surely that time is now at hand. You are this
day fifty-five. If a woman may ever be said to be
in safety from the determined perseverance of
disagreeable lovers and the cruel persecution of
obstinate fathers, surely it must be at such a time
of life. 
Isabel
From Isabel to Laura
3

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LETTER THE SECOND
Although I cannot agree with you in supposing
that I shall never again be exposed to misfortunes
as unmerited as those I have already experienced,
yet to avoid the imputation of obstinacy or ill
nature, I will gratify the curiosity of your
daughter; and may the fortitude with which I have
suffered the many afflictions of my past life prove
to her a valuable lesson for the support of those
which may befall her in her own. 
Laura
From Laura to Isabel
4

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LETTER THE THIRD
As the daughter of my most intimate friend, I
think you are entitled to the knowledge of my
unhappy story that your mother has so often
solicited me to give you.
My father was a native of Ireland and an
inhabitant of Wales; my mother was the natural
daughter of a Scotch peer by an Italian opera love
and friendship 6 girls; I was born in Spain and
received my education at a convent in France.
When I reached my eighteenth year, I was
recalled by my parents to my maternal home in
Wales. Our mansion was situated in one of the
most romantic parts of the Vale of Usk.
Laura to Marianne
5

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Though my charms are now considerably
softened and somewhat impaired by the
misfortunes I have undergone, 
I was once beautiful. But lovely as I was, the
graces of my person were the least of my
perfections. Of every accomplishment customary
to my sex, I was mistress. When in the convent,
my progress had always exceeded my instructions,
my acquirements had been wonderful for my age,
and I had shortly surpassed my master's. 
In my mind, every virtue that could adorn it was
centered; it was the rendezvous of every good
quality and of every noble sentiment. 
A sensibility too tremblingly alive to every
affliction of my friends, my acquaintance, and