He ， as it seems to me， who can see through the others，
  and possesses strength or skill enough to make their power or passions
  subservient to the execution of his own designs.
  JANUARY 20. I must write to you from this place ， my dear Charlotte，
  from a small room in a country inn， where I have taken shelter from a
  severe storm. During my whole residence in that wretched place D——，
  where I lived amongst strangers ，—— strangers， indeed ， to this heart，
  —— I never at any time felt the smallest inclination to correspond with
  you ； but in this cottage， in this retirement ， in this solitude ，
  with the snow and hail beating against my lattice-pane， you are my first
  thought. The instant I entered， your figure rose up before me， and the
  remembrance ！ O my Charlotte ， the sacred ， tender remembrance ！ Gracious
  Heaven！ restore to me the happy moment of our first acquaintance.
  Could you but see me， my dear Charlotte， in the whirl of dissipation，
  —— how my senses are dried up ， but my heart is at no time full. I
  enjoy no single moment of happiness ： all is vain—— nothing touches
  me. I stand ， as it were ， before the raree-show： I see the little
  puppets move， and I ask whether it is not an optical illusion. I am amused
  with these puppets， or ， rather ， I am myself one of them： but， when
  I sometimes grasp my neighbour's hand ， I feel that it is not natural
  ； and I withdraw mine with a shudder. In the evening I say I will enjoy
  the next morning's sunrise， and yet I remain in bed： in the day I promise
  to ramble by moonlight； and I， nevertheless ， remain at home. I know
  not why I rise， nor why I go to sleep.
  The leaven which animated my existence is gone： the charm which cheered
  me in the gloom of night， and aroused me from my morning slumbers， is
  for ever fled.
  I have found but one being here to interest me， a Miss B ——。 She
  resembles you ， my dear Charlotte， if any one can possibly resemble
  you. "Ah！" you will say， "he has learned how to pay fine compliments."
  And this is partly true. I have been very agreeable lately， as it was
  not in my power to be otherwise. I have ， moreover ， a deal of wit：
  and the ladies say that no one understands flattery better， or falsehoods
  you will add； since the one accomplishment invariably accompanies the
  other. But I must tell you of Miss B——。 She has abundance of soul，
  which flashes from her deep blue eyes. Her rank is a torment to her ，
  and satisfies no one desire of her heart. She would gladly retire from
  this whirl of fashion ， and we often picture to ourselves a life of undisturbed
  happiness in distant scenes of rural retirement ： and then we speak of
  you ， my dear Charlotte； for she knows you， and renders homage to your
  merits； but her homage is not exacted， but voluntary， she loves you，
  and delights to hear you made the subject of conversation.
  Oh， that I were sitting at your feet in your favourite little room，
  with the dear children playing around us！ If they became troublesome
  to you， I would tell them some appalling goblin story； and they would
  crowd round me with silent attention. The sun is setting in glory ； his
  last rays are shining on the snow ， which covers the face of the country
  ： the storm is over， and I must return to my dungeon. Adieu ！—— Is
  Albert with you ？ and what is he to you？ God forgive the question.
  FEBRUARY 8. For a week past we have had the most wretched weather
  ： but this to me is a blessing ； for， during my residence here ， not
  a single fine day has beamed from the heavens ， but has been lost to
  me by the intrusion of somebody. During the severity of rain， sleet，
  frost ， and storm， I congratulate myself that it cannot be worse indoors
  than abroad ， nor worse abroad than it is within doors ； and so I become
  reconciled. When the sun rises bright in the morning， and promises a
  glorious day， I never omit to exclaim， "There ， now， they have another
  blessing from Heaven， which they will be sure to destroy ： they spoil
  everything，—— health ， fame ， happiness， amusement； and they do
  this generally through folly， ignorance， or imbecility， and always ，
  according to their own account， with the best intentions ！"