From St. ***.

How happy we are, Madame! … How great will your felicity be, what joy will you feel! Ah, who is more sensible of it than myself? … Our children are equally distinguished; they are well! … We shall see them in three months … I send you all the particulars, and not only the letter Mons. d’ Almane has written to you, but that which I have received from him, as I imagine it will give you still more pleasure, and I have nothing I wish to conceal from you! … When this precious packet was brought me by the Chevalier de Herbain, I was with Madame de Limours, Constantia, and my daughter. I trembled so much I could scarce open my letter or speak … At length I found it was from Mons. d’ Almane … I opened it; and judge what I felt on reading these words: ‘Glory and happiness, my dearest friend!’ … I could not utter a word, – I threw myself on my knees … My dear Adelaide came and flung her arms about my neck; all my friends surrounded me; their joy added to my felicity … Why were you not here, Madame? How delightful would it have been for me to embrace you at that moment! What would I not have given, had you been here, that we might have read our letters together! … Poor little Constantia was much affected, and the name of Theodore escaped her lips! … and she shed a torrent of tears! … Nevertheless, when I read an account of the action, I observed that Adelaide's transport and emotions infinitely exceeded her cousin's. Great souls alone are capable of feeling sentiments of this kind! … After Constantia had heard that Theodore had received no wounds, the rest of the account appeared to have very little effect on her.