SMALL | MEDIUM
-- Never say another word to
me of what you hinted in your last letter: indeed,
I am too young; and besides, I never should feel
easy or happy again with Jasper, if I admitted
such a thought. I have had but one opinion since
our visit to Effie; not that I believed in her -- at
least, not much; but I have always known who
was first in his thoughts -- heart -- opinion; and be-
sides, it would be folly in me, knowing his opinions
about rank, &c. Mother thinks him very proud,
and somewhat vain; and she begins not to be
pleased with his frequent visits to Westbrook. She
thinks -- no, fears, or rather she imagines, that Jas-
per and I -- no, that Jasper or I -- no, that I --
it is quite too foolish to write, Isabella -- mother
does not realize what a wide world there is between
us. I might possibly, sometimes, think he loved
"How could Jasper tell you of Eliot's preju-
dice against you? Jasper himself infused it, un-
wittingly, I am sure, by telling him that when
with you, I lived but to do `your best pleasure, --
were it to fly, to swim, or dive into the fire.'
Eliot fancies that you are proud and overbearing
-- I insist, dear Isabella, that such as you are born
to rule such weak spirits as mine; but Eliot says
he does not like absolutism in any form, and es-
pecially in woman's. Ah, how differently he would
feel if he were to see you -- I am sure you would
like him -- I am not sure, even, that you would not
have preferred him to Jasper, had he been born
and bred in Jasper's circumstances. He has more
of some qualities that you particularly like, frank-
ness and independence -- and mother says (but
then mother is not at all partial to Jasper) he has
a thousand times more real sensibility -- he does,
perhaps, feel more for others. I should like to
know which you would think the handsomest.
Eliot is at least three inches the tallest; and, as
Jasper once said, `cast in the heroic mould, with
just enough, and not an ounce too much of mor-
tality' -- but then Jasper has such grace and sym-
metry -- just what I fancy to be the beau-ideal of
the arts. Jasper's eyes are almost too black -- too
piercing; and yet they are softened by his long
lashes, and his olive complexion, so expressive --
