The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
— Gray.
Oh! noble Elizabeth! you towhom these leaves are more particularlyaddrest, have you had resolutionsufficient to read thus far? willyou possess sufficient presence of mindto enable you to continue the perusal2of this writing, now that I haveplaced before you the most importantand most cruel transactions, which haveoccurred throughout your whole life,and by which your whole life has beenembittered? and will you, when at lengthyou reach the conclusion of my painfulnarrative, magnanimously sacrifice yourlong-cherished prejudices; and daringto gaze steadily on the light of truth,will you learn to excuse and to pity, toregret and to forgive?
Before I relate the transactions, whichfollowed the fatal interview betweenIda and her lover on your