My LORD,
EVERY instance of your highly valued favour gives me new reason to condemn myself for having judged so uncharitably of my own species, as to believe it not productive of one great, noble, or disinterested soul: 'twas a faith experience had bigoted me to, till my illustrious Kingsborough, like a ray of brilliant light, dispersed the gloom from my fancy, and displayed every grace, excellence and virtue, that ever adorned the human race, conspicuously shining in one young nobleman.
When a base world I laboured to detest,
And banish social feelings from my breast;
When a long train of falsehood and deceit
Taught me myself and human kind to hate;
To look on promises as vain discourse,
And kind professions only words of course;
'Twas thine alone my frenzy to remove;
And call me back to friendship and to love;
Make me again my fellow-creature trust,
Because one man is excellent and just:
Were my opinion by the world esteemed,
In that, the world, is by yourself redeemed;
My arms again to friendship expand,
And give my heart as freely as my hand.
You see, my Lord, what a tautologist you have to deal with: I first tell you my thoughts in prose, and repeat nearly the same in verse, but you have kindness to overlook my failings; and all I am ambitious of in this life, is being able to say or do anything that may express the gratitude and esteem you have inspired the bosom of.
Your Lordship's,
most obliged
humble servant
LĘTITIA PILKINGTON
Golden-lane, Dublin
March 13 1748
