theyhavemanydefects。Somearefrivolous，heedless，foppish，ambitious，dissipated;and，believeme，nomatterhowimposinginnocencemaybe，howchivalrousapoetis，youwillmeetwithmanyadegeneratetroubadourinParisreadytocultivateyouraffectiononlytobetrayit。Bysuchamanyourletterwouldbeinterpretedotherwisethanitisbyme。Hewouldseeathoughtthatisnotinit，whichyou，inyourinnocence，havenotsuspected。Thereareasmanynaturesastherearewriters。Iamdeeplyflatteredthatyouhavejudgedmecapableofunderstandingyou;buthadyou，perchance，fallenuponahypocrite，ascoffer，onewhosebooksmaybemelancholybutwhoselifeisaperpetualcarnival，youwouldhavefoundastheresultofyourgenerousimprudenceanevil—mindedman，thefrequenterofgreen—rooms，perhapsaheroofsomegayresort。Inthebowerofclematiswhereyoudreamofpoets，canyousmelltheodorofthecigarwhichdrivesallpoetryfromthemanuscript？
Butletuslookstillfurther。Howcouldthedreamy，solitarylifeyoulead，doubtlessbythesea—shore，interestapoet，whosemissionitistoimagineall，andtopaintall？Whatrealitycanequalimagination？TheyounggirlsofthepoetsaresoidealthatnolivingdaughterofEvecancompetewiththem。Andnowtellme，whatwillyougain，——you，ayounggirl，broughtuptobethevirtuousmotherofafamily，——ifyoulearntocomprehendtheterribleagitationsofapoet’slifeinthisdreadfulcapital，whichmaybedefinedbyonesentence，——thehellinwhichmenlove。
Ifthedesiretobrightenthemonotonousexistenceofayounggirlthirstingforknowledgehasledyoutotakeyourpeninhandandwritetome，hasnotthestepitselftheappearanceofdegradation？WhatmeaningamItogivetoyourletter？Areyouoneofarejectedcaste，anddoyouseekafriendfarawayfromyou？
Or，areyouafflictedwithpersonalugliness，yetfeelingwithinyouanoblesoulwhichcangiveandreceiveaconfidence？Alas，alas，theconclusiontobedrawnisgrievous。Youhavesaidtoomuch，ortoolittle;youhavegonetoofar，ornotfarenough。
Eitherletusdropthiscorrespondence，or，ifyoucontinueit，tellmemorethanintheletteryouhavenowwrittenme。