What would I not have given to be the child of her mother?
I did everything in my power to become so, but could never succeed.
I in vain attempted to unite all our interests: this was impossible.
She always created herself one different from mine, contrary to it, and to that even of her daughter, which already was no longer separated from it.

She, her other children, and grand-children, became so many leeches, and the least evil these did to Theresa was robbing her.

The poor girl, accustomed to submit, even to her nieces, suffered herself to be pilfered and governed without saying a word; and I perceived with grief that by exhausting my purse, and giving her advice, I did nothing that could be of any real advantage to her.

I endeavored to detach her from her mother; but she constantly resisted such a proposal.

I could not but respect her resistance, and esteemed her the more for it; but her refusal was not on this account less to the prejudice of us both.