Your mother would surely despair of a companionship marriage for one so young, but I find your resolve admirable. I fulfill many of your requests: academic, established, logical, and ambitious with regard to my career--I suppose this is what has driven me to write you, though in truth there was something in your letter which called to me.

I, too, know what it is like to be compared to others and found wanting; as it is, my mother would be delighted to know that I replied to your letter, as she has begun to pester me incessantly about marriage.

I would very much like to hear more about your career interests, if you do not mind. Do you wish to work in academia? Or in a Ministerial capacity?