Brecon, May 14th, 187-
My dear Samuel,
I was much grieved to find after you had left us in the early part of the week, that the replies you gave me relative to your acquaintance with the L——s were utterly at variance with the truth. Little did I think you would ever deceive us, when such confidence has been always placed in you. Why did you try to deceive me by a falsehood?
Let me entreat of you never again to deviate from the truth; should you do so you will soon obtain a character as an untrustworthy person, and no one will believe you, even when you speak the truth. Every one will shun you, as they will always suspect that you are trying to deceive them; even when you are acting rightly they will look upon you with suspicion.
Have you forgotten that Truth is the point of honour in a gentleman, and that no one can tell a falsehood and retain the character of one?
I cannot tell you the shame I felt when I discovered your untruth; I felt degraded by it.
Strive to retrieve your character in the future, by perfect truthfulness and a high sense of what honour requires from you.
Till I believe that you feel the enormity of your fault I cannot sign myself other than
Your afflicted father, ______