puts all due value on his station and fortune; but I think he is a kind person, with some genuine feelings of friendship and truth about him, which are as uncommon as they are valuable.

July 1st. The same difficulty of writing every day, which has ever made me find it impossible to keep a regular journal, has occasioned this lapse. Once more I resume my diary.

house,

Mr. Ar called on me. He is living at where, he said, Lady was very ill, and that the fear of death had taken hold of her, and she was in very low spirits. She began, he said, to think of that which, if she had thought of it before, she would not be so miserable now. This was one of the many confirmations which occur every day, to make one think seriously where to cast the anchor of trust. Such a speech, from such a person, of such a woman, preached with more force than a thousand homilies.

In the evening we went to the Haymarket Theatre, and saw a vulgar, stupid representation, of what was intended to be a story in high life, where, among other gross mistakes of good breeding, the lady heroine is made to kiss the innkeeper, and another lady to tell him all her plans and secrets! So much for the representation of fashionable life! This false, flat thing, is taken from one of --'s novels, wherein the manners of high life are totally misunderstood; and I have often remarked that the beauty or the defects of any work are made more prominent by translation of any sort, as the flavour of wine is best known by mingling it with water.

We escaped as soon as we could from the theatre and on my return home I was glad to have the enjoyment of reading Schlegel's History of Literature. It is a fine work, built on a sure foundation; and though I do not always agree with his taste, his feelings and his principles are exactly what I believe it is right to square one's own by.

July 2d.-Spent a quiet day at home. Read "The

Story of a Life," by Sherer; a powerfully written book, with vivid description and truth of portraiture, both as to human character and to the effects of the scenery of nature. It has much interest, and a fine vein of religious morality distinguishes it from the common-place productions of literature.

The Duke of S visited me. His conversation is extremely agreeable and instructive; very different from the mere frippery of the world. His favourite hobby is a noble one the formation of a good library; and his pursuit is that of doing good, and being at the head of all charitable institutions, as well as promoting science and the arts. The very pretence of these tastes, in a man of his rank, shows a certain greatness of aim; and now that the effervescence of youth is gone by, and that he does not, in the spirit of party zeal, render himself too common, he will certainly rise to a higher estimation than it has been supposed he would do. He spoke well, and lamented the subjugated state of Italy, its despotism, and its return to consequent bigotry; and declared that he could not live there, and would not return there on any account. "All my friends," he said, "are either dead or dispersed, and all those who remain are trampled upon, and debased by poverty and cruelty; and as I could not always have my hand in my pocket to relieve them, I should be wretched. Germany too," he continued, shrugging up his shoulders, "there is only one place in Germany I would go to the Duke of 's dominions."

July 3d.-I went to house; a formal, fearful piece of amusement. Lady on her throne as usual: very gracious to me, but still "gracious." I found no subject of conversation, and she was also, for her, unusually dull: so time went on heavily. R and M- were there; but even they did not shine with their usual brilliancy. Mrs. Rand Lady W. R were also present. I think marriage has done much good to the latter. She seems much softened, and is, as she was, very distinguée, and very agreeable. Her

husband appears to be a shy, gentlemanly-looking person. I could not judge what else he was, and feared to talk with him. Somehow or other I lost my own identity in that society, and yet it appeared to offer much entertainment. Lady kept ine strictly under her wing, and tied me down as it were to her chair. She is now in bad health, and there is an excuse for her being placed above every body else, and calling all the people by her, as though she had a crown and sceptre in either hand. But I am told she always did so. It must make a gêne in the society. But Lord is a delightful person, and much is borne to obtain his presence. Lady told me a curious story. She said the Duke of B—— had formed the greatest attachment for Lady

and one evening, after she had been cutting a few jokes at Lady -'s expense, the Duke wrote her four sides of paper, to say how much it grieved him to see that any member of his family thought slightingly of Lady, and he requested that she would never do

so in future.

July 4th.-Visited Lady H--d, who was much more agreeable, and in a different manner, than I had any idea she could be. How slow we ought to be in forming opinions of the character or agrémens of others! for so many people are superior to what they seem on a slight acquaintance, and so many, on the contrary, are inferior to what they at first appear to be, that we should be careful not to judge of them in haste.

Miss K―t came in whilst I was at Lady H—————'s. Her presence put me in mind of the poor Princess, and Princess Charlotte. I like Miss K; that is to say,

I honour and esteem her character. The old Queen certainly behaved very ill to her.

The Duke of Y-k has fallen desperately in love with the Duchess of Rd, and a few days since he walked her up and down Kensington Gardens till she was ready to faint from fatigue; so he ran off puffing and blowing as fast as he could, and brought a pony into the gardens, upon which he aired her up and down for two

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hours longer. When the Regent heard of this, he is said to have chuckled with delight, exclaiming, "Yis in for it at last."

Visited also Lady W. G. She is a person whom I like, I know not why; but she has a charm for me; and as there are certain metals drawn together by a mysterious law of nature, for which man can assign no cause, except that thus it is, so there are certain attractions in moral nature which produce the 'same effect. Dined at Sir; Lady W. R- -, Mrs. R- -, Comte Lieven, Mrs. S. C, Lord and Lady

,&c. Lady D, that extraordinary genius, who, as sculptor and poet, has borne such palmy wreaths from Fame, that few or none of her own sex can vie with her in these departments of genius.

It is not always that Lady D-- condescends to be the charming person she can be. Occasionally her manner is abrupt, especially towards those whom she regards not highly; but I have heard that in all the domestic scenes of life she constitutes the charm of existence: can a woman aspire to a more blessed honour than this?

Foscolo bore testimony to her correct translations of many of Petrarch's most untranslatable poems; and it is her peculiar merit to be diffident of her own powers,

and modest in her estimation of theni.

Another very rare and valuable point of character is, that whatever change takes place in the circumstances or situations of her friends, she never forsakes them. There is no higher eulogy can be bestowed than this; for it tells of that which outlives and outshines all praise -namely, worth and goodness.

Lady is changed certainly-morally improved; but evidently disappointed in marriage. However,_as far as regards her husband, she appears happy. But she was a woman of great worldly ambition, and that passion has not been gratified; and she lacks that feminine tenderness which forms of itself an ambition apart, and enjoys a world of its own, over which it reigns, and which is superior, in the power of bestowing happi

of the thermometer-has sunk many degrees, and as not yet found in her home that enjoyment will make it rise to its former height. I should however, that she may do this; for there is suffimatter and sufficient good sense in her character ke her see the necessity, as well as delight, of not ng the flowers of existence to decay for want of

e.

e

ly F is a singular little person. At first she red to be all puff and frivolity of character; but s not the case. She does not pursue her course ut calculating upon the proceeds of her voyage. her her calculations come to any stable conclueste à sçavoir.

Cg is a very pleasant man, though somewhat easured; and he has a diplomatic tightness of lip betrays his profession. Still the having a profeswhen followed up successfully, is of incalculable tage to every man. It gives a sort of lustre to the onest minds; and to those of finer and firmer teximparts a double value.

parties want the germ of vigour and amuseI know not how it is, but, in spite of flowers and pagne, they do not pass off quickly or agreeably; ey are composed, too, of what is highest in rank enown. Comte L- was there. He appears a good sort of man, but very dull. Who knows else he may be under the cloak of his gray, silent ur?

y 5th.-At home all day. Read Goethe's Life, Tweddell's Remains. The latter is very invigo, showing great animation of soul, joined to a moral character. Goëthe's Life does not make eader love him-not as far as I have read at