tained. To read this is to have a pretty correct idea of her conversation taken down in short-hand.

"Ten thousand congratulations to myself, the reproach is taken away from Israel. My dearest Mrs. Thomson, your appearance in the atmosphere of authorship is a consummation devoutly to be wished by all who have the good name of their profession at heart. I shall think of my calling, 'my shame in crowds,' with somewhat of complacency, when I can call up your image, instead of visions of longitude in blue, and latitude in yellow. Already I see you a regular lioness. 'Have you got Mrs. Thomson's autograph? I am sure you will be at my party when I tell you Mrs. Thomson is to be there—she is the great historianess, a most charming, delightful woman.' 'Good gracious! can that be an authoress?' 'Why, dear me, ma'am, she has such a fine family!' How cordially, sincerely, affectionately do I wish and expect for your work the most brilliant success. May the Grand Turk read it as a matrimonial lesson,*^[1] the Mogul take the thousandth edition for himself, and the Emperor of all the Russias implore the honours of its dedication.

"Many thanks for your letter. I take the opposite of your position, and say the country is the place for reading letters; I know your's by heart. I, too, have been dining out; au premier; I did 'Miss,' very prettily, and a good-natured old lady—who put me in mind of a tun, or a lady and gentleman 'rolled into one,' having the height of one sex, the breadth of the other—gave me a book of pictures, a stool, and a little table. Au second, it was properly disseminated that I was 'the London Au-

1. ↑ *The work was the "Memoirs of the Court of Henry VIII."