they would hurt you.' 'Very true, Harry,' says I;
so it ended there."
The following shows that the engagement with the London manager was not yet completely ratified; she was probably standing out for better terms, which he was not inclined to give.
"I look forward with inexpressible delight to our
snug parties, and I have the pleasure to inform you
that I shall not go to London this winter. Mr. Linley
thinks my making a partial appearance will neither
benefit myself nor the proprietors. Mrs. Crawford
threatens to leave them very often, he says, but I
suppose she knows her own interest better. I should
suppose she has a very good fortune, and I should be
vastly obliged to her if she would go and live very
comfortably upon it. I'll give her leave to stay and
be of as much service to my good and dear friend's
tragedy as she possibly can, and then let her retire
as soon as she pleases. I hope I shall not tire you;
Mr. Siddons is afraid I shall, and in compliance to
him (who, with me, returns his grateful acknowledgments
for all your kindnesses), I conclude with, I hope,
an unnecessary assurance, that I am ever your grateful
and affectionate servant, S. Siddons.
"P.S.—Please to present our joint compliments to Mr. Whalley, Mrs. Whalley, and Miss Squire, and, in short, the whole circle, not forgetting Mrs. Reeves, to whom I am much obliged. In an especial manner, I beg to be remembered to the cruel beauty, Sappho. She knows her power, and therefore treats me like a little tyrant. Adieu! God for ever bless you and yours! The beach here is the most beautiful I ever saw."
She alludes above to Whalley's tragedy Morval,