Memoirs of Miss Sidney Biddulph / Extracted from her own Journal, and now first published

The edition from which this text is derived contained a number of printer’s errors, based on a comparison with a contemporary edition. These have been corrected.
Extracted from her own Journal, and now first published
FRANCES SHERIDAN
The Editor of the following sheets takes this opportunity of paying the tribute due to exemplary Goodness and distinguished Genius, when found united in One Person, by inscribing these Memoirs to
The AUTHOR OF CLARISSA AND Sir Charles Grandison
I was invited to pass a month last summer in Buckinghamshire by a friend, who paid annually a visit to his mother: a lady pretty far advanced in years, but extremely chearful, sensible, and well-bred.
She lived altogether in the country, in a good old fashioned house, which was part of her jointure; and it was to this hospitable mansion he carried me.
The lady received me very politely, as her son’s friend; and I have great reason to be obliged to him for the introduction.
My friend and I generally dedicated our evenings to the entertainment of this obliging Lady. She loved reading, and was a woman of an excellent taste; but as her years rendered that employment not so easy to her as it had been, her son and myself usually spared her the task, and read to her such authors as she chose for her entertainment; nor was she so confined to particular studies, as not to allow us to vary our subjects as inclination led us.
It happened one evening, which was on the eve of the day appointed for our departure, that we had made choice of the tragedy of Douglas for our entertainment, when a neighbouring lady (a sensible woman) who had drank tea with us, desired to make one of our auditors.
After the tea-table was removed, we entered on our task; my friend and I reading alternately, to relieve each other, that we might not injure the performance by a wearied or flat delivery.
Neither of the ladies had ever seen or read this play before; and both gave that true testimony of nature to its merit, tears.