CHAPTER IX.
“Sandleford, September 26, 1778.... Nuneham is a very fine place, and the owners of it are so amiable and agreable, that one passes one’s time very pleasantly. It sometimes resembles a congress of all the ambassadors in Europe; for Lord Harcourt, having been in a publick capacity, all the ambassadors, and, indeed, all the foreigners of distinction come thither. I remember passing three days there once without hearing a syllable of English spoken. Had every one of the company spoken his mother tongue, it would have resembled Babel. Monsieur and Madame de Noailles are most agreable persons, and I wish we may not have any other foreigners while they stay.
“... I do not know any one who makes his house so agreable to his friends as my brother (William). His parts and knowledge make him an excellent companion; and his apparent benevolence, integrity, and virtues endear his talents.... I agree entirely with the Primate that your rev. consort would grace a Stall; but he is of so unambitious a spirit, I believe he will not take any pains to get into one. Dean of Canterbury would suit him very well. A dean is not obliged to fast or pray, nor has the troublesome care of any soul but his own.
“... We are now very busy with the harvest. We had a great deal of hay, and, fortunately, very little of it was spoiled. We have a prodigious crop of Wheat this year, and I dare say our neighbours have the same; and yet old wheat sold at 7s. 6d. a bushel last week; and some new wheat for 8s. I hope, though I am a farmer, that the prices will soon fall, for the poor labourers cannot earn a subsistence for their families when bread bears such a price. I have about forty reapers at work, at present, to take advantage of the fine weather. I brewed seven hogsheads of small beer for them, and fear it will not last till the end of harvest. The poor reapers and haymakers bring nothing but water into the field, which, with bad cheese and fine bread, is their general fare. I think our northern people are much more notable. Their meals are more plentiful and less delicate. They eat coarse bread, and drink a great deal of milk, and have often salt beef.
“... I must not congratulate you on the taking of Ticonderoga, as I imagine all the prophecies in your House foretold it would not be taken; and I observe, in general, if people have predicted a misfortune, they had rather it should happen than have their prediction fall into discredit.”
London life began to try her strength. In a note to Garrick, at the close of the year: “I’m hurried to death with assemblies,” is the form of her excuse for not calling on Mrs. Garrick; “and I am forced to manage mon souffle de vie.” She hardly dares hope to secure Lord Lyttelton’s company to meet Garrick, unless on a Saturday or Sunday; “for the peers are as inactive as Jews on Saturday, and as jolly as the idlest Christians on Sunday.”
The shadow of the loved brother Morris falls on the following letter:
“January 8, 1778. ... My spirits felt a great damp at first returning to London, where I used to enjoy the friendly converse of my poor departed brother. Death, disasters, and incidents have reduced a large fireside to a small circle. A few years, indeed, shows me that the flattering hopes one entertained in the nursery, of living and social gaiety and freedom with those nearly allied in blood, were mere pleasing delusions. If other things do not sever these natural connections, the fatal scissors cuts their thread.
“Tho’ my poor brother never had opportunity of amassing great wealth, I was in hopes he would have left some thousands more behind him; but the easiness and flexibility of his temper, and a certain placid indolence, made him give into more expense than was prudent. The world lays the whole blame on him, and is loud in compassionate lamentations for his widow. Indeed, her present condition is very lamentable, and I pity her extremely; but certainly she loved expense better than he did. I imagine, poor man, he thought her fine dress and appearance raised her in the eyes of the world. There is no end of the bad consequences of an improper marriage. When men and women make an indiscreet match, they say it is no concern of any one; but when any distress is the consequence, the friends who were thought impertinent if they troubled themselves about the match, are thought cruel if they take no part of the evil.